by Beth Ciotta
“Get it over with,” she could hear her mom saying. “You’ll feel better after.”
Bella wasn’t convinced of that, but she took a deep breath as Savage helped her into the truck. She tried not to obsess on the flash of hostility she’d seen in his eyes or the fact that he hadn’t greeted her with a kiss. He seemed rushed and preoccupied. Had there been a disaster at Funland? Had that damaged cab fallen from the ferris wheel? Had he argued with her dad? Gotten a phone call from Carson?
Hands clammy from humidity and nerves, Bella fastened her seat belt then swiped her palms over her capris. She tried to ignore the tension rolling off of Savage when he climbed behind the wheel. So what if he was tense and quiet? He was mostly always tense and quiet. Still. This was different.
“How was your day?” she asked as he pulled away from the curb.
“Eventful. Yours?”
“Weird. Not all of it. Just the part when Carson paid a visit.” How’s that for cutting to the chase?
“What did he want?”
“To make you look bad.”
“Did he?”
“No. Because I didn’t believe him.”
Savage looked over. “What did he say?”
Her stomach kicked and so did her conscience.
Get it over with.
Facing front and focusing on anything other than Savage’s intensity, Bella spewed. “That you have anger issues. That you were accused of police brutality. That you resigned from the force rather than seek the recommended counseling.” That was sum of it, right?
“I’m impressed he learned so much. The charge was hushed. The recommendation confidential.”
No denial. No hedging. Not even an uncomfortable pause. “So it’s true?”
“Partially. Mostly.”
“I thought he was lying.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“I’m not disappointed. I’m confused.” Bella shifted in her seat, feeling agitated and impatient as she braced for more avoidance from Mr. I-Can’t-Talk-About-It. Maybe if she got the ball rolling. “I know about Operation Little Lamb Lost.”
“Carson was a busy boy.”
“I didn’t learn about the case from Carson. Ryan told me. Sheriff Ryan McClure,” she clarified. “He’s an old friend. Even so, I had to pry the information out of him. Although, according to him, there are articles all over the Internet regarding that horrific sex ring.”
“Did you read any of them?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“But I know it involved the trafficking of young girls and I know that you and a task force made several arrests and saved those lost lambs.”
“Not all of them.”
Even though Savage was as still as a statue, even though his tone was calm and his expression enigmatic, the force of his fury radiated throughout the cab nearly scorching Bella’s clammy skin. “The man you…the man who accused you of brutality…”
“You mean the man I almost killed with my bare hands.”
She swallowed hard and pressed on. “Was he associated with that sex ring?”
“Yes.”
“Did he abuse and torture those girls?”
“That and more. The worst of it couldn’t be proven, but I know he’s guilty. When he talked trash about those girls and promised to retaliate when he learned the name of the one who betrayed him—”
“You lost it?”
He crooked a humorless smile. “Leave it to you to sugar coat. Val likened me to a crazed animal. Said I was ruthless.”
“But you didn’t kill him.”
“Only because she intervened.”
“You would have stopped on your own.”
His fingers flexed on the wheel. “I don’t know that.”
“I do.”
He responded with silence, which was akin to torture.
Then it got worse.
“Look at me, Bella. Take off the rose-tinted glasses and really look.”
She shook off the insult and bolstered her shoulders. “I see a good man.”
“With a beast caged inside.”
“If you’re referring to anger issues—”
“A curse I inherited from dear old dad. Something I suppressed for years. Only the more I saw, the suffering…the injustice…Jesus.” He blew out a breath. “I sound like a character on a bad cop show.”
“You sound like a man with a big caring heart. You sound tortured and haunted. I don’t condone beating another person senseless, but given the circumstances I empathize. You need to forgive yourself, to have faith in your innate goodness and move on.”
“I’m trying.”
“Try harder. And know you can count on me to kick your badass out of the gutter and into the sunshine.”
