Page 15 of PortCity Killers

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I woke up to the smell of bacon and coffee. I stretched my limbs, twisting around in the familiar set of bedsheets. When I rolled onto my side, I pulled a stuffie from behind my back, a soft smile playing on my face.

Bryce was not generally a gentle person, but the first night I’d slept over had been tough.

He had gotten me Mr. Oz, a graduating hedgehog, as a consolation prize for the worst night of my life. When I’d said I’d never actually graduated, he’d scoffed saying school was for pansies, anyway.

I didn’t know a lot about Bryce’s past before he joined the force, hell, about his life period, but I knew he had graduated with some sort of distinction because I’d seen the degree half crumpled in his closet.

It made me feel a little better knowing he didn’t really care about that kind of thing.

I rummaged through the broken bottom drawer of his dresser, noting how everything I’d told him to return to me was still exactly where I’d left it months ago. I pulled up a pair of shorts and snagged the big shirt he’d left on the end of the bed, heading out of the room.

My curls were flat, needing a good wash, but the smell of him on the shirt had me smiling as I walked out of the room. Jaymes sat at the breakfast bar, a sullen look on his face as he sipped from a large, steaming cup.

Bryce saw me and pointed to the empty barstool next to his–my–usual spot. I hesitated only a second, debating if I should sit closer to Jaymes, but when he cut me with a look, I followed his directive and sat down just as he slid a plate of bacon and toast in front of me.

I ate, grateful for something to do with my mouth that didn’t involve making small talk with my little brother and my on-and-off-again lover.

Bryce turned off the stove, coming to sit next to me with his coffee, his knees caging my side. I ignored Jay’s eyes which were far too busy glaring holes into Bryce’s knees against mine.

Since neither of them had a plate, I assumed they had both been up for a bit, and I was just late to the party.

“You’ll stay here until I get word,” Bryce sipped at his coffee, his dark beard framing his face perfectly. “I should hear soon if my plan is viable, but until then, you two need to stay off the streets.”

I nodded, watching as he tied his hair up in a bun atop his head. He’d grown it out longer since last time I’d seen him, and the more I saw it, the more I really fucking loved it. Not that I would tell him that; the man was too big-headed as it was.

“And what exactly is the plan?” Jaymes snipped, “The dumb ass idea that we should just be giving ourselves over to Valentina and hope she doesn’t kill us on the spot?”

I groaned, not bothering to suppress the irritation at Jaymes this morning.

“Your sister came to me for help cleaning upyourmess, Jaymes, or did you forget that? That’s what I’m going to do. Alex wouldn’t exactly be happy with me just handing you over to Valentina without some assurance you’ll make it out alive. Personally, I don’t give a shit, but until she gets on board with that plan, then we’ll try an alternative one. This is our best bet.” He turned to me, his eyes dark and hooded, “It’s just a matter of finding the right information. Then Jaymes here can head down to the docks and go straight to Valentina's.Don't go to the bar because Collin will likely be combing the area for you.”

Valentina’s was on the other side of PortCity Bar, the rundown bar where Jaymes and I both worked. It was one of the Giovenni’s many small establishments on the strip. Collin, the slimy snake who ran it and would likely have all his mindless cronies looking for both of us.

Since he was the one who had the most to lose with Jaymes's little stunt, I knew he would be keeping an eye out hoping to kill Jay before Don and Valentina found him and threw him under the bus for stealing.

A shiver ran down my spine as I recalled the look on his face as he asked if everything was alright when I was checking my messages from Jay.

Who knows what would have happened had he known that I was going to run out on my shift? Collin was an equal opportunity killer, and there's a good chance I might not have finished my shift alive if he thought I knew what had happened.

I cleared my throat, building up to say what I had spent a long time thinking about last night, “I think it’s best if I go with him.”

Bryce’s head snapped to mine, his eyes narrowing, but I ignored it, staring at Jaymes as if Bryce wasn’t burning a hole in the side of my head, “That won’t be a problem, will it?”

Jaymes looked from me to Bryce, a smirk on his lips, “Not for me.”

“Bryce?”

He grumbled something beside me, slamming his coffee cup on the counter before getting up and dumping the rest of it, a disgusted look on his face.

Short of tying me up and keeping me here he knew there wasn’t much he could do about it, and if Collin was going to try to get to either of us, it was better that we were together anyway.

Jaymes looked, for lack of a better word, relieved, but the emotion warred inside him. As much as he didn’t want me involved, he didn’t want to go through it alone; he never had.

Being alone was something Jaymes had never been good at, and even if he hated to drag you with him, he was selfish enough to do it every time.

“This will be the last time though,” I said, looking down at the counter. I felt Bryce shifting, coming closer to me as if to show his support. “After this, I can’t help you anymore.”

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