Anarchy Found (SuperAlpha, #1)(10)

“Shit,” Case says with a grunted laugh. “You’re an idiot, Lincoln.” Case grabs my gun hand and points it at Thomas. “Shoot him, then. If he’s not one of us, then shoot the f*cker and prove it.”

I can’t shoot him. The three of us know this. And it’s not that I’ve got some sentimental affection for the old days. Some long-ago sense of loyalty. No. I simply cannot shoot him.

My hand trembles and I’m not even aiming, Case is. My whole body starts to sweat and my hands heat up. Perspiration collects on my forehead in drops and then it’s rolling down my face. The shakes start and I’m ready to double over from the nausea. Another second and I’ll collapse to the floor.

I wrench my gun hand away from Case, lower it to the ground, and the symptoms of inhibition poisoning ease back. But it takes many more seconds to recover than it does to be affected.

“I guess I am one of you,” Thomas says with a satisfied smile as he takes another sip of his martini. “Now be a good boy, Lincoln, and do your job like we planned it. Stop this madness before you get us all killed.” He gulps the rest of his drink, places his glass on the bar, and then reaches for his wallet, throwing down a twenty. “I’ll see you both Friday night at my new headquarters for the SkyEye party. And feel free to bring your date, Lincoln. I’d love to see her.”

“It’s sick what you did over there,” I say.

“So you saw it?” Thomas asks, one eyebrow raised. “I think it’s quite spectacular.”

“Yeah, if you want to be reminded of death.”

“You’re so dramatic, Lincoln. Grow a pair, will you? This is the big leagues and I’m not going to let you mess this shit up over petty vengeance.”

“Says the kettle to the pot.”

“My plans are a lifetime in the making. A legacy. I’m only taking what’s owed to me. And don’t you ever forget that I’m the one who saved you, Lincoln. I could’ve walked out and never looked back.”

“I thought that’s what you did,” I growl.

Thomas looks over at Case. “You better get him on a leash,” he says, turning his back to us and walking out. “Or I’ll step in and do it myself.”

There’s a lingering silence as the door whooshes shut after Thomas makes his exit and when I finally look over at Case, he’s got lots of questions. “What?” I ask.

“What did you do to the girl?”

“I took care of it.” And I did. But damn if she hasn’t been on my mind ever since. Everything about her has been on my mind since the minutes we wanted to fight out on the road. And she had a badge in her purse issued from the CCPD.

Detective Molly Masters.

Why didn’t I know she was the new detective?

“What if she…” Case stops, maybe choosing his words carefully. “What if she becomes a problem?”

“I told you,” I growl, giving him a look from the corner of my eye. “It’s taken care of. She won’t be a problem.”

I leave Case at the bar, all his questions unanswered. If I wasn’t offered answers about why Thomas is here, then why should Case get answers about me?

“You better go home tonight, Linc. I’m f*cking serious.”

I shoot him the finger over my shoulder as I walk out the door.





Chapter Six - Molly




“Hello?” I croak out, my voice raspy and my throat so dry it feels like sandpaper.

“Goddammit, Masters. You’re still sleeping? What, two days isn’t long enough for you? You think you’re special, need three-day weekends? What f*cking day do you think it is, sweetheart?”

I pull my phone away from my ear and look at it with blurred vision. “Who is this?”

“Who is this?” He’s screaming now. I can almost picture a blood vessel popping out from his fleshy neck. “You goddamned better know who is this, Masters. And if you’re not at work in thirty minutes, you’ll be unemployed.”

Beep, beep, beep.

Oh, shit. My mind clears up in an instant and I jump out of bed. I totally fail at that and fall face-first on the pink chenille rug where my pink stilettos are parked, ready for… what the f*ck happened?

It looks like…

I got really drunk. Because there’s empty wine and whiskey bottles everywhere. And…

There must’ve been a whole lot of people here, because I don’t drink. One or two, every now and then. But this? This looks like…

I had a rager and there might even have been drugs involved from the look of the…

Ashtray?

Jesus f*ck.

It’s a good thing pot is legal in Cathedral City, or I’d be out of a job.



I get to my knees and realize I am going to hurl. So I throw every instinct I have out the window, get to my feet, peel out, making the pink chenille rug slide on the polished wood floors, and dive for the bathroom. I land face first on the white field floor a few feet through the doorway and crawl the rest of the way to the porcelain god, where I hike myself up, flip the lid open, and spew.

Oh, God.

I’m disgusting.

I sit like that for a few minutes, just hugging the toilet like we’re best friends. And then I remember my boss’ threat and crawl to the shower. It takes me another minute to stand up and turn the water on. And that’s when I notice…