“That’s it, I swear.”
“If he hurts her, I’ll break your legs and crush your balls with my boots. You’ll never father any more children.”
“Bobby.”
“Shut it, Dad.”
“I’m sorry, Son. This is all my fault.”
“What are you talking about? What else have you done other than screw over your wife and Gwen? Keep it in your fucking pants!”
“I am. I have. He was the last, Bobby. He adored you. All I spoke about was how proud I was that you followed in Bram and Benedict’s footsteps and joined the marines. Was even more proud when I heard you’re the owner of Crimson nightclub. I went on and on about you, and looking back, I should’ve shut my trap. He’s jealous, Bobby. Then Jules broke up with him. She was still in love with you. I heard them arguing. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
Slate drives like a madman, and we’re at the hotel. An officer sticks out his arms. We brake in front of him. He runs up to my window. “Burner’s here, but no signs of our guy and your girl.”
“Did you hear that, Dad?” He was proud of me? Corey was jealous? He tried to get a shot through my heart because a heartless bitch turned him down? That kid brother of mine needs a good reaming.
“Don’t hurt him, Bobby. He’s . . . he’s lost, Son.”
“Copy that.” But he’ll pay for Carlos’s murder. He has to. “Anywhere else he’d take Ever? We’re on the outskirts of Montgomery.”
“There is one place. Somewhere I took him when he was younger, before the place closed down.”
The cops gather around the truck. They go quiet.
“We’re all ears,” I say, holding my breath, afraid that if I breathe, I’ll miss my father’s answer.
“Paintball Xtremes.”
The cops nod and run to their cruisers.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Bobby?”
“Yes?”
“I love you. We love you. Be safe. Bring Ever home safe. Otherwise I’ll never hear the last of it from Gwen.”
“Copy that.” I hang up. I find Jules’s number in Slate’s contacts and call her. She answers on the first ring.
“Slate,” she purrs. “Are you calling for a blowie? I never thought you’d ever take me up on the offer. When? Where?”
“It’s me, Jules.”
She laughs. “Ooh, a threesome with my favorite guys. Even better.”
I ground my teeth. “Tell me about you and Corey,” I bark, losing my patience.
“That’s ancient history,” she whines. “You, me, Slate, that’s here and now.”
“Cut the crap, Jules. Corey has my girl. He’s pissed at you for turning down his marriage proposal. He tried taking me out two years ago. Carlos Sanchez lost his life because of me.”
“Not your fault,” Slate hisses. “You didn’t pull the trigger. Corey did.”
I clench my jaw and nod. Slate is a good friend. He’s telling me in his own way that I need to let go of the survivor’s guilt. Carlos did what I would do in a heartbeat. I’d eat a bullet for my friend. For Ever. Even for my dad.
Slate’s right. It was Corey who pulled the trigger. He’s the monster. Rather than talk through his anger and jealousy, he took the extreme, evil route and tried to take me out, the competitor for Jules’s heart. Except I don’t love Jules. Not in the way I love Ever. Ever is my everything.
