Page 151 of Forbidden Harmony

“He wanted his own shop and couldn’t get abusiness loan because of his criminal record. He,” Gideon hesitated, “took ajob again. As the driver.”

“What happened?” Addie whispered.

“I stumbled onto him by stupid luck while outpatrolling and talked him out of it. Told him to drive away and he did. Iarrested the other guys. They tried to say Preacher was there too but therewas no proof, it was their word against Preacher’s. I said I never sawPreacher at the scene and my partner, Martin, backed me up.”

“Why?” Addie said.

“Because I asked him to back me up,” Gideonsaid. “Martin knew Preacher was a good man who made a mistake.”

He glanced at her. “That’s all it was, Addie.A stupid mistake born out of desperation.”

“I know. Do you know about Jorge and Maria?”Addison said.

“Yeah. Preacher doesn’t talk much to themanymore. I thought it was because they rejected him, but I met them once andMaria said it was Preacher who stopped talking to them. They took him in, gavehim a career he loved, and he believes he disappointed them by going to prison.Maria said they tried to tell him it didn’t matter, that they loved him andwere still proud of him, but…”

“But he wouldn’t listen,” Addie said. “Atleast we know it’s a pattern with him.”

Gideon sighed. “I tell him every fuckingday that he deserves to be happy, that he’s not below me or anyone else in thistown, but it’s like talking to a brick wall.”

“He is pretty stubborn,” Addie said. Whileshe was glad that she had talked to Gideon, glad to have gotten even a small pieceof Preacher’s history, she was feeling depressed and sick to her stomach. IfPreacher had abandoned Jorge and Maria, two people he loved and admired, what chancedid she have? None. He had never said he loved her.

“You okay?” Gideon said.

“No. I miss him and I’m worried about him.He’s all alone in that tiny apartment and…”

Her eyes watered and she cleared her throatbefore dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. “Anyway, I was wondering if you coulddo me a favour and return his car to him? He gave it to me to use because Ididn’t have a car, but it’s just been sitting in my parking spot. It doesn’tfeel right to use it. I’d return it to him myself, but he’s made it clear hedoesn’t want to see me again.”

“Yeah, I can return it to him,” Gideon said.“I’m sorry, Addison. Sorry for being a dick, sorry it didn’t work out.”

“Thanks, Gideon.” She squeezed his armagain. “Can you make sure he knows that I won’t be going to Kira and Connor’sbarbeques? He won’t go if he thinks I’m there and he needs our friends, you know?”

“You need them too,” Gideon said.

“It’s okay,” she said. “It’s more importantfor him to have the support right now. I have my family, he only has us… I mean,you guys.”

She set the keys to Preacher’s car on the tablebefore standing and kissing Gideon’s cheek. “His car is parked outside on the street.Thanks, Gideon. Take care of him for me, okay? Make sure he, like, eats anddoesn’t spend all his time alone, all right?”

“I will. Bye, Addie.”

“Bye, Gideon.”

* * *

Preacher swallowed down the last of hisbeer as the group of tourists sitting across from him made a loud and raucous cheer.It was Friday night which meant the Thirsty Beaver was busy as fucking hellwith tourists and locals. It was noisy and crowded and hot, and coming here hadbeen a huge mistake.

But sitting in his apartment alone wasn’t exactlya fucking walk in the park either. He’d thought being at the Beaver where it wouldbe crowded and loud, and drown out the sound of his inner thoughts, would be arelief.

It wasn’t. He could sit in the middle of afucking tornado and his inner voice would still be talking about Addison Mooreand just how badly Preacher had fucked up.

He pushed back his chair with a loud grunt andstood. He needed to get out of here. If he had to listen to the assholes atthe table across from him talk about baseball for one more minute, he’d losehis fucking mind.

He strode across the pub, people automaticallystepping out of his way. Thedon’t fuck with melook on his face workedgreat as a people deterrent. Just before he reached the door, his steps slowed,the jostling and shouting to his left drawing his attention.

He watched the two men shout and shove ateach other before, with a harsh sigh, walking toward them. The idiot was gonnaget himself fucking killed, or at the very least have his ass handed to him ona fucking tray.

Just as he reached them, the bigger man cockedhis hand back to throw a punch. Preacher caught him by the wrist, grinning atthe man when he whipped around and glared at him. “What the fuck do you…”

The man trailed off. He was big, at least6’3”, but whether it was the grin on Preacher’s face or the aforementioned don’tfuck with me vibe, he didn’t try and do something extraordinarily stupid like punchPreacher.

---