Page 82 of The Bad Brother
I look at Cade because he’ll tell me, even if it hurts. “What did he do?”
Cade doesn’t answer me. Just stares at me, fists clenched like he wants to put me through a fucking wall.
Shaking my head, I feel my guts do a slow roll, bile surging up to burn the back of my throat before I can swallow it back down. “I need one of you assholes to either start talkin’ or start swingin’ because?—”
“Don’t temp me with a good time,” Cade growls at me, practically vibrating with rage.
That makes it Sera.
Fuck.
“Neither one of you is swingin’ on shit,” Colt says, his tone telling me he’s already tired of dealing with us. “You’re coming with me. Cade’s staying here to make sure things stay quiet.”
In other words, he’s here to watch over Sloane to make sure my psychopath brother doesn’t try to do something stupid while I’m gone.
Stepping aside, he makes an exaggerated,after yougesture at his brother. Cade strides past him, shoulder-checking me on his way through the door. “I hope it was worth it,” he practically snarls at me, not even bothering to stop on his way across the bar.
Swallowing hard again, I look at Colt.
“Come on,” he says motioning me outside. “We got somewhere to be.”
Even though I don’t want to go anywhere until I get some answers, I reset the alarm before locking up and following Colt to his truck. As soon as we’re in and on our way out of the parking lot, he puts me out of my misery.
“Sera’s fine. So’s Riv,” Colt tells me before I can ask. “I went to her place, first thing, and made sure.”
The relief that knocks into me is so strong I feel myself start to gray out a little before the reality of the situation slaps me back into the here and now. Maybe she isn’t hurt, but that doesn’t mean she’ll stay that way. “She can’t be alone. It’s not safe. I need to go get her. I need to?—”
“It’s already done.” Colt looks at me like I’m slow and stupid. “Contrary to what you andmyasshole brother might think, I’m actually good at my job. Riv’s at my dad’s place. She’s fine.”
Before Colt, Cal Montgomery was Barrett county sheriff. I know without asking that my uncle is sitting on his front porch with a shotgun, hoping my brother is stupid enough to try him. The visual should make me feel better but it doesn’t.
“What about your mom?” I ask because I can’t help myself. “Sera and the kids?—”
“If your brother’s stupid enough to trymymother, he’s gonna meet God on a bright, Sunday morning,” Colt says on a rusty laugh. He’s not wrong. If my choice was between Cal Montgomery and his ex-wife, I’d take Cal. Even with the shotgun. Hell, if my choice was between Aunt Penny and a bear, I’d take the bear.
Every time.
“Okay.” Marginally relaxed, I give him a nod while he drives past the sheriff’s and fire station, sitting side-by-side on Main. Both are brightly lit. The only other building showing signs of life is June’s, right next door. “So if everyone’s safe, then I don’t under?—”
“Orton Redford was attacked a few hours ago,” Colt says, stopping me cold. “Can’t be one hundred percent, but best I can figure, he tried to stop someone from setting fire to your truck.”
My truck.
The truck Tank gave me.
The truck Ethan and his buddies put in the Barrett a few weeks ago.
The truck I paid Red to fix for me.
That sickgonna pukefeeling comes roaring back. “Jesus Christ.” I swipe a rough hand over my face just as Coltturns the corner and Red’s lot comes into view. It’s surrounded by fire trucks, their emergency lights bouncing around. The thick smell of acrid smoke hanging in the air while people stand in their front yards in their night clothes, staring in blank shock at the chaos that’s enveloped their neighborhood.
I already know my truck is a total loss.
I don’t even have to ask and to be honest, I don’t even care.
“Is he okay?” Red was one of Tank’s closest friends. He cried like a baby at his funeral. “Is he?—”
Dead.
