Kayden shook his head. “No, let them drink and fuck up on their own. If Jamie does something wrong tonight, that’s another thing to add to the list of marks against her.”
Eastern was just turning back to his brothers when a text from Sadie came through. Shit, she was still at work. He quickly responded.
“That Sadie?” Cody asked, lifting another glass to dry.
“Yeah, she finished late. I offered to meet her, but she told me to stay and catch up with you guys. I don’t like her being alone though, not after the break-in.”
Kayden frowned. “I wouldn’t like that either.”
“You’re in pretty deep with her, aren’t you?” Cody said with a hint of a grin.
“Yeah, I am. She’s unbelievable. She’s in my head all the time. I can’t stop thinking about her. And she loves Avery. Like,reallyloves her. Their bond is like mother and daughter.”
“So don’t let her go,” Kayden said before he sipped his beer.
That was the plan.
Eastern was halfway through his beer when breaking glass sounded behind him. He turned to see the guys cheering and on their feet, with Jamie laughing along with them.
“For fuck’s sake,” Cody growled, rounding the bar.
Eastern rose to his feet and took a couple of steps toward the booth when his phone rang. He pulled it out to see it was the sheriff’s office.
CHAPTER 22
Eastern climbed out of his car to see people everywhere. Paramedics. Deputies. It was fucking chaos.
But amidst the chaos, he found her. Sadie stood to the side of an ambulance, arms wrapped around her middle. From the moment he’d been told she’d found the body, all he wanted to do was get to her.
Questions had run through his head…was she okay? What state was the body in when she’d found it? Was there danger nearby?
He was so focused on her that, for a moment, he didn’t see the guy beside her. Then Eastern’s eyes narrowed. Scott. He had his hand on the small of Sadie’s back and was standing so close his side was pressed to hers.
What the hell was he doing here?
Eastern crossed the space between them and stopped in front of Sadie. Ignoring Scott, he cupped her cheeks. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, but the nod was too quick and her eyes too wide. Not only that, but she barely looked at him.
He shifted a lock of hair behind her ear and lowered his voice so his words only reached her. “You don’t have to pretend with me, Sadie.”
Finally, she gave him her full attention. She’d just opened her mouth when someone called him from behind.
“Sheriff?”
He held her gaze for one more beat. “I’ll be right back.”
Another quick nod from her. He bit back a curse as he moved over to his deputies, Paxley and Jarrad.
“Who is it?” Eastern asked.
It was Paxley who answered. “Denny Barclay.”
The name was like a punch to the gut. Denny…the town drunk. Yeah, Eastern had arrested him more times than he could count, but he’d always liked the guy.
Without a word, he walked over to the stretcher and pulled the sheet down, cursing at the sight of Denny.
What the fuck had happened? Had he drunk too much, passed out and hit his head? Had he been sick?
