“Hey, baby,” she whispers.
I bring her fingers to my lips, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. “Hey,” I manage.
My heart is full looking at her, the world seemingly at peace—if only for a few seconds. Because sitting in front of me is my world, and I don’t plan on letting her go anytime soon.
“I’ll let you two have a minute,” Kade says, standing.
“Wait,” Gemma calls out, her voice hoarse. “Don’t go yet.”
“Gem, you need to rest,” he tells her. “We’ll figure all of this out when you’re not on enough pain meds to tranq a horse.”
Her chest moves like she wants to laugh, and she brings her broken arm over her stomach. “No, no… This—Is my fucking arm broken?” she asks as she looks at the cast.
“Among other things,” Kade says.
“That’s annoying,” she grunts before looking at him again. “This is important. I need to tell you.” She swallows against her dry mouth, and I reach behind me to get her water, then help her take a sip as Kade pauses at the end of the bed.
“What’s up?”
“Rad mentioned someone worse than him,” Gemma says, her eyes fluttering. “He said we were taking away money from someone. We need to find out who it is so we can be prepared.”
Kade nods. “I’ll start with the name on the lease,” he replies.
“What was the name?” I ask.
“Ah…” He scratches his neck as he thinks about it. “Halstrom, I think.”
Zeb perks in his chair at the same time that Mads picks his chin up off of his fist.
“Halstrom?” Zeb repeats.
“Is that his last name or his first name?” Mads asks.
“Last name,” Kade answers.
Mads gives Zeb a wide-eyed, annoyed look, and Zeb balks.
“Whoa, dude—”
“Dude, I fuckingtold younot to mess with Hal,” Mads snaps.
“You don’t know what it’s him,” Zeb argues.
“You and your pranks,” Mads goes on.
“That was such a long time ago. You can’t think he’sactuallystill pissed about that,” Zeb says apprehensively. “And you said he was dead anyway.”
“He’s a fucking ghost, man. Yeah, I heard he was dead, but since when does that matter for shady ass people?”
“You trusted him,” Zeb says.
“No, I didn’t,” Mads argues. “I was in jail with him. I just knew he could fuck someone up if I ever needed it.” Mads sinks his fingers into his eyes. “Shit… for all I know, when I told him about Rad, Hal could have confronted him then and told him he’d keep it quiet if he worked for him.”
“Did you ever hear Hal mention Damien?” Gemma asks Mads.
Mads slowly shakes his head, eyes staring at the carpet as if he’s trying to remember. “No. Why? Did Rad know Damien?”
“Yeah,” Gemma manages. “Kade, do you have—”
