Page 91 of Second First Kiss
“Well, it paid off. One girl didn’t sign an NDA. Noelle. She also said that when she was with R. J., he sold drugs. He was working with a bigger supplier, and she was hesitant at first, but then said she’d be willing to talk to you. Off the record. You said you needed proof, she’s your proof.”
He stood so quickly his chair tumbled backward. “I can’t use any of it!”
“Why not?”
“The info was obtained illegally. Not to mention I’d have to explain how I got it, which would mean I’d have to turn you in.” He spun around, his eyes lit with fury. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“I thought I was helping.” The minute she said it, she knew it was a lie. She’d done it because she’d wanted to, repercussions be dammed. She was mad—at herself. So she did whatever she did when she was mad at herself—she deflected.
“Things like this is why you guys can’t find your head from your asses.”
He shook his head sadly. “Things like this is why you’re going to end up losing Tessa. And it won’t be because of your mom or your dad or your past. It will be because you can’t stand to ask for help. Your inability to trust will cost you what you love the most.”
It was two in the morning and Nolan hadn’t slept a wink. He couldn’t erase the image of Kat’s face crumbling at his statement. He’d terrified her with the truth. Broken her heart with a single sentence. Every insecurity she’d shared with him he’d used against her because he was scared himself.
Scared of what could happen to Kat if anyone found out about what she’d done. A few weeks ago, he would not have even hesitated at turning her in, but not now. Now he knew that sometimes people did stupid things out of desperation. And no one was hurt in the act.
He had, on occasion, looked up boyfriends of his sister to vet out the losers. The only difference was he carried a badge. The violation of privacy was the same.
Jesus, look at him justifying breaking the law. What the hell had happened to him? His moral compass had always pointed due north. But with Kat he was starting to see that the law didn’t always work the same for everyone as intended. He didn’t endorse breaking them, but he understood why Kat found the need to stretch a few from time to time. It was how she’d survived this long.
Something shifted in the air and his spidey senses went on high alert. It wasn’t Kat, her footsteps were heavier. And it wasn’t Tiny Dancer. Nolan had fixed the pen’s lock so he couldn’t bust out of it anymore.
He heard another footstep coming closer. The person was intentionally walking lightly, trying to make themselves as small and as quiet as possible—while walking on wooden sticks.
Nolan grabbed his gun and was about to slide from the couch into the shadows when he smelled it. Pleather, overly sweet perfume, and hairspray.
Tessa.
She rounded the corner and made a beeline for the back door.
Nolan stashed the gun and shook his head. Amateur. “Next time put your heels on after you get outside.”
She jumped, but then collected herself and feigned boredom. “What are you going to do, arrest me?”
“If you hang out with R. J. Locke much longer, the answer’s probably going to be a yes.”
“Why are you going after R. J. so hard? Why can’t you just leave him alone?”
“Because he keeps breaking the law. Did you know he’s been arrested five times? Three times for assault, and a few times for possession of an illegal substance,” he said repeating information that was classified. There he was, acting as bad as Kat.
“He’s never hurt me.”
“He hurt your sister.”
Tessa lifted a slim shoulder and let it fall. “That was an accident.”
“Is that what R. J. told you? Are you really going to believe some guy over your sister?”
“I don’t know.”
“Really? You don’t know? That’s your takeaway? Your sister loves you. She’s given up a lot so that you two could stay together, but you’re not making it easy on her.”
“She’s the one who’s not easy.”
“Are you kidding? She works two jobs, takes care of you, is keeping this house afloat. She does all that for you.”
He could see his words start to permeate her brain. Man, R. J. had done one hell of a job on her. What was it about that kid that allowed him to charm the hell out of the ladies. He watched Tessa slink back to her room, and could only hope that when it came down to it, she’d do the right thing.
