Page 130 of Last Man Standing

“And those deposits stopped at exactly the same time you put a bullet between Richard’s eyes! That’s not circumstantial. It’s pretty fuckin’ solid.”

“Just finish it out.” I wander a few feet closer to the house, because on the other side of the window, Scarlett receives a text message.

I know, because my phone buzzes, too.

While she reads her messages, I jump screens and do the same.

“He’s texting her right now.” Shaking my head, I bring the phone back to my ear. “Says his daughter’s having contractions and probably gonna have a baby in the next few days.”

“So he’s pretending everything is fine and normal. Or, we’re completely off base and it’s time I consider a whole new career. Since I got this one really wrong.”

“I don’t think you’re wrong. But I think you need to see it through to make sure. If we’re right, Scarlett will feel that betrayal all the way down to her soul, because she trusts this fucker. She counts on him to be one of the good guys. If we’re wrong, she’ll feel betrayed by us, for suspecting her friend is a piece of shit.”

And then there’s what I have to confess to her soon.

Perhaps the biggest betrayal of them all.

“Just go to the meet, ask him the question, and see how he responds. Then get on a plane and head this way. We’ll deal with the rest when you get here.”

“Fine,” he huffs. “You got eyes on her right now?”

He’s as bad as she is. Obsessed with her just as much as she’s obsessed with him.

Bringing my eyes back to the window, momentary fear hits like electricity in my veins, because she’s not where she’s supposed to be, and the last time that happened, I found my mom at her door. But then she sits again, no phone in her hand, and picks up a Sharpie instead. Rather than drawing in her book, she works patterns into her arm instead. “I have eyes on her. She’s safe and secure. You have my word. Where’s Nova? You got eyes on her?”

He barks out a tight, tense laugh and noisily scratches his stubble. “Yeah, I have eyes on her. Your code keeper is safe, you have my word.”

“Good.” For the first time since dinner last night, I drop my gaze and smile. “It’s still a fair trade, then. You keep my code safe, I’ll keep your sister safe.”

He scoffs. Fuck knows I can’t see them, but for reasons I’ll never be able to explain, I picture him reaching across and taking her hand.

“I asked Nova to marry me.”

“No shit?” I swing my eyes up again and look for Scarlett. I want to share this good news with her. I want to hold her while she finds out. But our eyes meet, and hers are… a little dead inside.

Just hold on a little longer, Princess. I’m begging you.

“Congratulations,” I croak out, my smile falling away to be replaced by a frown. “I’ll keep the secret so you can tell your sister yourself.”

“We didn’t plan it this way,” he mutters anxiously. “Like, I know we’re here looking for this prick, but we’re near my mom and dad, too, and we can’t be working twenty-four hours a day. My folks found out we were in town, so they invited us over for dinner. It went really well. And Scarlett loves her. It just…” He exhales a shuddering breath. “I fuckin’ love her, Jameson. The moment felt right, so I just…”

He trails off.

“You asked. Because it felt right. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I feel guilty, because the world is still sinking its boots into Scar’s ribs, and she’s trusting me to help her. Asking Nova to marry me⁠—”

“Will always be something your sister celebrates.”

“But—”

“Don’t diminish Nova’s exciting news just because you and Scarlett are weirdly codependent,” I tease.

Yeah, yuck it up, dickhead. Joke about his familial relationships being the reason his romantic relationships are doomed. You’d know all about that.

“Nova deserves to be excited about this. You deserve to be excited. And if Scarlett found out you were hiding your happiness to spare her feelings, I reckon she’d punch you in the nuts for it.”

He laughs, crackling and weary. “Yeah… you’re probably right.”