Page 92 of Just My Luck

I lifted my chin. “You walk your ass outside and we talk, or we can have this conversation with all these eyes on you.” I swirled my finger in the air, and Jared took in the gaping stares and whispering voices from the other hotel guests and workers.

He shifted and straightened his shirt. “I’m not afraid of you.”

He was.

I could feel it.

Jared’s chin jutted into the air. “You lay one finger on me and I’ll personally send you straight back to prison. You’ll never see the light of day again if I have anything to do with it.”

My molars ground together. “Outside.”

I turned, walking through Duke, Lee, and Royal to stand on the entryway outside of the hotel. Jared followed with the three of them in tow.

Before he could open his mouth, I jabbed a finger into Jared’s chest. “You listen to me, you motherfucker. I know what you did. I’ll prove it if it’s the last fucking thing I do. In the meantime, you leave town. If you don’t, I will find out about it. You don’t talk to her. You don’t look at her. You don’t breathe the same air as her. Stay the fuck away from my wife.”

A slick smile spread over his face. “It doesn’t matter if I leave or not. You really think a judge isn’t going to have reservations about her moving the kids in with a convicted murderer?”

A ripple of shame hummed through my blood as it ran cold. I couldn’t change what happened on that dark, lonely stretch of highway. Now it was haunting me and threatened to take away the very thing that had brought me back to life.

My fist clenched and my arm reared back.

Before my punch could land, Lee’s fist landed with a crack against Jared’s jaw.

“Oh, fuck!” Lee shook his hand and laughed.

Fucking laughed.

Jared howled as he crumpled to the ground in pain.

I stared at Lee Sullivan in shock as he bounced on his heels and looked down at Jared. “You almost got your own son killed, you selfish prick.” He shook his hand again and looked at Duke. “Fuck, that hurt!”

Royal gripped Lee’s shoulder and guided him toward my truck. “Come on. Let’s get some ice.”

Duke spat on the ground next to Jared, glaring down at him. “You picked the wrong family to fuck with. You’re common enemy number one now.”

Surprised appreciation barely registered as Duke gestured with a nod for us to get going. We left Jared struggling to get to his knees as we climbed into my truck. From behind me, Lee squeezed my shoulder.

“Sorry I stole your thunder, but I’ve been wanting to do that since the fire, and I figured it probably isn’t a good idea for you to assault anyone.”

“Thank you.” I looked around the truck. “Seriously. I appreciate you being here.”

Duke nodded. “Don’t mention it. Now let’s get back before we have to explain to the cops what we’re all doing here.”

Without another word, I pulled out of the parking space and headed away from the hotel. My brain ran through what happened over and over again. Still, not all the pieces fit.

I was nearly silent when we dropped Duke and Lee back off at Sullivan Farms. As Duke opened his door, I leaned over. “Tell my sister I’m sorry to have dragged you into this.”

He glanced at his house with a soft smile. “I have a feeling I might get a pass on this one.” He tapped the side of the truck and closed the door.

Back on the road toward town, Royal broke the tense silence. “I think he got the message, don’t you?”

My jaw tightened. “I sure hope so.” Frustration bubbled inside me.I should have fucking hit him.“He knew about the accident and my time in prison. Dad did his best to kill the story in the local papers, but it was all still public record. It’s what he’s using against Sloane.”

Royal shrugged. “I guess it wouldn’t be unusual for him to dig it up, then.” I could feel my brother’s assessing eyes on me as I drove. “What else has got you doing mental gymnastics?” His finger looped in circles next to his ear. “I know it’s more than just a shitty ex digging up dirt.”

I sighed, not sure where to even begin to explain the odd, unsettling feeling I had. “I need to make a few calls and see if he has contacts on the inside. Someone feeding information or maybe even someone who was willing to do his bidding. If I can prove he was behind the fire, he’ll leave her alone for good.”

My hand scraped over my jaw. “Did you see what he was wearing? A man wearing boat loafers and no socks doesn’t burn down houses and risk the lives of their own children. They use their money and power to do it for them.”

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