This time his smile met his eyes. “God, I love it when you’re riled.”
She flushed head to toe. “It doesn’t happen often, but… Hey! You missed the turn onto Moon Creek.”
“I’m not taking you to Funland. I’m taking you to your dad’s.”
“Why?”
“I’m leaving town for a few days and I don’t want you to be alone.”
Her brain and pulse scrambled. “Where are you going?”
“Chicago.”
“Without me?”
“Definitely without you.”
“But what about the wedding? What about our date?”
“It’s off. Our date. Not the wedding.” He cut off Bella’s protest with a pointed look. “I packed some of your things. Your suitcase is in the back. Your laptop and manuscripts behind the seat. I asked McClure—yes, we’ve met—to keep an eye on you and I asked Zeke to look in on Killer. “
“Pull over.”
“Bella—”
“I’m serious, Joe Savage. Pull this truck off of the road, right here, right now.” Once he got her to her dad’s, he’d make an escape, leaving her clueless and fuming. If he thought she was riled before, he hadn’t seen anything yet.
To his credit, he complied, easing the truck onto the shoulder then cutting the engine.
She whipped off her seat belt and faced him. “Why are you breaking our date?”
“I don’t want you anywhere near what’s happening in Chicago.”
His honesty only heightened her worry. “What’s happening in Chicago?”
More silence.
As someone who kept her own bad stuff to herself, she should have respected Savage’s privacy. She should’ve backed off and shut down, given the threat of confrontation. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll do whatever it takes to find out on my own. At least this way you can censor details.”
After giving her the stink eye, Savage relayed the latest odious offense by Leo-the-Lion Pratt.
Bella’s stomach churned all the while, her temper spiking with her dread. “So, what?” she asked when he finished. “You’re going back to look after that poor girl? To handle Pratt?”
His weighted silence screamed, yes!
Bella fought hard to contain her frustration and panic. “Val told you to stay away. Said your old team was on the case.”
“Sasha’s in the hospital with a broken jaw because of me.”
“Not because of you! Because of Pratt or one of his flunkies! What are you going to do if you get your hands on whoever is responsible?” She realized she was shouting now, but maybe that was what it would take to get her message through Savage’s thick head.
He studied her for a moment then crooked a sad smile. “So much for believing in my innate goodness.”
“I do believe! I just…” She faltered, realizing that she did indeed harbor a fraction of doubt. Pratt and his like had perpetuated unspeakable horrors on vulnerable innocents. Even her Pollyanna self didn’t believe jail time would rehabilitate their wicked souls. Heart pounding, Bella scrambled across the seat and straddled Savage’s lap. Squeezed between the steering wheel and his hard body she could scarcely breathe. Although maybe that was more due to what
she was about to say. “Don’t go.”
Dark eyes swimming with torment, he gently cupped her face. “I left the job, left Chicago to escape the darkness. But the darkness followed. I’d like to bask in the sunshine you mentioned, Princess, but until I snuff a demon—”
“Don’t go,” she repeated, assuming he was talking about Pratt. “The CPD will take care of Sasha. They’ll watch Val’s back, too. If you’re worried Pratt will actually send someone to Nowhere, making good on his threat and harming those you care about then stay here and protect me. I know you care. You might even love me. At least it feels that way. I know for certain I’m crazy about you. As in head-over-heels, once-in-a-lifetime love.”
He kissed her then and Bella’s soul wept knowing his—their—future was at dire risk. She clung and kissed Savage for all she was worth then eased away and took one last shot. “I’ve never given someone an ultimatum—”
“If you really love me, don’t start now.”
“That’s not fair.”
He hugged her and her heart cracked along with her dream. “That’s life.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Once upon a Wednesday…
Bella’s life had changed significantly over a madcap, emotionally charged week, but one thing remained the same.
She could count on two things.
Escapism via a good book and the ever-wondrous, everlasting support of her best friends. Even though every one of the Inseparables was either preoccupied or engaged with some faction of their own life, they all showed for the weekly dinner at Café Caboose.
