by Stacey Wilk
“Gage, I…” She had been wrong this whole time. She’d believed he ran to Ajay first and left Ava alone lying on the ground. She had selfishly wanted him to save Ava, which would have meant he had saved their relationship. Fear, anger, and hurt had trembled inside her like an earthquake that night. It still did.
When the gunshots had broken open, she had ducked and covered her ears. She thought Ava was at the cotton candy machine, but she had been right there. During the seconds it took to open her eyes and realize what was playing out in front of her, Ava was on the ground and Gage was with Ajay.
She hadn’t closed her eyes for seconds.
It had been minutes.
Shame on her.
“We can’t change the past, and that means we can’t be together. You’re right about that. You’ve always been right. Whatever feelings I have for you are tangled up in who we were. I’ll keep my distance.” He turned to go.
“Gage, wait.”
“What?” He turned back and threw a hand up.
Instead of talking, maybe she could show him she hadn’t understood until this moment. There had been too much talking. She stepped closer and placed a hand behind his head to pull him close. She pressed her lips against his and prayed he wouldn’t pull away and embarrass her. His lips were soft, and his kiss unsure at first. But then he clung to her with an urgency. His arms wrapped around her back and crushed her against him. A kiss wasn’t a complete betrayal to Ava. Ava would understand a kiss.
She held on to him for dear life as her tongue found delectable passion. She brought her hands back to his neck and pulled him closer. White-hot light of pleasure exploded behind her eyes while she traced his teeth and his lips with her tongue. Without more from him, she might become delirious with desire. She let out a small moan.
He tangled his fingers in her hair and tugged her head back. The gesture made the heat run between her legs like lava. Her hands sought the lines and angles of his chest through the fabric of his shirt. If they didn’t slow down, she might tear his clothes off right there on the dock.
She had hidden her emotions so far down and for so long her life played on automatic. Fox’s death had been the final nail. She couldn’t remember the last time her insides came alive. Every nerve was on overdrive, and she loved it. She wanted more of life again.
He broke the kiss and pulled away. She stumbled in the space between them. Her heart pounded in time to her heavy breathing.
“What’s happening here?” He arched a brow.
“I think we’re kissing.”
“Why now?”
“Do we have to talk about it?” She didn’t want to talk. She wanted to feel him against her. Preferably without clothes on. That thought got caught in her breath. Sex was more than a kiss, but in his arms the person she was before the tragedy seemed real again.
“Is that a pity kiss?” Anger brimmed in his glare.
“What? Of course not.” She did want to take the pain off his face, if only for a few minutes, but she would never pity him.
The heat between them cooled with the breeze from the lake. Her skin tingled with goose bumps, and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
“Don’t kiss me again unless you mean it.” He marched away without another word. He didn’t turn back to see if she followed or if she was okay.
Which she would never be again.
Chapter Ten
Gage paced his small cottage. The image of Calista staring up at him with swollen lips from their kissing played over and over in his mind. One minute she pushed him away, and the next she blew his mind with that kiss. For a brief moment, he believed she had forgiven him and wanted him back. It was a dream come true. But the joke was on him. No dream. Just a nightmare. And a hard-on he couldn’t get rid of.
He ran a hand over his face and scratched at his day-old beard. He should have stayed the hell home tonight. He picked up the phone to call her but stopped himself. What was he going to say? Her words had been clear even if the kiss sent a mixed message. She would never forgive him for being Ajay’s brother. The end. He needed to get the fuck over her and move on once and for all.
He had called Barry and told him to drive by the B and B to make sure she got home okay after she finished working at the pub. He checked the time. Barry hadn’t called yet to report what he’d witnessed. Calista should be home by now. He tapped at his phone but tossed it back down before he could finish the text to her.
She was a grown woman who didn’t need him. He would keep his distance other than to investigate the robbery at the B and B and nail Justin Crow to the wall. The desire to punch something ran down his arms and into his fists.
He padded into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He yanked out a can of beer and held it to his head. He looked at the phone again. It was too late to call Kace or Jett. They both had to be up early. He sent a text to Lock. Even though Lock worked the ranch with Jett, he never needed more than four hours of sleep.
—You up?— He waited for his brother’s response.
Nothing.
Lock was either out cold or in bed with someone. After Ajay died, Lock became the baby of the family at twenty. He had the wild streak too but had more sense than Ajay did. It was probably his love of horses. He cared more for them than anyone or anything else. In addition to the horses, Lock loved his family, which included their mother and his three brothers and even Izzi. But never an outsider. No woman had ever turned his head other than for a few hours. Lock was the unattainable bachelor. Gage believed Lock wouldn’t get involved with anyone because of Ajay, but Lock never spoke about Ajay. That was how he dealt with it. He respected that since words were never his strong suit either.
No time for too many emotions when a ranch needed to be run. The animals and the guests came first. When Dad died, Mom kept right on going. She barely missed a beat. She said she didn’t have the luxury of spending too much time with her pain. She gave it its due, but then she moved on. She had five boys to raise and a ranch to run. Because of the seven years between him and Ajay, Ajay had been only five when Dad died. Ajay had barely remembered their father. Gage hoped Dad was waiting for Ajay with open arms when he crossed to the other side since he had never opened his arms to his brother. He was too busy taking his new role as man of the house seriously.
