Page 228 of Come Back to Me

“Because you got my truck surrounded and you’re not going to leave until I give you some answers. You think I give a damn about the Marshals Service? She’s right—I’ve killed more than you’ll ever know, and when I retired, I figured I’d be able to stop that shit. I’d be in my hometown, where the worst crimes were supposed to be petty theft and domestic disturbances.

“You were not a part of my plan. So, instead of taking up my air, you’re going to return to Saskatoon or some other county and be their migraine.”

Filch gusts smoke in Cody’s face. “And what makes you think we’re going to fucking listen?”

“Because you don’t know it, but you just confessed to murder.”

Filch’s eyes narrow. “Huh?”

“Razer isn’t here.” Cody prods the guy in the chest. “You’re wearing the Prez patch. I don’t think you let him retire to Palm Beach, so whatever you’ve done with him, you confessed to. I have no desire to handle any of this crap.

“I want my fucking domestic disturbances and petty goddamn thefts, all right? I earned that when I was in the Middle East and Russia. I don’t want your brand of bullshit in my town. So, you’re going to get the fuck out of here. You’re not going to get in my face again, and we’re going to leave it at that.”

“Razer’s fine,” Filch growls.

The snickers from the crowd tell me otherwise.

“Then why are you wearing his patch?”

“Heart attack,” someone hollers. “Couldn’t bear for his girl to be a snitch.”

In the blink of an eye, Cody goes from appearing relaxed to somehow having a gun in his hand. Before I can even squeak, the gun is being pressed into Filch’s throat and the Prez is being drawn back against Cody’s front.

Even as the other bikers take a jerky step forward, Cody’s rumbling, “Today’s my weekend. I’m with my girl. I’m going shopping in fucking Saskatoon and we’re going to have a normal date. I’m not going to break things off to deal with this stupid bullshit.

“Whatever you did, you cleared the world of a cunt. That cunt is dead. I’m sure you’re about to be the new head cunt. And you know what? That’s another police chief’s problem. It isn’t mine.”

“Who the fuck are you?” Filch snaps, his hands wafting at the bikers to make them back off.

“I’m Cody Korhonen,” he booms. “Like you didn’t know that already. But I’m the man who has enough of a death wish to shoot you in the skull. Seeing as I don’t feel like dying today, you’re going to step back and fuck off and I’m going to a crystal store because crystals make my girl fucking happy.”

With that, as smooth as silk, he lets go of Filch, who staggers to remain upright. His cheeks are bright red with embarrassment though, his eyes wild with outrage, and my heartdoesn’t shift out of its new home (in my throat) because he looks mad enough to shoot Cody despite the warning.

A lifetime passes with tension making the air as thick as Nonna’sspezzatino di manzo. The bikers peer at one another, everyone barely breathing (myself included) as they wait for Filch’s response.

I sag into the seat when the new Prez takes a step back. “What about the rat?”

“The girl who’s so terrified that she hasn’t said a word yet?” Cody sneers. “She’s underage, she’s apparently lost her father, and her brother died last year?—”

Filch stills. “You knew Paulie?”

“I served with him and I watched him fucking die?—”

For whatever reason, that has the bikers glancing at one another. His declaration triggers a rush of murmurs but only one calls out, “You saw his plane crash?”

The voice tweaks my musician’s ear—there’s something…oddabout it. What the hell is it?

“Every fucking night, I watch it on repeat.”

That same strange voice rasps, “You’re Cody?”

“Didn’t I just say that?” Cody sets his jaw. “Now, he hated his old man as much as you did, but he loved his sister. There’s no way in hell that I’m letting you get to her. I have a duty?—”

Filch raises a hand. “You keep her out of our business, we’ll leave her alone.”

“What?” For the first time, Cody sounds surprised.

“Paulie was...” Filch breaks off.

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