Page 70 of Hell or High Water

I wanted to ask how he had been killed, but I didn’t. He hadn’t said he died. Killed meant something else. More violent. I waited to see if he said more, but he dropped his gaze back to the clothing on his bed for a moment.

“And Saylor was Crosby’s girlfriend and Gathe’s best friend. We were the same age, and our families were close. We grew up close, the four of us.”

She was? Did that mean she had been killed too? A car accident maybe.

He looked up and forced a smile. “Better go see what damage the condom balloon bandit managed to do,” he told me before heading into his private bathroom.

I turned to look back at the photo. Staring at Crosby, I didn’t see any resemblance to Bane really, but Bane’s son could have been a tiny replica. I imagined seeing that every day helped Bane. Halo had called him Hawkins Crosby Cash. They’d even named him after his uncle. Ironic that he looked so much like him.

Than walked back into the room and caught me staring at the photo.

“Hawkins looks like him,” I said with a small smile.

Than was silent for a moment, and I wondered if I’d said the wrong thing. He didn’t want to talk about Crosby, and I should shut up about him.

“Hawkins is Crosby’s biological son.”

I remained silent as that sank in. I glanced back at the photo of the blonde girl beside him. Than had said Saylor was Crosby’s girlfriend. But Halo…I frowned. Was Halo not Hawkins’s biological mother? I was confused.

“It’s really not my story to tell,” he said. “But it’s not a secret either.”

I shook my head, feeling like I’d pried enough, although I was more than curious about it. “It’s fine. It’s not my business.”

The corner of his mouth quirked as he began shoving his things into the duffel. “I dropped theHawkins is Crosby’son you. It’s not fair to share something like that, then leave you guessing.” He looked up at me as he zipped the bag. “Crosby was cheating on Saylor with Halo. Halo didn’t know Saylor existed. He knocked Halo up, and before she could tell him that the doctor had confirmed her pregnancy, he was killed. We didn’t know about her, but Linc found something that led Bane to her. Thinking she might be the reason Crosby had been shot. Found out she was pregnant, had a paternity test done, and it was Crosby’s. Moved her in here, and, well, as you saw out there, Bane fell hard and fast.”

Holy crap. Was he serious? That sounded like a movie plot. What did I say to that? I turned back to the photo.

“Can I ask what happened to Saylor, or is that being too nosy?” I regretted it as soon as I said it. I knew it was being nosy, but I felt bad for her. I mean, it wasn’t Halo’s fault at all, but wow. Losing someone you loved, then finding out they had not only cheated on you, but left behind a baby.

Than’s short laugh surprised me. “She’s good. Happy. Going to hell, but aren’t we all?”

Going to hell? Scrunching my nose, I frowned at him.

That amused him more for some reason. “Saylor is engaged to a former priest. And when I say former, I mean, he was a priest until he was knocked from glory by the desire for Saylor’s puss—” He cleared his throat. “What’s between her legs.”

I wasn’t Catholic, but even I knew that was a big deal. “Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say.

Than’s grin went wide, and he nodded. “Yeah. Oh.”

I licked my lips and let out a small laugh. I mean, it was kinda funny. I was also glad that the stranger in the photo had found happiness. Halo and Bane sure seemed happy.

“I’ve always wondered how priests do that. Most men are controlled by their, uh…urges. At least, that’s what Momma always said.” I blushed. I hadn’t meant to blurt it out that way.

Than’s gaze did a slow drift down my body as he took the few steps over to me. “Controlled by our urges, huh?”

I swallowed hard and shrugged. “I mean, I don’t know. I’m not a wealth of knowledge about it, but like I said, Momma would just say it a lot.”

Than tilted his head to the side as he stared down at me. “Hmm,” he replied. “We are weak when it comes to a pretty face.” He touched the spot under my chin with his fingertip, then ran it down my neck, along my collarbone, then to the swell of my breasts, where he stopped. “And when the face comes with a body and a cunt that tastes like candy, we do tend to stop listening to reason.” His voice dropped until it was a husky whisper.

I shivered as his palm covered a breast and gently squeezed.

“You really need to wear a bra.” His eyes were on my chest as he spoke. “As if you weren’t already lethal to a man’s willpower, you have to add your bouncing titties to the package and keep me hard all the fucking time.”

And trigger my wet panties. Dammit. That was all it took. After a day of barely looking at me, he was now talking about me making his cock hard. He’d flirted with other girls around me. Was my self-worth so low that I was just going to let him grope my boobs and do whatever he wanted? I was convenient. Nothing more to him. Just because I felt things with him that were new for me didn’t mean he had any feelings other than being horny where I was concerned.

With the image of Bane staring down at Halo and the envy I’d felt, seeing how much he loved her, fresh in my mind, I found the strength to step back.

Than’s hand slipped from me as I put distance between us. The confused frown that crinkled between his brows as he stared at me was just more proof that I’d been acting like my mother. He’d assumed I’d let him touch me and do what he wanted because I’d done so twice this morning.

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