Emma was distracted by her impending trip with Nate, texting under the table with the rodeo icon every five minutes, as if nobody noticed, and Georgie was ten-minutes late due to a job interview as a stable hand at the Morgan ranch. Shoveling horse manure? Was she really that desperate? Angel seemed edgy and Chrissy was subdued.
In spite of whatever was going on in their lives, not one of them had bailed on their dinner. And, because they knew Bella was especially fragile, they purposely avoided any talk of biker dude.
For a romanticized blip in time, Bella had assumed Savage was someone she could count on through thick and thin, forever and always. Sadly, he’d proven unreliable, choosing vengeance over love.
Okay. To be totally fair he had ridden to the rescue of a damsel in distress. Except that damsel had been another female in another state and although Bella understood Savage’s need to go, she hadn’t welcomed his insistence to leave her behind.
She’d spent the last two days blocking the man from her mind. She didn’t want to think about where he was or what he might be doing. She didn’t want to worry. And sure as sunshine, she did not want to allow her imagination to run amok. Instead, she’d focused on the library by day and her writing by night. She trusted in Savage’s innate goodness and her Pollyanna instincts.
Everything will be okay. Sasha will recover. Pratt will suffer the consequences of his evil deed—via the law.
And Savage would come home—unharmed and demon-free.
Still, the more time that passed, the greater her impatience. He’d texted her briefly to check in, but they hadn’t spoken on the phone. He’d distanced himself in more ways than one. He didn’t want to burden her with whatever he was going through. She got that, but silence would be easier if she were at least able to give him a reassuring hug.
“What the… You have got to be kidding me!” Emma wailed while staring daggers at her phone. “Un-freaking believable!”
“Oh, no,” Angel said. “Did Nate cancel?”
“No,” Emma said, flushed with frustration, “but now I’ll have to cancel.”
“Why?” Chrissy asked.
“Because your brother arranged for the Z-Crew Stormchasers to participate in a documentary and guess which week they’re shooting?”
“The week of your tropical getaway with Nate,” Georgie assumed. “So tell Zeke to reschedule.”
“I did. He texted back: No can do.” Emma growled. “Un-freaking believable.”
“You said that already.” Calm as you please, Chrissy squirted ketchup on her fries. “Maybe Nate can reschedule.”
“That’s not going to happen either,” Emma said.
“Then blow off the documentary,” Angel said.
“And miss a golden opportunity? It’s a top-notch film crew. A director with credentials. We’re talking HBO or The Travel Channel and a shot at an Indie nomination for best documentary. We’re talking national recognition. Who knows where it could lead for me professionally?”
“Then blow off the Caribbean,” Georgie said. “Nate will understand.”
“It’s not like you’re serious about the guy,” Chrissy said.
“No, but I seriously need an adventure,” Emma said.
“Your life is full of adventure,” Bella finally put in.
“But within the confines of Nowhere. I want more. I need more.”
“Look on the bright side,” Bella said. “Maybe that documentary will be your ticket out. A golden pass to a grand adventure.”
“You could double your odds by applying for an adventure via Impossible Dream,” Chrissy said. “Shoot for the stars. A world tour. A position with National Geographic.”
“Your ribbing lacks its normal sarcasm,” Emma noted with an eye roll.
“I wasn’t being sarcastic,” Chrissy said.
“You’re putting stock in Impossible Dream?” Bella asked her cousin. “That’s so…optimistic.”
“As opposed to my normal pissy attitude? Shocking, I know.”
“New mindset to go with the new haircut?” Georgie asked.
Chrissy shrugged. “Let’s just say, I’m tired of being miserable.”
Bella’s chest flared with hope. “Does this mean you’ll blow the cobwebs off of your violin?”
