“I beg your pardon?” Gabriel coughed.
“Yeah, a swanky party as Alexia’s plus one. In the meantime, I think we need to send notice to the prosecutor’s office that there’s new evidence involving the Python Killer case.”
A smile slowly crawled across Chase’s face. “You’re gaslighting everyone.”
“Why the hell not? The one thing I know about corruption is that rats feed off each other. Why not toss out some crumbs, just like my sweet attorney mentioned and see who comes to gobble them up. If there’s one thing we know for certain. A number of people want Samuel to die. They’re willing to allow an innocent man to suffer the consequences to keep the fact that they have the wrong man buried.”
“That you arrested,” Hudson challenged.
“Yes, but one that was basically pulled from my hands when I expressed concern there was something off about Samuel.”
“Then it would involve the prosecutor and potentially your boss. And the warden.”
I glanced at Chase. “Exactly. No wonder I was all but pushed off the force.” And that I was warned.
“Is this a frat party or can anyone join in?”
Hearing her voice and I was immediately at full attention.
So were the others.
“Here comes trouble,” I muttered, which caused her to offer one of her saccharin sweet smiles. “Alexia Martino, my partner in crime.”
“Don’t worry, fellas. I’ll whip him into shape,” she said with a solid purr in her voice.
“I like this girl already. She’s gonna knock our bestseller down a notch or two.” Kendrick was grinning from ear to ear.
She put up her fists as if she was going to punch me, offering a little pout even though her eyes told the story of continued pain. God, all I wanted to do was to wrap my arms around her, keeping her close.
And safe.
“And our boy is turning red,” Chase chortled as he pointed at me.
“He’s a goner,” Kendrick threw in.
I gave each one of them a look. However, they had been riding me about settling down. The casting of her sinful eyes in mydirection brought more than just a smile to my face. Yes, daring to poke the bear was dangerous as fuck, but I knew in my gut my four best friends would stand beside me to keep her protected.
The others laughed, chiding me as we’d done to each other over the years. They’d been a huge part of my recovery, four men who’d lived the same breach of solidarity with the law. Four men who’d seen it all, who’d suffered alongside victims and pushed limits when necessary.
Now that we were finally free of the chains that had prevented us from acting out in ways considered unlawful, life had become that much more precious.
I’d never thought about my own safety or worried about the what-ifs when handling a mission.
Over the last year I’d fought the good fight.
I’d helped save lives. I’d helped bring justice in the most unconventional ways. I’d killed a few men, bad guys who I thought deserved to die. Judge and jury.
What I hadn’t done was stop to think about my own life or what I wanted.
Until Alexia had reminded me that life was precious.
Somehow, I wanted other aspects of my life that I couldn’t gain in fighting crime. Calm. Normal. A family.
I wanted to share those things with her.
But that would never happen until the Python Killer was found. This time, nothing would stop me from playing God.
One last time.
