Page 104 of Blind Luck

Kelsey had decided that promotion or no promotion, she was moving to Richmond, and Selene was going too. Priest said a friend of a friend ran a domestic violence charity there, and they’d help Selene get back on her feet in a more long-term way than we could ever do. Plus she and Kelsey had become friends, so they’d have each other to lean on in a new city.

And me? I’d tidy the house with Rusty before Mav’s return next week, and then I’d go to Santa Cruz to pick up some of my stuff. After that, I was heading for Fresno, at least for a week or two. I’d split my time between the ocean and the San Joaquin Valley, depending on my workschedule and Rusty’s. My life had just turned into one big jigsaw puzzle, and I didn’t mind a bit.

Ari had flown home to see Zach and Haven after Zach returned from South Africa, but now she’d come back to Vegas for a few days, not because of the Galaxy case but to continue her regular work with Rennick. Normal life was gradually resuming, or rather the new normal in my case.

In a strange way, I’d miss all the drama when I returned to California.

But, it turned out, the drama wasn’t over yet.

The yelling woke me, and I bolted upright in bed and shook Rusty.

“Listen!”

“Wha…?”

“Someone’s shouting. In the house.”

And they were close, too close. Upstairs. A man. The words were indistinguishable, but the anger was clear, and Rusty was the only man meant to be here tonight.

He was already on his feet, and he tucked me behind him as he hurried toward the door.

“Stay here.”

And miss all the good parts? No way. If Sin hadn’t been in residence, I might have been more concerned, but she slept with a gun under her pillow and she knew how to use it.

Ari made it to the master suite before we did, and I caught sight of Selene and Kelsey hurrying along the hallway. Selene was carrying a baseball bat.

“Get the fuck off me!” the guy was yelling. “You crazy fucking bitch.”

Rusty peered tentatively around the doorjamb and then sagged back against me. “Oh, fuck.”

“What?”

I took a look myself. Sin had a guy dressed in jeans and a T-shirt cuffed and pressed face-first into the wall. Her gunwas stuck in the waistband of her shorts, and somehow, she managed to look more awake than the rest of us put together. Trooper was jumping up and down in his cage, yip-yip-yipping at the intruder. Had the Fullers sent another thug? I thought Alexa was monitoring the dark web?

Rusty stepped forward. “Welcome home, buddy. I thought you were in Norway until next week?”

“What the fuck is going on? This whack job pulled a gun and fucking frisked me.”

A smile flickered on Sin’s lips. “You enjoyed that part. Don’t lie.”

“Shut up. Why are you all just standing there? Someone call 911.” The man I now recognised as Mav Johansen shook his head. “Wait. Who are these people?”

“You said it was okay to have guests,” Rusty reminded him sheepishly.

“Yeah, I said the hot surfer chick could stay, not all the other ones.” Sin loosened her grip enough for Mav to take a look around. “Five women? Man, I didn’t think you were the type.”

“That’s not what this is.”

“Then what the fuck is it? I was climbing into bed, and a lunatic tried to murder me.”

Sin just shrugged. “You shouldn’t creep around in the dark.”

“It’s my damn house, lady. I can do whatever the hell I want.”

“Maybe you could uncuff him?” Ari suggested.

Sin’s smile grew wider. “Maybe I like him better this way.”

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