I shrug. “If he does, he’s done. I don’t think he wants to die,” I say in all honesty. “I’ve killed before, and I don’t mind doing it again. Especially someone who is willing to put his daughter’s life in danger. A woman I’m in love with.”
“Shit, son.” Miller whistles. “I can’t say I’m surprised. I saw it coming.”
I chuckle. “Could have warned me.”
“Nah. Where’s the fun in that?”
It takes us a total of three hours to get back to my house. And as soon as I get home, Miller hops in his truck to head back to the hospital to see Brecken. And promises to see me tomorrow at our meeting with Jones.
I open the back door and pick up a very sleepy Taylor out of the truck. I carry her into my house and put her on my bed. She doesn’t even move as I cover her up. I leave her there as I walk into the kitchen to get a drink. My hand fucking hurts, and I have a headache.
“How did it go?” Blane asks walking into the kitchen.
I unscrew the cap on the gin. “Not good.”
“What happened?” he asks with a frown.
I look over at him. “Well, I punched your father in the face.” I tighten and release my fist. It may be sore, but it feels good.
“You what?” he demands.
“He asked Taylor to offer herself as a drug dealer in order to set him free. After she informed him our deal was off.” I fill him in as his eyes widen. “I felt he deserved it.”
“Son of a bitch!” he yells out.
“My thoughts exactly,” I say as I tilt back the gin and swallow a good size gulp of it.
“Can you guys keep it down in here?” Savannah asks walking into the kitchen as she rubs her eyes. I’m surprised Blane was even up. It’s almost eleven. Today has been a long ass day and the fact I spent six hours driving, three hours to and from Pekin, isn’t even the exhausting part of it.
“Sorry, baby, go back to bed,” Blane says as he bends over and grips the countertop.
“Blane.”
We all turn to see a very shaken up and sleepy looking Taylor standing in the hallway. She wraps her arms around herself and rubs her upper arms.
“I’m so sorry, sis …”
She lifts one hand to stop him and then goes back to rubbing her arms. “You can save it, Blane,” she mumbles as she looks up at him with puffy red eyes. “I just need to know one thing.”
“Anything.” He nods to her.
I take a deep breath and hold it because I know what is it she is about to ask and it’s gonna kill her.
“How did Mom die?” She sniffs.
His face falls, and he swallows nervously. “Taylor, you know …”
“No!” she shouts, and her small body shakes as she interrupts him. “Quit treating me like I’m twelve and tell me the truth.” She takes a deep breath. “How did Mom die?”
He reaches up and rubs his hand over the back of his neck. He takes a few deep breaths of his own before he lowers his head to look down at the floor. He can’t even look her in the eyes when he says it. “An overdose,” he whispers. “Mom died of an overdose.”
Her shoulders shake, and her eyes well up in tears. A sob comes out and she doesn’t even try to disguise it. My heart breaks for her. This beautiful woman has been filled with nothing but lies for as long as she can remember, and I hate that I was part of that.
She looks up at me with a tear-streaked face. “Did you know this?” Her voice shakes just as much as her body does.
“Yes,” I say straightening my back. “After I found out Blane had a sister, I pulled up every bit of information I could get on your family.” She sucks in a deep breath. “I didn’t know you weren’t informed of the cause of death until our first date that night at the restaurant. I didn’t feel like I should be the one to tell you.” I have lied to her and held information from her. But I’m laying it all out on the table now. Anything she wants to know, I will answer to my best ability.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
