Page 16 of Filthy Savage

“It’s me, Ryan Turner.”

I jump to my feet without even looking. My computer bag slides to the floor, but I ignore it. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize her. We are only a year apart in age. We grew up together. It’s been over ten years since I’ve seen her, but I should have recognized her.

I rush toward Ryan and wrap my arms around her in a hug, careful not to smoosh her baby between us. “You look amazing,” I whisper against her ear before I straighten and take a step backward.

“I look tired,” she says with a laugh. “But I’m happy. I have two children and my husband. I really don’t think life could get sweeter.”

“Unless you have some of the items from the case. They always make everything sweeter,” Shawn chimes in.

“Your husband?” I ask.

“Atomic,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. He said they were together, and it didn’t make sense until right this moment. All of the pieces have clicked into place now.

I remember when they were together. I remember her sister, too. I remember a lot of the past, but I was only a fly on the wall for any of it. I was never privy to anything that actually went down.

“Wow,” I breathe.

“My oldest son, Adam, is his, and so is little Millie,” she murmurs as she bends her neck slightly and touches her lips to the top of her baby’s head.

I press my lips together and roll them a few times, unsure of how I should approach my next question. Ryan takes pity on me and laughs softly before she speaks again.

“Atomic has changed,” she murmurs. “He’s considerate, kind, loyal, and the best man I’ve ever known. But I’ve changed, too, Spencer. I’ve matured. I’m not the eighteen-year-old girl I was when I ran away from here, from him, all those years ago.”

Releasing my lips, I inhale a deep breath and hold it for a moment before I let it out slowly. “I don’t know how I feel,” I whisper.

“About?” Shawn asks.

“Brew,” Ryan answers for me.

“Brew,” Shawn says.

It’s not a question but rather a shocked repeat of the word. I don’t blame her. I can’t imagine Brew has necessarily given off husband-material vibes. And he probably won’t now, but Atomic wanted me to talk to them, wanted me to hear all about how the men have changed. He somehow seems to think that there could be something between us now.

And I want that.

Even though I’m saying I don’t.

Inside, I do.

I want him to fall madly in love with me. To become completely and totally devoted to just me. I want him to adoreeverything about me and be that prince I always imagined in my dreams.

But I don’t live in my dreams. I live in reality. And the reality is this group got my brother arrested and thrown in jail. They may have changed a little bit, but they aren’t completely different people. Tigers don’t change their stripes quite that much.

“Come and sit down,” Shawn says. “I have a feeling we need to get to know one another.”

“Should I call Kyle?” Ryan asks.

“Yeah, let’s have a Dark Horse Wife Club meeting,” Shawn announces.

I open my mouth to protest the wife part of that little title but snap my lips closed and decide against it. I want to find out exactly what is happening here.

Three old ladies?

I don’t think there were even three old ladies when I was young and all of the original members were running the club. I need to see the anomaly in person.

BREW

My phone buzzes, and I look down at the incoming text, grunting at the sight of the message. It’s Ryan. I know she’s attempting to help, but I’m not sure it’s going to do any good once Spencer finds out that her brother is going to be going to the pen for a while.

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