Ranger was right there with him, shaking his dark hair thathad some silver starting to weave through it.“Yeah, that’s a dummy move, man.You see you gotta tell ’em you did nothing and stick to it.If you can throw ina sob story, that sometimes works, but only if Judge Gary and his wife ain’tfighting.He’s a cold bastard when Sharon is pissed at him.That’s realimportant.”
“He’s new here,” Astro pointed out.“I think he’s from thebig city.You know they do crime all the time.I thought he would be waysmarter.Dude, have you ever watchedCSI?”
The door came open, and he could hear someone yelling.
“Exert your dominance, sister.You can be the queen of theprison!”
Was that Gigi?
Then the big deputy who’d driven the car that brought him inwas rounding the corner, and Keane damn near felt his heart stop.
Olivia.She was walking toward the cells, and her hands werein cuffs.They were in front of her instead of behind like they’d cuffed him,but she was still restrained.
They were handcuffs, and not the fuzzy kind that wouldn’tchafe her wrists.The real kind.
What the hell had gone wrong now?She was supposed to be inthe hospital.
His fingers wrapped around the bars, and he leaned forward.“What are you doing?She shouldn’t be in here.You let her go.She did nothingwrong.”
Jimmy looked weary, like the night hadn’t gone the way hethought it would.“I was taught violence is always wrong, but that girlprobably deserved the smack she got.Pretty sure she’s shady.Move back.I’mputting her in.”
“This is the men’s side.”They couldn’t put his sweet Oliviain a cell with men.There were other guys in here.Oh, they were drunkenphilosophers, but he didn’t know them.He had no idea what they were capableof.
Astro’s arms raised, and his face lit up.He didn’t seem tocare that his shirt was covered in blood and his nose was obviously broken.“Livie!Girl, who’d you take down?I thought your daddy’s money protected youfrom everything.Sheriff must be getting bold.”
“She’s not under arrest,” the deputy said, pulling his keysout.“She wants to be here.She’s lost her damn mind.She slapped the shit out ofJessica Fellows, who might have been lying, and then she demanded I arrest herand put her in here with this guy instead of taking her to the women’s cell.Which honestly is probably the right call because Ruth is in there.Again.Andshe’s covered in spoiled milk.Guess Old Nan got tired of having her porchpirated.I understand it, but it’s quite the stink.”
Ranger chuckled.“Jessica thinks she’s better than everyoneelse.She probably deserved it.I know Ruth deserves it.What does she get fromOld Nan’s deliveries?I’m pretty sure she stole her fiber pills.”
“Didn’t Jessica steal that city boy from Livie?”Astroasked.“Not that he was a catch or anything.I actually think she did you afavor.”
“She did,” Olivia said.“Trey, Marty, how’s your nightgoing?What inning did you get to before the police came?Anyone spoil the gamefor you?”
Both men shoved their hands over their ears and walked back,shaking their heads.
Keane didn’t care about any of this.What the hell wasOlivia thinking?He needed to show her there was no saving him.Her fatherhated him.He could cut her off.She couldn’t lose her family because of him.“Olivia, you are not coming in here.”The words formed in his mouth, and hecould taste the bile of them.“Stop making a fool of yourself.”
She stared at him with wide, innocent eyes that kicked himin the gut.
But he had to do this.He knew where to shove the knife in.He knew how to force her to let him go.
“Olivia, I put the drug in your drink.I wanted some funbefore I leave.Garrett didn’t know.He’s in love with you, but I don’t like tostay in one place for too long.”
She was so still, her hands in cuffs.“You don’t love me?Iknow you never said it, but I felt it.”
“Is this happening again?”Astro whispered.“Poor Livie.”
She ignored him, spending all her focus on Keane.
He was not going to be sick.He was going to do the rightthing and save his subs.That was his job.And when he went in this time, hewouldn’t take visitors.He wouldn’t take calls.He would accept that he wasalone.“You were never anything but fun for me.I don’t want to get married.Iwanted to have a little fun with a rich girl who thinks way too much ofherself.”
Tears dripped from her eyes, caressing her cheeks, and therewas nothing he wanted more than to drop to his knees and tell her it was all alie.
But that would put her entire future at risk.
“You need to get out of here.Go find Garrett.He’ll takecare of you.”
She sniffled.“I thought you were a team.”
