Murray and Seamus slowly bob their heads while Jaxie and Elodie keep their distance.
“Ballard just wanted to update you guys.”I shoot the man in question a fake glare.“Or maybe show you guys he doesn’t need his mouth to make things clear.”
Ballard grins while the rest laugh.
“Anyway, this is going to take time.Rest assured Ballard and I are working on it, but we need to earn trust to let them loosen their lips when we’re around.I might get lucky with overhearing another one of their discussions I can actually record, or something they say can lead us to evidence.Patience is what we need.”
I glance at Ballard who takes the paper from my hands and puts it back into the file he’s holding.
“A little hint,” Murray states and all eyes are on him as he continues.“Don’t take too much time because then Ballard needs to either knock you up for real or you’d have to start wearing a pillow under your shirt.”
Rolling my eyes, I snap, “I don’t intend on letting this drag on for months.”
“Good,” Elodie snaps.“That asshole needs to be brought to justice for what he did.Too many lives have been wasted and so many others affected.”
Jaxie reaches out and squeezes Elodie’s hand.I know Jaxie lost her father, and even if we can’t prove Dax was murdered, the suspicions are there.It’s clear Nolan killed Elodie’s horse to get both women away from the cabin so he could search it.He wanted the evidence Jaxie’s father found.
Evidence they gave us and yet it’s all circumstantial.Even if it’s enough for us to make a case and proceed with the sting to bring those who are still alive to justice.
“Let’s get together again in two weeks,” I suggest.“We can’t be seen like this if we want to get closer to Royce.He needs to feel at ease, relaxed enough for him to slip up.All while Ballard and I will keep digging.”
Seamus holds out his hand for me to shake and says, “Sounds good.”He turns to Ballard.“Looking forward to having you back at work.I imagine you’ll be acting as your normal asshole-self.”
The corner of Ballard’s mouth twitches and he nods.We say our goodbyes and they call their dogs and leave through the woods.
I turn to face the river and tell Ballard, “We should have waited on giving them an update.They might expect too much, even if I understand why you wanted to share some information with your friends.”
Ballard steps in front of me and cups my face with both hands.He leans in and gives me another kiss.His soft lips move against mine, his tongue seeking entrance to taste me, and I’m lost once again.I get the feeling the man thinks kissing is the solution, the answer, and the question, and the best reply to everything.
Then again, the way he makes me feel?I’d have to agree.I moan into his mouth and dig my fingers into his soft flannel shirt.For a moment I let myself drift off and enjoy the blissful fog this man pulls me into.
Damn.Will this feeling ever fade?Weeks, months, or years together...will the chemistry between us fade over time, stay this intense, or evolve in something stronger?It’s definitely worth exploring.
I slow the kiss and stare up at Ballard’s heated gaze.Damn this man is gorgeous.I’m fully in and we’ve definitely left the fake part behind us.We’re in a real relationship.All while the case we’re working on involves so many relationships gone wrong, bad, to shit, and whatever else toxic happened.
Which makes me think about what went wrong in Jolene and Tim’s marriage for Tim to cheat on Jolene.Why would Jolene pick his partner to cheat on her husband in return?Revenge?Things we need to unravel, pieces of the puzzle we have to find to see the bigger picture.
