Page 19 of No Love Lost

When he had himself mostly together, Sean’s hands landed on his shoulders, and he squeezed him into another hug. Heath nearly lost it right there, but more deep breaths helped.

“I’m sorry, man. Everything about that sucks.”

He let Sean direct him back to the table. Troy leaned forward. “I know it’s no consolation, but Addison is a strong, kickass woman, and she’s raised an amazing kid. She figured it out and has made a damn good life for the two of them.”

Heath nodded. “They’re amazing. The two of them are such a unit. Fiercely protective of each other.” And so damn beautiful, it cracked his heart.

“How did Nina take the news?” Marcus asked.

Heath huffed out a laugh. “Probably better than any of us. She said she’d always wanted to hate me because of what I hadn’t done for her mother, for not being there. But they believed me. They both believed me.” Which was a miracle he wasn’t sure he deserved.

He blew out a breath. “They’re willing to let me into their lives. They’re willing to give me a chance, and I’m not screwing it up. I’m taking them to lunch tomorrow.”

Troy grinned. “You’ll have to go to the No Fail Diner. My cousin Ginny owns it.”

Ginny. “Your cousin is Nimii’s partner?”

Troy nodded. “That’s how we knew you were here. Nimii recognized your name from something Ginny had told her about our team. She texted Ginny the basics so Ginny could text me, and we’d be prepared.”

Heath nodded. At least someone had gotten the chance to be prepared. He shoved up off the chair and started to pace again.

After a couple of rounds, Levi stood up and slapped him on the back. “Come with me.”

He nodded and followed Oz to the entry, where they put on their boots and jackets. Instead of heading to the cars, Levi struck out across the yard. Fields stretched out to the back, but his friend headed to a fence and climbed over. Heath followed suit.

The night was dark, but the skim of snow brightened everything enough for him to see several greenhouses that were made entirely of old windows and doors. A very cool setup, but he didn’t stop to check it out.

Levi walked up to a small barn and pulled out a key. Inside, his buddy used his phone as a light to find two flashlights. He handed over one and led the way into the gloom.

Heath followed Levi up a ladder and into a loft filled with bales of hay. Finally, Levi spoke. “Hay bales are useful for a lot of things. They don’t punch back, and you won’t break your hand. But they will leave marks, so be careful. You don’t want that girl seeing your hands all bruised up tomorrow.”

Levi walked over and kicked one of the bales. “I’ve taken my emotions out on bales more than once. Kicking them is good. Tossing them, too. You can pound the shit out of them. Just don’t fall off the loft.”

His buddy dug into his pocket. “Here’s my key to the farmhouse. I’ll get it back from you tomorrow. Your room’s upstairs at the front. Turn left at the top of the stairs and then left down the hallway. Last room.”

Then Levi climbed down the stairs. “The lights are solar powered and the charge will last a couple of hours, at least. I’ll leave this one down here so you don’t knock your ass off the edge.”

And then he was gone.

Heath looked around at the hay bales and kicked at the closest one. Then he kicked it again and again and again.

He let all the anger flow through his veins and attacked the bales with a vengeance. It wasn’t the same as pounding the shit out of the universe that had screwed him over, but it was close.

Ziigwan’s terror as she stepped into the forest for the very first time rippled through Addison. Zigi had known trees existed, of course. After all, she was well-versed in the stories of her elders and their elders.

But to be surrounded by them on all sides? Without a single screen or servebot in sight?

The shout behind her had Zigi running ahead despite the shadows and the thought of the things that could be hiding behind all that green and brown.

Her parents were dead. Murdered. She would be next if she didn’t find a place to hide. A place where she could solve the mystery and plot her revenge.

Addison jumped when a door slammed behind her, pulling her from Zigi’s world and back to her own.

“Hey, mom. I’m going to jump in the shower so I don’t smell like donkey. I’ll be quick.”

Another door closed as Addison blinked back to awareness. Her fingers twitched to get back to the keyboard, but she forced herself to stand before saving and backing up her work.

A look down had her groaning. She hadn’t showered yet, either. She was supposed to be ready to go in a few minutes, and she doubted Ginny would appreciate polar bear slippers and frog jammies in her diner.

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