Page 123 of Win Some Love Some
“Hey, Nora!” Liam said, poking his head out of the window of the Bronco. “We’re here to rescue you!”
“Thank you, but I’m fine. Just let them go and let the police handle it.” I glanced up at Nick. “Seriously, we don’t need the trouble.”
“Too late for that,” Nick said, still glaring at Peter, who was holding his hands in the air like it was a car-jacking. “Inside the office. Please, babe.”
“I don’t want any violence,” I insisted. “That will only bring trouble down on us. It’s not worth it.”
Nick nodded like he was agreeing with me. “I get that. It’s okay, Nor. Look, Liam’s not allowed to punch anyone because he’s in season and can’t risk his hands. Wyatt doesn’t want any bad publicity to rub off on Syd with her new album coming out. They’re blocking him in because we needed some extra time.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Good. Reason was going to prevail. “You called the FBI.”
“Nope. I called someone better.” There was something in his smile that filled me with a dark suspicion.
“Nick, tell me you didn’t.”
There was the sound of screeching breaks as a familiar truck pulled around the corner too fast.
“I did. I called your dad.”
Roy Barnes slammed the truck door behind him and marched over to Peter’s rental car.
“Which one of you fuckers is Rene?” my dad growled.
Rene’s cigarette dropped from between his shaking fingers.
This wasn’t going to be pretty.
I patted Nick on the arm. “I’m going inside the office to get ahold of the FBI. Try not to do anything that will get you in trouble.”
Nick beamed at me. “I’ll keep that in mind, babe.”
“Look at your knuckles,”I hissed, as I wrapped the towel I’d been soaking in ice water around Nick’s hand.
We’d had to reschedule all his appointments for the day, and instead, spent hours answering questions from the Feds.
Nick did all of this without complaint, but when we came upstairs to his place after the questioning, I forced him to let me see his hands. Now I was sitting on the kitchen counter while he let me fuss with freezing towels and his swollen, bloody knuckles.
He wore the same stupid smile he’d worn answering the officials’ questions. It was the same smile my dad, Wyatt and Liam had all worn too. Like they were all John Dutton administering western justice.
Not long after my dad had arrived on the scene, Mom had followed with ice packs, aspirin and the FBI agent’s card. Together we’d called the Feds from Nick’s office.
When it was all said and done, both Nick and Dad’s hands were a mess.
Thankfully, Liam and Wyatt had been able to go home without bloody knuckles.
“And you were wrong, by the way,” Nick said, kissing my forehead. “It was so worth it. Your Dad,” Nick shook his head. “Absolute legend.”
Peter had been restrained by the two hockey players, but otherwise didn’t have a scratch on him. Rene, on the other hand, had been on the receiving end of some payback inflicted by Nick and my dad.
“You’re both insane.”
“Yeah, but you love us,” Nick said. I was about to slide off the counter when Nick put his towel wrapped hands on either side of my thighs, holding me in place. “Hey, I want to call my parents.”
“Now? We can wait,” I said. “If you really want.”
“We’ve waited long enough.” He pulled his phone out and set it on the counter. “It will be three in Cali, so before dinner service at the restaurant. A good time to call.”
I knew what he was doing. Letting down all his guards. Opening up his entire heart.
