“I think you’re being too hard on yourself.”
It was then I saw it, the shadow behind his eyes, one I knew because I carried a similar one. He had ghosts, too. I reached for his hand; his gaze dropped then lifted to mine. “I’m here if you ever want to talk.”
He squeezed my hand, just as Killian pulled up to the curb. He smiled, but now I saw that it wasn’t as carefree as I had once thought. “Let’s eat.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
killian
Killian was distracted,not something that usually happened to him, but his girl was carrying his baby. He hadn’t been sure he was cut out for fatherhood, but as soon as he learned he was going to be one, fuck, but he wanted that. Knew he wanted it because of Cedar. He had work to do. His woman was under his roof, now he had to get ready for his baby.
He glanced at the clock, was tempted to punch out, to drag Cedar from her studio and take her home and spend the rest of the day fucking her. So tempted, he pushed back from his desk, but the crime photos he’d yet to put away pulled his attention. He lifted one, studied it, then left his office.
“We get a hit on that APB?”
Johnny glanced up. “Not yet.”
“What about that email you sent out? We know where it came from?”
“Haven’t heard, only one guy working the computer lab, but I’ll give him a call.”
“Yeah, let me know what you find out.”
He turned for his office when the door ripped open. “Fucking check your goddamn messages,” Brock roared, moving right up into Killian. “Where the fuck is Cedar?”
Killian’s voice was deceivingly soft. “You’re going to want to step the fuck back.”
“Where is she?”
It was the thread of fear he heard that had him answering, “Her studio. She’s covered.”
“You’re sure.”
Killian just gave him a look.
Brock paced. “Declan wasn’t the ring leader.”
Already alert, having an irate Brock storming into his office, he demanded, “Come again?”
He stopped pacing. “It’s my fucking mother.”
“Your mother is dead.”
“Presumed dead,” Brock said. “I know it sounds crazy but think about it. Declan couldn’t find his cock with both hands, but he masterminded, not one, but two cons on the mob. I don’t think so.”
“What else you got?”
“The night of the raid. Someone gave us up. Those two in the hall, I’d bet money she was one of them. Pain meds were like candy to her. And the wine bottle in the kitchen, Declan wouldn’t touch that shit.”
“It’s kind of thin.”
“Fuck, like I don’t know that, but I know it’s her. Calling me that night to come home…she’s been fucking pulling the strings from the start. And like Declan, she keeps her options open. She knew Cedar was here, so she’d have eyes on her because Cedar was the link to me. And knowing my mother, she’d have another sugar daddy in the wings.”
Johnny appeared, eyeing Brock, knowing an outlaw when he saw one. He didn’t take his eyes off Brock when he said, “Email came from Waverly.”
Killian’s head jerked to Johnny. Brock asked, “Where’s Waverly?”
“A town over,” Johnny offered.