Page 74 of Starting Over

I looked around the table. Every one of them believed my brother was capable of murder. I could tell by the looks on their faces.

“You honestly believe that my brother, the fucking sheriff, had a woman killed in cold blood because she got drunk, got behind the wheel, and ran into my parents, killing them. Fuck you!”

“Dec sometimes—”

“NO!” I slammed my fist on the table. “Fuck you, Cash. Dec wouldn’t do that.”

“Then what the fuck is he hiding?” Blade asked.

“I don’t fucking know!”

I clasped my hands together on the back of my head and looked up at the ceiling. I didn’t know what my brother was hiding, but I knew it wasn’t that.

He might step over the line occasionally, but only for the good of someone else. He wasn’t like us. Like me.

Having that woman killed is something I would do. I wouldn’t think twice. Not for someone I loved. But Dec was different. He was good. He wasn’t a criminal. Like me. Like our brother.

“We need to table this until we get everything worked out with Fury and Carly. Once that’s done, I’ll talk to Dec. I promise you, he won’t know anything about it.”

I picked up the gavel and slammed it on the table so fucking hard, pain shot up my arm.

“Everybody out.”

Cash was the last one out, closing the door behind him. I leaned my elbows on the table and dropped my head into my hands.

I needed to catch a fucking break.

Chapter Twenty

King

I slept like shit.

After everything that happened yesterday, the fucking information overload ran through my head all night. Not to mention the doubts about Declan that assailed me.

Stumbling into the kitchen, all I wanted was a gallon of coffee. What I didn’t want was to find Maureen Murphy laughing with Hash.

“What are you doin’ here, darlin’?”

“Morning, King. I told Hash I would come by this morning and make some cinnamon rolls. I hope that’s ok?”

I smiled at her. It wasn’t ok, but I wouldn’t tell her that. I didn’t mind her being here. She was welcome anytime. There was just a lot of shit going on right now, and I didn’t want her getting caught up in it.

Leaning my back against the counter, I sipped my coffee, watching her try to teach Hash how to roll the cinnamon rolls she said they were making.

Hash was a great cook; he kept us fed. But he couldn’t make anything resembling a dessert. If we wanted something sweet, we had to order from Patty at The Bake Shoppe.

Sam had done a little baking now and again, but her pregnancy was starting to take its toll. Beck, Sam, and Ellie were all pregnant. It was hell when they were all together, but I was looking forward to having some babies around.

As long as they weren’t mine.

“Hey, King. We got a guy outside, demanding to come in. Threatening to shove a gun up Archie’s ass if he doesn’t open the gate.”

“Jesus Christ. What now?” Dumping my coffee in the sink, I set my cup on the counter. I looked over at Hash and ordered, “Keep her in here.” Then, I followed Billy out to the common room. “Where’s Cash?”

“Hasn’t come down yet.”

“Go wake his ass up,” I growled, looking around the room to see who was here.

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