Page 83 of Wild Bliss

Wyatt stared down at the report Cameron Briggs had placed inhis hands. It was his testimony on what had happened the night before, and hewas supposed to ensure it was all accurate and truthful.

It was filled with lies.

Lies he and Sawyer had agreed upon. Lies Sabrina had claimedwere necessary.

She didn’t want him any more involved with his brother’sbusiness than he did. She knew he’d given him the account access he’d needed,knew it was from a criminal enterprise, and she’d told him she didn’t think itwas a good idea to mention it in this report.

He was dragging Sabrina and Sawyer down.

This isn’t your life anymore, she’d said, staringinto his eyes.It’s the past, and you handed it back to him. That’s all.

He’d handed his brother more money so he could cause morepain, sell more drugs, kill more enemies.

He was being a coward.

“I’m going to grab some coffee,” Cam said, standing. The bigblond deputy gave him a smile. “Read your statement thoroughly and let me knowif we need to make any changes. You want anything from the break room? Nellsent muffins. They’re surprisingly good for vegan.”

He’d eaten a hearty breakfast this morning, but now itturned sour in his gut. He shook his head. “No, but thank you, Deputy.”

“Cam, please,” Cam corrected as he started for thebreakroom. “And I’m glad you took care of things. Be careful. The guys fromlast night have already made bail and processed out. They have some goodlawyers. I would hope they would head back to Colorado Springs, but you cannever be sure.”

Cam strode away, and Wyatt was left alone in Cam’s cubicle.The only private office in the entire building was Nate Wright’s, and it wasadorned with aGone Fishingsign. It was quiet this morning. Sabrinahad given her statement first because she was needed at the school. He’dinsisted she do it in the closed office since there was a chance the men in thecells might get another look at her.

Gemma sat at the front desk along with a deputy herecognized as the other half of Sabrina’s earlier date. The Creede boys. Wyattcould remember the shock on Knox’s face when he figured out Sabrina was withhim and Sawyer. Sabrina hadn’t blinked an eye but Wyatt had watched the deputy,and he hadn’t been happy.

“So those are your brother’s men?” a deep voice asked.

Speak of the devil. Marshall Lethe wore his khaki uniformwith obvious pride. It was perfectly pressed, unlike Cam’s, which Wyatt waspretty sure bore the marks of the man’s young daughter on his back shoulder.There was a small hand-like print where someone had clung to him. After eatingsomething sticky. Syrup, maybe.

Wyatt put the statement down. It didn’t matter. So much ofit was lies. It didn’t matter if he reread it for accuracy. “He’s not mybrother anymore.”

Marshall was probably an inch or two shorter than Wyatt, buthe had way more muscle. The deputy clearly spent time in the gym. He leanedagainst the cubicle wall, pinning Wyatt with a stare they only taught at thepolice academy. Or whatever passed for it in these parts. “I overheard thesheriff say you left the Horde last year. I’ve found it’s harder to leave thanyou would think. If you left, why would he send men to fuck with you?”

This was the part they’d agreed on. A partial truth. “I usedto work in one of the legitimate businesses before I left. The dealership.They’re coming up on quarterly taxes, and no one knows how to get into myaccounting system. He wanted some codes.”

“Is that what you call it?” Marshall asked, brows rising.“Accounting? Or was it laundering?”

Thiswas what he’d expected. He was getting as badas Sawyer, but then Sawyer had been right about most things. “I don’t work formy brother, Deputy. You would have to ask him.”

“But you did work for him. As recently as last year,”Marshall mused. “You know the statute of limitation on money laundering isseven years here in Colorado. You still have six before you can feel like yougot away with it.”

“Are you planning on arresting me?” Wyatt asked, wanting toget to the real point.

“Just letting you know I’m not naïve like the rest of thisdepartment.” He looked to the side as though trying to ensure Cam couldn’t hearhim. “Which is surprising since the sheriff used to deal with people like youall the time.”

“People like me?” He hated the sense of shame that washedover him.

“Criminals.”

“You know I didn’t join the Horde. I was born into it. Notmany choices for me, and when I did get into a position where I could decidefor myself, I left.” Wyatt stood and signed his name to the statement with thepen left on the desk. He didn’t have to take this man’s vitriol. “Now, if youdon’t mind, let Deputy Briggs know I’ll be around if he has any otherquestions.”

“You’re going to get her killed, you know.” Marshall crossedhis arms over his chest. “Sabrina Leal is a nice woman, and you’re dragging herdown.”

Was this about him or Sabrina? “She’s a nice woman whodecided she didn’t want to see you again.”

“Sometimes even nice women make bad choices,” Marshallallowed. “They buy into the bad-boy persona and don’t understand how muchbetter off they would be with a nice guy.”

Wyatt chuckled, though he wasn’t even close to being amused.“Bad boy? You know I can’t fucking win. My brother calls me a pussy because Idon’t want to walk around with a gun all the time, taking out anyone who looksat me the wrong way. You think I’m bad because I was born into a family I had ahard time getting out of. I assure you I didn’t woo Sabrina with my bad-boyways. I did it with brownies. See, the key is to use coffee instead of water.Gives the box mix a certain depth of flavor. Oh, and she likes our dog. And I’mreadingTwilightand discussing my feelings about the whole lovetriangle with her. I don’t see why Bella has to choose. But do go on about howbadass I am.”

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