Page 46 of Things Left Unsaid

“What was it this time?”

“Black eye.”

He grips his nape. “If we can’t beat the shit out of him, what can we do?”

“I want you to give him the grody jobs. But don’t make it look like he’s being targeted,” I warn. “He’ll take out his frustrations on her.”

The flash of fire in his eyes says it all.

But I get it.

“I’ll be clever about it,” he assures me, his voice like gravel as he struggles to contain his temper.

A part of me wonders why he didn’t get with her when they were younger, but that’s a conversation we never have.

Best buds or not, he keeps that shit close to his chest.

Because both of us are feeling murderous, I tip my chin at the filly. “How’s she doing?”

“She bit me.” His grin is tight. “Twice.”

Snorting, I clap him on the shoulder. “It’s the effect you have on women.”

Though he slugs me in the arm, he comments, “Mom wants you to visit.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yup. She made you some of that cake you like.”

“Isn’t your cousin visiting from out of town?”

He groans. “Ah, hell. You see through her better than I do. Oh, that reminds me. Gillon quit.”

“Asshole. Set up some interviews?”

“On it. Everything go okay last night?”

I nod—three women had been transported to our bunkhouse under the light of the full moon. This is their safe haven. It just grates on me that it can’t be Bea’s too.

“More are coming in thick and fast.”

“The economy nosedives so they take it out on the wife,” he grinds out, ire lacing the words.

“That’s why we do this.”

“Some days, it doesn’t feel like enough.”

I wish I could argue with him, but with the lingering memory of that bruise on our friend’s face, I can’t.

Colt

PAST

“Come here, kiddo.” Lifting my arm, I tuck her into my side. “Cry it out.”

She immediately burrows her nose in my ribcage. I grew used to that years ago, same with bony elbows and knees accidentally digging into me.

Susanne isn’t that great with personal space.

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