“No. However I’m determined to escape my rut by expanding my horizons. I think there’s a market beyond Nowhere for some of my more bohemian knitting projects. I researched the means to launch an online store. Also, I’m opening myself up to the possibility of settling down with a nice guy. It’s not fair to deprive Melody of a father simply because I’m bearing a grudge. I’m determined to move beyond you-know-who and, if I’m lucky, reconnecting with my carefree spirit.”
“Viva evolution,” Angel said.
Bella couldn’t help herself. She slid out of the booth and hugged Chrissy who was sitting on the opposite side. Her cousin had been closed off and bitter for way too long. This was a miracle!
“Speaking of nice guys,” Emma said. “Look who strolled in.”
Assuming she was talking about Savage, Bella straightened with a bright smile and racing pulse. Instead she saw Ryan. Disappointment was fleeting. Maybe, just maybe, Ryan had heard from Savage. She knew they were in contact. Savage had asked Ryan to keep her safe. Either he’d followed her into Café Caboose as part of that promise or maybe he’d sought her out to pass on a message.
To Bella’s dismay, instead of approaching the table, Ryan steered clear, opting for a booth at the opposite end of the café.
“Geez,” Emma said. “He totally ignored us. That was weird.”
“He’s not himself,” Georgie said.
Bella’s vibrating phone diverted her attention. Unlike Emma, she wasn’t fond of taking calls or texts during dinner with friends. “Be right back,” she said then drifted toward the mostly deserted counter. She perched on an empty stool and checked her screen. A text from Savage.
Sasha’s attacker caught. Investigation deepening. Tending demons. Date of return unknown. U ok?
Heart pounding, Bella typed: fine. Then stopped. How to respond to the rest? The first part was good. But what about details? Who had caught Sasha’s attacker? The CPD? Joe? Was the criminal in jail or in the hospital due to Savage pummeling the stuffing out of him? Investigation deepening. Meaning they were trying to tie the incident to Leo-the-Lion? Was he the demon who needed tending?
Desperate for details and w
anting to hear Joe’s voice, Bella placed an honest-to-gosh call. Her anxiety intensified with every ring. When it rolled to voice mail, her temper flared. Seriously? He couldn’t manage a five-minute discussion? Unless… Maybe he was in a meeting and unable to answer his phone. That didn’t soothe her disappointment but it was better than thinking he’d rudely blown her off.
Unsettled, Bella returned to her friends. Just as she slid into her seat, her phoned buzzed again. Rude or not, she eyed the text. Savage.
Be in touch later. Take care.
“What the hey?”
“You all right?” Angel whispered beside her.
Bella nodded, taming her frustration while focusing back on the conversation at hand.
“Ryan was so certain Lacey would come crawling back,” Georgie said. “Instead, she filed for divorce.”
“Finally,” Emma said. “That woman is toxic. Ryan deserves a saint.”
Bella and Chrissy glanced at Angel whose face turned as red as her hair.
“What’s the latest from Savage?” Angel blurted in a clumsy effort to change the subject.
Wide-eyed, Georgie cleared her throat.
“It’s okay,” Bella said. “Actually, I could use some advice.”
* * *
Chrissy wasn’t built the same as Bella. She didn’t put stock in miracles or fairy tale endings, but she had been the first to suggest that her cousin take bold action.
Derring-do.
The Inseparables word of the month.
They’d listened to Bella’s concerns regarding biker dude and also her worries regarding their future as a couple. Her cousin had skimmed over details regarding the case that had called Savage back to Chicago, but that was Bella. Never one to gossip or belabor ugly situations. She had, however, assured everyone that the criminal in question had been apprehended. The danger element had been eliminated and now Savage was simply negotiating legal aspects and a guilty conscious. Bella was certain he would benefit from her presence—her moral support and cheery disposition. Plus, he had a social commitment on Saturday. The deal Bella had originally made with Savage involved being his date for a wedding of a friend. She felt all kinds of awful for not making good on her promise. Of course she did. That was Bella.