She sounded hurt.
But she didn’t understand.
The Truth Tellers protected their own, and they didn’t feel bad about how it had to be done.
“Go back home, Bernie. Take Max and her kid with you,” I urged. “Because the next time I come by, it’s not going to be in a nice way.” I hesitated at the door and leveled Max with a look. “The next time you come into any of our places, we won’t be so nice about letting you leave.”
With that, I left, heading for home.
I was in a shitty mood as I pulled up, that only got darker when I saw Calli outside, kicking her feet, sitting on the tailgate of her truck in nothing but a t-shirt.
She had a bag of potato chips in her lap, and she was absently talking on the phone as I shut the car off.
She didn’t look over at me, and instead continued her conversation.
“Just give it a rest, Searcy.” Calli groaned as she pulled out a chip and threw it to the ground. “I’m not going to go. I don’t want to.” There was a long pause and then, “I love you. I love my family. But I don’t want to go on a Christmas Eve train ride with a bunch of fake bitches talking about hot chocolate and handing out stale cookies.”
She sounded like she had experience with those fake bitches and stale cookies.
My lips twitched, even though mere minutes ago I wouldn’t think I’d ever smile again.
But that was the way Calli was.
Always making me smile.
Her grumpy attitude only made it better.
Which had me all the angrier.
I’d already left a good woman once.
If I did anything like what my entire soul was urging me to do, I’d probably never live to see tomorrow. Not only would Doc murder me, but Searcy would have my balls.
And I couldn’t lose this family of mine.
Not for her…right?
Eight
Fucking hamburger help me.
—Jasper’s secret thoughts
JASPER
I groaned and got out of bed, disbelieving that my doorbell was ringing and I had to get up when I’d only had two hours of sleep.
The bed groaned as I slung my legs over the side and stood up. My hands went to my eyes as I walked tiredly to the front door where my doorbell was going off for a third time.
“I’m comin’!” I hollered. “Hold your fuckin’ horses.”
The doorbell continued to ring, and I yanked open the door, hesitating when I saw who it was.
“What the fuck?”
Harlow stood on my doorstep, looking like a freakin’ weirdo with her head-to-toe elf costume and Christmas everything.
She had trees hanging from her ears. A Santa hat. A pair of Hey Dudes that were also Christmas themed.
