Page 18 of Fire for Effect

“It’s not like your mom would call me to let me know the bad news, right?” She let out a small, sad laugh. “Maybe Kristin would. She still hates me, and would probably love to rub that in.”

My ex-wife’s social media campaign to smear Guerro after the divorce was her retaliation. It was a move designed to hurt – but Kristin didn’t know women like Taz Guerro. Kristin’s hate in the Military Wives clubs slid off Guerro like water off a duck, and I made sure that everyone knew the truth. Hell, for two years, it was practically my introduction at every one of Mom’s events, because she was trying to push me and Kristin to reconcile.

Hi, I’m Kai Griffith. Yeah, the son of Roland Griffith. My ex-wife also slept with my best friend. Enjoy the hors d’oeuvres…

The thought that Kristin would know if something happened to me, and not her? That stung.

“You’ll know.” It was awkward for me to hint that she’d know if I was dead.

She’d be the only person that would be told if something happened to me. Dad would find out through other channels, but for my Firefly? She’d get a uniformed officer at her door, and a chaplain to break the news. Then a lawyer would call. I gave him explicit instructions to open the conversation with “Griff is dead, so let’s see what you’ve won!”

I ordered him to say it like a game show host, but I didn’t have high hopes. The guy was drier than vacuum-sealed flour.

He’d give her the ring I had made from two shell casings that they’d dug out of my body and I hoped that she’d infer from that the truth. A last ditch effort to talk about that night, even if the conversation was one-sided since I’d be… well… dead.

But that wasn’t a discussion worth having now. Not yet. So I changed the subject.

“Why are you up so late? I was expecting to wake you up.” Yeah, I was that asshole. Inconveniencing Guerro was one of my favorite pastimes. If we were in grade school, I’d pull her hair and lick my finger and shove it in her ear. “Did you have a hot date?”

She snorted. But then she went uncharacteristically silent. “Kind of.”

I lifted a brow, feeling a stabbing pain in my chest.

“Oh?” Don’t sound jealous. Don’t sound jealous. “What’s his name?”

What’s his address, and social security number…

I took a deep breath, trying to not picture this faceless man dead in a ditch.

“Riley,” she said, slowly, as if she was dreading my reaction.

Don’t be an asshole. Don’t be an asshole.

“That’s a girl’s name.” And… failed.

“I knew you were going to say that!”

Of course she did.

“It is!” I laughed, but it was strained. Nothing was funny about this. “So what does Riley do for a living? Wait, let me guess.”

I brought a finger to my mouth, making a thinking face that I knew she couldn’t see, but I was still pretty sure she’d know I was doing it, and it would irritate her.

“A Liquor Mixologist?” A bartender. “A coffee sommelier?” Barista. “Does he make hemp hats for park squirrels?” I had no idea if that was a real job, but… it could be.

“Jesus, where do you come up with this shit?” Her change in tone told me she was smiling. Why wouldn’t she be? I was charming, after all. “You’re such an asshole.”

“When do I get to meet him?” I almost smacked myself on the forehead, because I had momentarily forgotten where I was. I couldn’t just pop on over to hang out for a couple beers. Not yet, at least.

She let out a sigh. “The next time you come over.”

So, she was counting on never, huh?

Well, challenge accepted.

She just didn’t know it yet.

I was coming home. Cerberus was disbanded until the leak could be plugged, and my first stop would be her trailer with the key I had with my personal belongings.

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