Split(112)

He flips through another couple pages. “We traced the second call to a burner cell that was purchased in—”

“Let me guess,” Shy grumbles. “Flagstaff.”

“You got it.” Austin shakes his head. “We confiscated all the video footage from the van we found parked in the trees outside Lucas’s house. Got Trevor ambushing Lucas at his home on tape. From what we can see, it seems he forced Lucas to defend himself when he wouldn’t leave after being asked repeatedly. It’s my belief that Mr. Peterson’s cameraman is responsible for that second call.”

She turns toward me, a frown tipping her lips. “This is my fault. I never should’ve mentioned your name to Trevor. I’m so, so—”

I press my lips to hers, silencing her immediately. “Don’t.” After all the things Gage has done to hurt her, to push her away, she’s the one who deserves an apology. But not here, not with an audience.

“Is that all?” I’m ready to get the hell out of here, take my girl home and hold her until they send someone to pry us apart.

Austin pushes up from his chair and holds out his hand. “Again, I’m sorry about keeping you overnight. We had to take the tips seriously.”

Shy stands, but I snag her hand in mine while giving the sheriff my other.

“I understand. Thank you.”

We move to leave but Shy turns back. “Please tell me you got ’em, Austin. I need to know Trevor is off the streets.”

He moves past us and opens the door into the small booking area, then grins. “Oh, we got ’em.”





FORTY



LUCAS


“Don’t touch me!” Trevor slaps at the deputy’s hand as he guides him in front of the blank wall where a mugshot will be taken. “I’ll sue this Podunk town for everything it has! I’ll call every media—”

Shy lunges toward him, but I grasp her around the waist and hold her back, burying my face in her neck. “He’s not worth it.”

She tenses in my arms, her body radiating unbridled anger. “He’s a sick bastard. I hate him!”

I shrug. “He’s not my favorite person either.”

The room is small enough that he not only sees us, but probably hears us too. He glares our way when I press a kiss to her temple. He sneers and a slow twisted smile that feels so foreign, and yet somehow familiar, curls my lips. My vision blacks out for a few seconds. When it comes back, Trevor’s face is pale.

I can’t help but laugh and give Gage an internal high five.

The front door of the station opens and in walks two deputies with an infuriated Dustin Miller in handcuffs.

We turn to the sheriff, who is shaking his head and frowning. “Turns out Dustin Miller is responsible for vandalizing the McKinstry place. He was bragging about it to Sam before the night she was attacked.” He clicks his tongue and mumbles, “Strange pillow talk.”

“No way . . .” Shy whispers. “I knew it! That f*cking prick!” She lunges again, but I turn her around to face me and hold her to my chest. “Let me go, Lucas.”

“No.”

She tilts her head up, her teeth clenched and eyes spitting blue fire. “Two minutes. That’s all I need.”

My mouth twitches and I actually consider letting her loose on Dustin, but I drop a kiss to her jaw and whisper in her ear, “Just got out of jail, Shy. You lose it on Dustin . . . Gage’ll wanna play. I’ll end up back in that cell when all I want to do is get you home.”

A quick burst of her breath plays against my neck and I pull back to see her fighting a smile. “Good point.”

“Can I please get you out of here before you get us both arrested?”

She nods and her expression gets soft. “Probably smart.”

We move through the police station and push out the glass door and into the midday sun.

Huddled in the parking lot around an old pickup truck are a few guys from Jennings, including Stilts and Chris, along with Nash and Cody. They all grin and meet us at the bottom of the stairs.

“Son.” Nash hooks me around the neck and pulls me in for a backpounding hug. “Good to have you back.”

And suddenly without warning, Shy and I are smothered in arms and words of appreciation. All the guys tell me they’re proud of me, and my eyes burn but I force it under control. Now that everyone knows about Gage, there’s really no reason not to let him take over—after all, Gage has always handled the emotional situations. Taken the moments that bring out the more intense feelings. But not this time. Rather than duck away, I welcome the intensity rushing through me because it doesn’t hurt or scare me anymore. For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong.





SHYANN


At a quick stop at the 87 Café, I watched Lucas hesitantly stare at his pancakes before I reached over and took a bite, then melted into the fauxcowhide seat when he flashed me that smile I’ll always feel in my toes. Cody and my dad joined us and things got a little awkward when they asked Lucas about Gage. He was generous with his answers, and my family was good enough not to pry too deeply.

Out in the parking lot, Dad gave both me and Lucas the day off and we decide to spend it at the river house together. There’s a freedom that surrounds us now and I can’t wait to take advantage of it. I’m just sorry it took Trevor’s involvement in our lives for us to get there.