Page 6 of Clinch'd

Wincing, I nod as Hudson says, “For fucks sake, why?”

“I don't know but I think, Dad…Kelly.”

Hudson stiffens and I clench my fist, wishing I were anywhere but here, wishing Monroe were anywhere but wherever the fuck she ran off to.

“Fine,” he grumbles. “I’ll see what I can find out. Keep an eye out on your end. Have you told Beast?”

My mouth sours at his name but I don’t say anything, just shake my head.

“Tell him. He’s got contacts we need.”

With that he walks away, and I watch him go with a frown. Beast may have the contacts, but I suspect he’s the reason our sister ran off to the dark side and I’d rather avoid telling him shit if I can get away with it.

Chapter 3

Minnie

I’ve forgotten about Lorri’s discovery by the time trouble rolls around. I’m on my second of a double shift when two men come into the diner. We’re forty minutes from closing and I huff out a frustrated breath before plastering a smile on my face and grabbing two menus.

“Good evening gentlemen,” I say, handing them the menus, only glancing up when I’m left hanging in the wind while they stare at me and ignore my outstretched hand.

“Ms. Callahan, sit down.”

This comes from the one to my left. He’s looking at me with cold pale blue eyes, the irises almost colorless. I’m not sure if it’s the creepy factor or the deadness I sense but his stare raises the hair on my neck. He’s dressed in a nice suit, but it doesn’t fit quite right and looks at odds with his menacing demeanor. He has a small rift of hair that although combed across his head still sticks up awkwardly toward the back.

Which should make him more approachable but most decidedly does not.

He’s not the muscle in this situation because he’s slight of frame with a thin neck and pronounced Adam’s apple. The man to my right, he’s the muscle and he’s all fucking muscle. His bald head gleams off the fluorescent lighting and he’s forgone the suit for a T-shirt and track pants that bulge under his thigh muscles. His hard dark eyes stare at me unblinking and I gulp uncomfortably before whispering, “How do you know my name?”

“Sit,” the suit says again and uneasily I slide in beside him, keeping as much distance between us as possible.

I’ve stepped in the shit now and ironically, this time it truly had nothing to do with me.

“We have a problem Ms. Callahan,” he continues, staring at my face.

Licking my dry lips, I say, “Oh?”

Please let this be about anything but whatever Lorri witnessed the other night.

“Yes, it would seem you have a secret.”

“Um, no,” I whisper, “no secrets.”

He raises a bushy brow and I stare at it dumbly, because it crawls across his forehead like a caterpillar.

He chuckles and the sound sends a chill down my spine because this guy doesn’t just smell of danger, he reeks of it. It’s pouring from his skin like an acrid oil. My nose twitches at the thought, and I push my nonsensical thoughts away.

My mom dated a man like him once. I was five years old and even at that age I could sense the power surrounding him. I was too young to understand the whys, but I knew he beat the shit out of her, just like every other loser she attracted like flies to shit.

For all her beauty and charisma, she couldn’t keep a decent man to save her life. Instead, she paraded a long line of shittymen before us and smiled through the abuse that often left her broken and bruised.

“Let’s cut to the chase. You know something that threatens my boss, and we can’t have that. I assume you want to please my boss. Right, Ms. Callahan?” His cold eyes drill into mine and I nod silently, past proper speech.

“Good. Then you do Mr. Castinetti a favor and all will be forgiven. Provided you keep your fucking mouth shut. You have a sister. Lorri, right?”

Castinetti? Holy fucking shit. If I thought this was bad before, now I’m fucking panicking. Sal Castinetti is not a man you mess with…ever.

What the hell was Lorri thinking? Why would she go anywhere near a man like Castinetti?

---