His phone vibrated against the counter. Lock must be around after all. He grabbed it, ready to ask his brother to come over and share a beer with him. He stopped short. The call wasn’t from Lock.
“Sheriff Ryker.”
“Sheriff, it’s Deputy Sheriff Pearce.”
“I know, Barry. What’s up?” A call at this hour would never be good. He hurried into his room to put on his jeans.
“There’s been another robbery. At Kennedy’s Pub.”
****
Gage pulled into the parking lot much as he had earlier in the evening. This time the lot was empty except for Barry’s cruiser with its blue and red lights flashing and the Backwater EMS ambulance. Shit. He jumped from his truck and hurried inside.
The lights were dim. Nyx Blackwood performed her job as lead volunteer on the EMS squad and leaned over Calista as she pressed a bandage to her head.
The dark circles under her eyes could have been bruises, and her cheeks were sunken like pits. Was it only a few hours ago she’d looked up at him with a rose blush across her face? Now she was hurt and vulnerable. His stomach dove south. A blanket hung over her small shoulders. Barry stood to the side, scribbling in his notebook. His uniform shirt hung half-tucked in and the buttons misaligned.
Gage took a step toward her, but Luke Patterson pushed the gurney in the way. Kennedy was laid on the stretcher with oxygen tucked under her nose. Marco Torino held a bag of clear fluid over her head.
“What are her injuries?”
“Unconscious. Possible concussion. Abrasions. Contusions.” Luke hurried out the door, not waiting for his reply.
“Barry, what the hell happened?” he shouted to his deputy.
Barry looked up with eyes the size of tractor tires. “Calista called in a break-in. She was in the back room and came out to investigate. They thumped her on the head.”
“You’ll be okay, Calista. You don’t need stitches. That skin glue will hold.” Nyx stood and pulled off her latex gloves. She wiped her hair away from her face with the back of her hand.
“Are you okay?” He didn’t care about what had happened between them earlier. He wanted Calista to be safe.
She waved her hand in the air. “I’m fine. It’s just a bump. They took all the money in the register. Kennedy hadn’t counted it out yet. It’s her I’m worried about. Two men came in, and one hit her in the head with a golf club. I ran back inside the office and called for help, but the other guy shoved his way in. We fought, but he managed to push me into the cement wall.” Her fingers tapped around the bandage on her head.
He really wanted to punch something or someone now. He would find the person who did this and crucify them.
“You might have a concussion.” Nyx boxed up her supplies. “Do you want a ride to the hospital?”
“Only to see Kennedy. I want the bastards caught.” Tears filled her red-rimmed eyes. “Gage, don’t let this keep happening. Twice in one week. What’s going on in this town? Kennedy’s hurt. Someone could die.”
He wanted to fold her into his arms and make her feel better, but he stood his ground. This was an investigation, and he needed to do his job. “Did you give your statement to the deputy?”
“She did, boss.” Barry tapped the notebook. “I’m going to dust for fingerprints now. Maybe something will match up to the other two robberies.”
That would be a small break. It would be better if the prints were in the system, but so far they had nothing. Which was exactly what he thought they would have. Robberies rarely got solved.
“Did the subjects have any distinguishing marks? Any accents?” he said.
“I don’t remember any accents. I didn’t see the guy’s face because of the mask. He was tall and strong. He shoved me from behind, and I clocked my forehead against the wall. The room spun. I think he said something like ‘unlucky you’re here tonight’ or ‘unlucky night,’ maybe. I’m sorry I can’t remember.”
If it was the first, then maybe the person knew her. That could be a lead. “Please tell me Kennedy ran the surveillance camera.”
Kennedy had fought him when he came in three years ago and suggested she put in the surveillance equipment. She’d said she knew all her customers and the tourists weren’t in town to steal liquor. Told him he was being paranoid and Backwater would not become a Big Brother state. He was pretty sure she said no because he suggested it. When he sent Kace in making a similar suggestion and giving her the name of the guy to use, those cameras had gone right in.
“They’re on the loop in the back office. I think.” She pointed over her shoulder.
“Can I go take a look?”
She nodded.
“Barry, stay out here with her until I come back.”
“Got it, boss.”
“I’m all done here, Gage. Call me if you need anything.” Nyx waved to him from the door.
“Thanks, Nyx.”
He closed the office door behind him and took a seat at the cluttered desk. The space was small. Other than the desk and one visitor’s chair, the room was filled with boxes of liquor lining the wall.
The computer came to life under his touch. No password to protect it from unwanted eyes. He ran a hand over his face. Why did very smart people think they didn’t have to protect themselves just because they lived in a small town?
He found the icon for the camera system on the desktop and pulled up the footage from earlier that night. The bar wasn’t lit up well. Only the lights behind the bar were on. Two guys with average builds came in right through the front door. It was probably unlocked, or they picked it. He groaned.
