“Geez, what did I say?” Trace asked after she stomped off.
“You’re a fucking idiot,” I muttered.
“Still don’t know what I said.”
“You’re an idiot for not seeing what’s in front of you. You shouldn’t be offering Keira the Protectors’ help. You should finally be asking her to join you.”
He rubbed his jaw. “I know that’s what she wants. But Aiden, Owen, and I have known her a long time. Longer than you have. In some ways, Keira still seems like a kid. You really think she’s ready?”
“Shethinks she’s ready. That’s what counts. And I…I want to see her happy. More than anything in the world.”
“Spoken like a man in love.”
Shit. “It’s not like that.” It couldn’t be like that.
“Thenyou’rethe idiot who’s not seeing what’s in front of you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Keira
“What’re you thinking?”Dean asked as I drove us home.
“I’m thinking that…I don’t know what to think.”
First it was the revelation yesterday about Ryan Garrett. A couple of years ago, his friends had almost killed his sister Hadley on Ryan’s orders. I’d seen her right afterward, broken and bloodied. Her story had gotten under my skin. She’d become my friend. Her strength had been an inspiration to me. Lit afireunderneath me to join the Protectors someday, as I’d explained to Dean that night we were surveilling Woodson outside the strip club.
Hadley deserved justice as much as I did.
She and her mom lived in another state now, and thank goodness. They had new identities. Ryan Garrett could never touch them again.
But somehow, he must’ve known about my involvement. He’d seen me at the roadhouse. Maybe even followed me home and then called his buddy Nox Woodson to join him.
Why hadn’t Ryan gone after me before that night? I had no idea. But I finally understood the motive behind the attack.
I didn’t just want to take down Ryan Garrett forme. I wanted it for Hadley too. And now, Harris Medina had decided to show up, telling me to stay out of it. It was bullshit.
Then again, if I made Ryan Garrett suffer the way he’d made me and Hadley suffer, would that give me peace? Would it make me happy?
“We don’t take orders from Medina,” Dean said. “If you want Garrett, we’ll find him. We don’t have to give up.”
“I need time to consider. A lot’s happened.”
Dean reached over to caress my shoulder. “Take all the time you need.”
I couldn’t believe we’d been shopping together on Main Street just yesterday. It had seemed like we had plenty of time. Now, I wasn’t so sure.
When we got home, I changed out of Jessi’s clothes and put them in the laundry. I would return them whenever I saw her next.
After that, I checked my messages and reassured Mom and Stephie once again that I was fine. They’d been understandably upset after hearing about the shooting yesterday afternoon.
Stephie
Kiki, are you going to come by soon? Mom is so stressed. She’s driving me nuts
Me
I can’t today. Really tired and a lot on my mind. But I’m with Dean, and I told Mom that. She knows I’m safe.
