Sadly, our fun needed to come to an end. “Jake Worthing and Sawyer Matsen. You put a ban on them from coming back to this city. I want you to lift the ban.”
He stared at me, long and hard. Then laughed as he began to walk away.
“Hey!” I got in his way. “I’m talking to you.”
“No.” He glared at me, widening his eyes. “You’re attempting to start another war. I couldn’t have heard what I just heard because if I did, either you’re trying your hand at being a stand-up comedian or again, you want a war to start that would begin with you and me. Right here. With that request.” He hissed, his control snapping. “You must be attempting to fuck with me. If so, don’t bother. I’m not a cheater.”
A growl was rumbling in my throat, working its way out from frustration. “Sawyer—”
“Are you forgetting what they did to you?”
“I like Sawyer, and I like her family. They’re nice people. They’ve been texting me. She should be able to visit her family here.”
He lifted his head, pinching the top of his nose, and muttered swift curses under his breath. “You’re certifiable. Just like your boyfriend.”
“Listen—”
“No!” He cut me off. “How about that? Just,no. No. Leave it alone.” He began to go around me.
I let him get until the end of the hallway before I said, “Her paintings weren’t destroyed.”
He stopped, but didn’t turn around. Not right away. He stood there, his back tense and his shoulders rigid before I heard another expletive leave him before he looked back. He’d been mad before, but this time, he wasn’t steady. Had I pushed him too far?
I said, speaking calmly, but knowing I had a torpedo of nerves inside me, “Molly’s bowling alley and Jess’s art gallery. Creighton burned both of them down because you went after me. That’s what happened, right?”
His eyes were primal. “You have used up all the good graces I have in me for you. If you don’t get to the point, I swear that I will find the knife you have on you, and I’ll use it to start this war myself.”
Jesus Christ.
I kept on, ignoring his griping, “The paintings were moved. Creighton didn’t have them burned. He also had some personal effects saved from your woman’s bowling alley. Things he thought might mean something to her.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not. He told me.”
He scowled at me, trying to read if I was lying or not. He seethed. “If you’re fucking with me—”
“Why would I? Don’t forget he did that because of whatyoudid tome.”
“I reallyreallyhate you and your boyfriend.” He pulled back. “Fine. You want the ban lifted on Worthing and his woman? It’s his funeral. There’s history there with him and the rest of us. Some of it isn’t good. Most of it isn’t good. Not to mention, he’s your boyfriend’s cousin. If we don’t kill Jake, there’s a good chance Lane will for fun.”
“The ban needs to be lifted, and you have to promise you won’t use it as bait to go after him or Sawyer. You’ve not met her aunts or her mom yet. You might be scary, but you’ve got nothing on them.”
He didn’t reply, just continued to scowl at me.
“Do we have a deal?” I held out my hand. “I’ll tell you where the paintings are and the rest.”
He looked at my hand as if it was diseased before he sighed and shook my hand. “Joke’s on you.”
I tried to yank my hand away, but he clamped down on it and used it to reel me in closer. “You don’t like me and mine, but with the ban lifted, I can let you know now that when Sawyer’s aunts were here, I did meet them. They also met Jess’s mom, and guess who all became fast friends?”
I sucked in some air, horrified at his implication.
“That’s right.” Walden laughed cruelly in my face. “You just opened the door for those same aunts. Once they’re here, you’re the one who gets to deal with them, not me. See you at Sunday brunch.”
His parting words burned me.
I couldn’t. Not Sunday brunch.