Both men wore black hats and masks. Smart. The one guy carried a backpack that could be found in any store. They hurried around the bar and shoved top-shelf liquor into the bag. The one without the bag walked right up to the cash register and pounded on it until the drawer opened. He scooped out all the cash.
The other idiot tripped over the drum set. The footage didn’t have sound, but that must have made the racket that brought Kennedy out. Her office wasn’t far from the band area. The clumsy one pressed up against the wall.
Sure enough, Kennedy stuck her head out and said something. She took a step into the band area, and Calista followed her out. He knew what was coming, and he couldn’t breathe. The woman he loved was about to get hurt.
The first guy with the bag hit Kennedy over the head with the golf club. She fell to the ground, and he continued swinging. The angle of the camera and the dim light did nothing to identify distinguishing marks. He slammed his fist on the desk. An ugly rage consumed him.
Calista stumbled back into the office, and the other guy shoved his way in after her. Gage jumped from the chair, knocking it to the floor. A few minutes later, the guy came running out, and both men bolted from the bar.
He hung his head. She could have been killed. How many times had he told Kennedy to lock the damn door after the last customer went out? She never listened to him.
Everyone in town knew her, and she had never been robbed. He wanted that to mean these two fuckheads were tourists or gangsters, but he couldn’t say with certainty. As much as he would hate to admit it, someone from town could be behind those masks.
He righted the chair and dropped down. He clicked on the outside camera to see if that had picked up anything. He smashed his fist on the desk again.
He hit a few buttons to make the angle zoom in. He needed to be sure. Unmistakable. The dragon tattoo.
“Gage?” Calista pushed through the door.
“Stay out there. I don’t want you to see this.” The footage from the attack replayed, and he didn’t want her to relive it. He hit the pause button.
She had pulled her hair back into a long ponytail. He swallowed the desire to take her in his arms and hold her all night. In spite of the bruise on her head, she was so beautiful standing there. Someone had hurt her. He would not survive if he lost her too. As long as she was happy living her life someplace, even if it didn’t include him, he could keep moving. But if that changed, he wouldn’t be able to breathe.
“I wanted to see if you found anything out from the cameras.”
“Did Barry leave?”
“He’s still out there. I told him to go, but he said he’s not leaving until you give him the green light. His words, by the way.”
“Sounds like Barry.” He tapped at the computer and brought up the outside footage. “I do want you to see this one part.”
She came around to his side of the desk. Her sweet scent drifted over to him. He resisted the urge to pull her on his lap.
“Is that Justin?” She leaned in for a closer look.
“Looks like him. The time stamp says this guy entered the camera’s frame five minutes before the two men entered the building.”
“He wasn’t inside. I would have recognized him. Plus, he would never do this. Must be a coincidence.”
In his line of work, there were no coincidences. “He must be the lookout.”
“But that doesn’t make him the criminal.” She shook her fist.
“Calista, come on. He’s an accomplice.” He pushed out of the chair.
“This video doesn’t prove that.” Her clenched jaw said that would be her final word on the subject.
“The video proves he was standing outside the pub five minutes before the robbers came in. What are the odds he’s not involved? He knows something. I’m going to find him tonight. He’s got some explaining to do.” He didn’t care how much she fought him. He wanted to know what Justin Crow knew.
“Can you wait until morning?”
“Why would I do that? He could be long gone before morning.”
“Where is he going
to go? He doesn’t have a lot of money.”
“He does now.”
She pushed out a long breath. “He’ll be at work tomorrow. He hasn’t missed a day.”
“Why are you defending him? He’s on the camera outside the bar. I don’t understand where you’re going with this. Why does this kid mean anything to you?”
“I don’t know. He just does.”
“That’s not a reason. It’s not even logical. You and Kennedy could have been killed.” He wanted to shake sense into her.
“I can’t explain it. Please, Gage, for me.”
“Jesus, Calista, I don’t know.”
She gripped his arm. “Wait until tomorrow to talk to him. My place will be more neutral than wherever he lives with his brother. If you show up tonight, you don’t know what will happen.”
“What’s going to happen is he will answer my questions.” He couldn’t believe he was actually considering waiting.
“Just come by the house in the morning. Ask all your questions. I won’t get involved or say a word.”
Every time she said his name or looked up at him with wide eyes, he wanted to give her what she asked for, but this was different. “We should roll him now. What if he doesn’t show up tomorrow because he knows Kennedy is hurt? I will have wasted valuable time finding the person who did this and who robbed your business too. Is that what you want?”
“I want a kid who needs a chance to have one.”
“He’s a stranger to you.”
“I would help anyone in Justin’s position.” She crossed her arms over her middle.
“Yeah, but why Justin Crow? He seems to be your personal project. You even helped him spend time with Izzi when that went against my rules.”
“I didn’t know you forbade it. I’m not a mind reader, even though you seem to think I should be.”
She wasn’t talking about Izzi and Justin any longer. “If talking about how I feel would’ve saved Ajay and Ava, I would’ve done it.” He leaned against the desk. The day had worn him out. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep up this argument with her.