Page 26 of Cold as Stone
“No,” I agree. “And you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be giving Devil a swift kick to the shin the next time I see him. But this is what’s happening, and I’m in it now.” I glance up at him, studying the lines of his face. “How long has this been going on?”
“Summit showed up about a year ago,” he says. “Started small—buying foreclosed properties, offering to ‘revitalize’ the downtown area. By the time we realized what they were really up to, they’d already sunk their hooks in deep.”
“Jesus,” I whisper, sick to my stomach.
Lee watches me carefully. “You sure you want to be involved in this, Kya? It’s not too late to walk away. Sell the bar back to Devil, use that lottery money to start over somewhere else.”
The question catches me off guard. “How do you know about the money?”
He grins. “Small town, remember?”
I nod slowly, considering his question. Do I want to be involved in this? I came back to Stoneheart to deal with my mother’s estate, not to own a bar or get caught up in cartel business.
But then I think about the town. Not just as it is now, but as it was. For all its flaws and painful memories, this place shapedme. And there are good people here who don’t deserve to be pushed out or terrorized by some faceless corporation.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I say finally. “This is my home too.”
He nods once, then starts to speak again when Duck calls his name from across the room.
“Coming,” he calls back, then turns to me. “We’ll talk more later. Lock up tight tonight. And if anything feels off, anything at all, you call.”
“I don’t have your number,” I point out.
The corner of his mouth twitches. “Check your phone.”
He rejoins the others as they file out, Josie already deep in conversation with Stone and Axel about next steps. I watch them leave, one by one, until the bar is empty again. Only then do I pull out my phone to find a text from a new contact.
Lee
Call if you need anything, Kya. I mean it.
I stare at the screen, a complicated mix of emotions swirling in my chest. Despite everything—the danger, the uncertainty, the history between us—something about knowing Lee is watching out for me makes me feel safer than I have in years.
Damn it.
6
KYA
The lunch rush is finishing when the front door of the bar swings open. Framed against the bright afternoon sunlight stands a man in a tailored suit that probably cost more than my monthly rent. I’ve been back in Stoneheart long enough to know that well-fitted suits like that don’t walk into dive bars like mine unless they want something.
He scans the room, gaze landing on me behind the bar. The smile he offers as he approaches doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Afternoon,” I say, wiping my hands on a towel. “What can I get you?”
“I’m looking for the owner.” His voice is city smooth, and it immediately puts me on edge.
“You found her.”
His eyebrows lift slightly with surprise that he quickly masks. “Ms. Sullivan? David Crane.” He extends his hand across the bar. “I represent Summit Development. I was hoping we might have a quick chat?”
My stomach knots, but I keep my expression neutral as I shake his hand. “Sure. I’ve got a few minutes. Would you like a drink?”
“Just water, please.”
I slide a glass his way and nod toward the office behind the bar. “Follow me.”
As I lead him through, I feel the eyes of the few remaining customers on us. Word travels fast in small towns, and being seen with a Summit suit won’t go unnoticed.
