“It’s already written. You’re too late.”
“See, that doesn’t really work for me.” Zane was so close he could almost feel the asshole. “But if it’s true, your best course of action would be to trash it before it’s printed.”
“Yeah? And I think you should get away from me.”
Zane almost laughed. “That’s not happening. Where’d you get your information from, Abe?”
“I followed up old articles. Then found some first responders who were willing to talk.”
“Well, just like you, I know how easy it is to get information others want to hide. It’s how I got your address. It’s how I know you’re one of three siblings and your parents live in Kentucky. It’s also how I know you’re divorced and have a five-year-old daughter in Missoula.”
His eyes flared. “Are you threatening my kid?”
He wouldn’t hurt innocent people. No way in hell. But this guy didn’t know that. “I’m saying, I was found innocent of both charges. And I went to a lot of effort to move away from the gossip. So I wouldn’t look favorably on someone who leaked my story.”
Fear crept into the guy’s eyes, and he straightened. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good. Don’t forget about the things I’ve done to protect myself.” He lowered his head so his mouth was near the guy’s ear. “People who cross mealwayswish they hadn’t.”
Abe paled, the fear looking like it was going to swallow him whole.
Good.
When Zane reached his car, he saw the reporter shoot his head around the corner of the building, sighting Zane. Good. He’d know Zane wasn’t leaving right away. It would push the narrative that he was watching. And that Abe was vulnerable.
Zane’s phone vibrated with a text.
Bonnie: So I know you said no to any more kisses, but what about a friendship?
He frowned at the text. Friendship? He couldn’t be friends with her. He could barely talk to her without that consuming need to touch her.
Bonnie: Because the thing is, I don’t have many friends. I haven’t even seen my own sister since coming back to town. And when I talk to you, I feel like my old self again. Something I haven’t felt for a while.
He’d barely finished reading the text when another came through.
Bonnie: I just read that back…I’ve made myself sound completely and utterly pathetic, haven’t I?
Bonnie: Did me admitting that make it even worse? Okay, I’m stopping now. If you don’t reply, I might just dig a hole of embarrassment to die in. That’s it. Bye.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. Because how the fuck was he supposed to say no to that? And he liked talking to her too. She made him smile, and he hadn’t done a lot of that lately.
Zane: I’ll come by your apartment tomorrow morning and we can go for a coffee.
He hit send. It was a bad idea. So why didn’t he regret it?
“What doyou mean a raccoon got stuck in the equipment box?” Bonnie laughed, the cup of chai warming her hands as she walked down the street with her brother.
“I mean, I got to the rock-climbing wall and the little guy’s ass was sticking out of a hole he’d chewed through the box.”
“What was in the box that he was so eager to get to?”
“Flint left half a taco in there the day before. He was setting up then forgot about it. The raccoon must have smelled it.”
“I’m impressed. But I also feel bad for him. How long would he have been there for?”
“No idea. Could have been the entire night. But after Colt and I performed the great rescue, we gave the little guy the stale taco and he scurried off.”
“How did you break him out?”
