Page 41 of All Our Ghosts

“Or you’ll what?” Watson chortles. “You hit me and it’s back to Stockton for you, big boy.”

I drag my tongue over my bottom lip, the corners of my mouth upturning. “Imagine what that would do to business,” I whisper, low enough that only he hears me. “Face it, Watson, this arrangement only works with me in it.”

“Be that as it may, Nash, Stokes wouldn’t give two fucks if you ended up back in prison…” that smug smile returns, “or like your sister.”

I feel my jaw tick and my teeth grind together as my hands fist at my side. Becca’s death was ruled an accident. My glare narrows in on Watson and I can’t tell if he’s speaking truth or fucking with me.

“What the fuck did you do to her?”

“Nothing that wasn’t deserved.”

I growl, and before I can control myself, my hands twist into Watson’s beige uniform, the two of us stumbling as we grapple with each other. “She didn’t fucking deserve to end up in a ditch, you asshole,” I rasp, the air in my chest depleting. “What did you do!?”

“Holden!” Kadence yelps from behind us, I can hear her boots crunch in the dirt and gravel.

“Stay put!” I yell, the crunch stopping behind me.

Watson seethes. “You better listen to your whore, she just might save your life.”

“Holden, let him go!”

My chest heaves trying to force the air back into my lungs. My vision blurs slightly as tears sting the corners of my eyes. Becca didn’t deserve anything that happened to her that night. Stokes had done me the great service of showboating the forensic photos during my interrogation because why wouldn’t a convicted felon biker kill his own sister, right?

Those images will never leave my mind and now they’re flooding back in to the point I can’t stop. My body suddenly twists by my wrist as he drags me over and shoves me against the hood of his cop car. Watson grabs my other arm and twists it to restrain me. I feel the cuffs click into place and let my forehead rest against the metal of the car.Shit.

“I fucking warned you, Nash.” Watson steps back, letting me spin around and lean against the cab of the sedan. I watch as he pulls out his phone to call whoever else was going to witness this shit.

I roll my head over to Kadence. God, she looks so fuckin scared. I hate it. She stares at me, gnawing on her bottom lip and her face pale. How am I supposed to explain this shit?

“Kade,” I murmur, standing myself up straight, “baby.”

Her glare catches me, green eyes shooting daggers in my direction. I don’t blame her. I deserve worse than just daggers.

“Don’tbabyme,” she bites, so quiet that I almost don’t hear it. “Why didn’t you just listen?” Her voice breaks into a plea.

I feel a pang in my chest as I stare at her for a moment before dropping my head. What a fucking way to end the night.

She lets out a sigh, walking over to me as her eyes flicker between me and Watson’s back. Whoever he has on the phone is occupying him long enough for her to step up to me. Her hand lands on my chest, pausing there for a moment before resting on my cheek.

Her head dips down to catch my gaze. “What was that about?” She whispers, feeling me lean into her touch.

I search her eyes and still find the terror I’ve seen before but there’s something else hidden behind it. Something stronger as she waits for my answer.

“I can’t tell you right now,” I admit. As much as I want to, I need time to explain, and being handcuffed with Watson six feet away is not the time. Her brows knit together. “I will, Kadence, I promise you I will explain, but I can’t right now.”

I don’t recognize the plea in my own voice but I know that I’ll tell her. Kadence is the one woman I don’t want to lie to. So I’ll tell her. Tonight, if she’ll let me explain.

“Hey!” Watson screeches. “Back away from him!”

“He’s handcuffed, you idiot, what’s he going to do?” Kadence snaps, her hand falling from my face. Her patience with the evening is clearly gone.

“Watch it Kadence, or you’ll end up cuffed like him.” Watson rounds the back of the sedan. “Matter of fact, whatisyour real name?”

“Kadence,” she bites.

Watson’s right palm finds the butt of his gun again. “Last name?”

“Andrews,” she bites again, this time her arms cross over her chest as she steps back into my right side.

---