FORTY-THREE
JINX
“CanI have another couple of minutes of your time before you leave?”
Marty glances at his deputy and gives him a nod to say it’s okay to carry on to the car. “I’ll allow it.”
It was a challenging task to convince the Sheriff we’re on the same side when it comes to the Breed’s illegal operation, but having human proof of the crimes committed in the room went a long way toward that. The women were amazing, detailing how they were picked up, where they were taken, describing the people they’d seen, and the names they could recall.
And I could tell, with every passing hour that Marty sat there taking their statements, he grew a more profound respect for them. And for what we’d done that he couldn’t.
There was nothing that could have given Marty’s office the right to search that property. Nothing other than the link to Davis. But when he was cleared of wrongdoing due to a lack of evidence, the Temperance Sheriff’s office was left at a standstill.
One we could remedy by working outside the limits of the law.
And his daughter knew that.
“I want you to apologize to Kyra for what you said to her.”
His eyebrows shoot skyward, thumbs automatically going to his belt. “Why should I apologize when it was the hard truth, Jinx?”
“Because your daughter is an incredible woman with a heart of gold. Quite the feat considering she came from you, so I guess that’s your wife’s doing. But she deserves more than being called a whore by the man who is supposed to love and protect her.”
His jaw twitches, and I almost think I’ve struck a chord with the guy, until, “What else would you call a woman who sells her body to men?”
I open my mouth to reply, yet he cuts me off with a raised finger.
“She may not be doing it in the flesh, but she is still selling sexual services to willing customers. It’sillegalhere now, Jinx. You know that, right?”
“I do,” I snap back. “And I also know your daughter has such a strong moral standing for what’s legal and what’s not that she hasn’t done it since returning to Temperance. She gave up the career that bought her a goddamn house freehold at the age of twenty-seven because she respectsyourcareer. I think perhaps it could be fair if you at least tried to respect how incredible it was for her to build all that from nothing.”
His eyes flick back and forth between mine. “A strong moral standing, huh? So why is she with you?”
“Because I’m not afraid to show her I love her.”
Bingo.He flinches as though I’ve struck him. “She knows I love her. She’s my daughter.”
“Does she?” I retort. “Because the woman I know made peace with your lack of love when you cut her off. She stopped trying to impress you or be enough for you, and I’m fucking glad she did because no one should have to beg for acceptance from their own family.”
Marty nods slowly. “I think your time is up.”
Asshole.“You’ll know where to find her when you come to your senses. Until then, the Kings of Anarchy are her family. We’ll take care of her.” I lean forward into his space. “I’ll take care of her.”
“Well, you go ahead and enjoy that while it lasts.” He turns for the patrol car, strides long to cross the yard. “It won’t be long before the honeymoon period ends and the novelty wears off.”
I draw a deep, shuddering breath and imagine how it would feel to pop a fucking bullet into the back of his head.
But then death doesn’t solve everything. It just quiets the voices for a while.
What I really want for Kyra is justice. The thing I never got with my mom.
I want her father to fucking admit his wrongs and do right by his daughter. Give her the respect she deserves.
“That was kind of hot.”
I spin to find her tucked inside the front door, peering around the frame at her father’s departing car.
“You heard that, huh?”
