Page 34 of Dear John

12

KAVANAUGH

“What the fuck is going on?”Red asked, slamming his door as he got out at Isla’s house, marching up the steps to where I sat in stunned silence on her porch. I still couldn’t believe it. After all this time, it was over. I was done.

“I’m out.” The words still seemed unreal to me.

“What the fuck do you mean you’re out?”

I was exhausted and fucking angry as hell. Working with the senator had been the tip of the iceberg, but then to pile on all this shit afterward…I was not doing well with any of it. Isla was about to lose all her additional security. I had to find a job sooner rather than later, and that would leave her vulnerable. Frankly, I was at my wit’s end.

“Kavanaugh, tell me what happened.”

“Remember what I told you about my brother?” He nodded. “Cash threatened to use it against me. Against Isla.”

His eyes widened in shock. I knew he was just as staggered by the news as I was when Cash said the words. Never in my life did I think Cash would turn on me. He was always someone I thought of as family, but now…he was too far gone. He was making rash decisions that would get others killed.

Red took a seat beside me on the steps. I reached into the cooler of beer beside me and handed it over. He opened it on the steps and chugged the whole bottle. For the first time in a long time, I was fucking lost. I knew I couldn’t go back to the senator and take his offer. Even if I did, it wouldn’t take back what Cash just did.

“I can’t believe it,” Red finally said, rubbing his hand over his jaw. “What are you going to do?”

“I have no fucking clue. Isla’s here, but I need a job.”

“Do you have anything saved up?”

“Plenty, but I can’t just sit around. And I can’t stay in the same town as him. I need some distance.”

“What about Isla?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know what the fuck to do. I can’t leave her. It’s not safe.”

“We have the security?—”

I shook my head. “Cash is sending someone over.” And just as I said it, the minivans pulled around the corner and stopped in front of the house. Red got to his feet instantly, the fury rolling off him was nearly at the same level as mine.

“No, this is bullshit. You’re paying?—”

“Doesn’t fucking matter. He won’t work with her now.”

He spun around to face me. “All because you won’t go along with his insane fucking plan?”

“It’s done,” I said, not knowing what else to tell him. “He’s fucking lost it. The only thing he can see is revenge.”

“He’s putting Isla at risk!”

“I fucking know that!” I shouted, finally losing my cool. My fingers pulled at my hair as I took off down the steps toward Rae and Thumper’s team. None of them looked particularly happy to be here. In fact, the questioning looks on their faces told me all I needed to know. Cash fucking lied to them.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Thumper asked.

“Do what?”

He glanced at the house, then back at me. “Take down all the equipment. The threat might be over for now, but that doesn’t mean he won’t try again.”

I scoffed, turning away from them.

“Is that what he fucking told you?” Red snarled.

“Why do I get the feeling we’ve walked into some alternate universe and the joke is on us?” Rae asked.

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