Absolution (The Protectors 1)

“Case, you here?” I heard Jonas call.

“Back here!” Casey called. She met him in the doorway and there was no hesitation between them as Jonas dragged her into his arms. A twinge of anger went through me at what Jonas was doing with this woman’s husband behind her back, but I reminded myself he was a victim.

“I thought that was your car out front,” Jonas said as he pulled back. I could see Cole standing just behind the pair.

“Devlin had a Board meeting to attend, so I thought I’d tag along and see how things were coming along. It’s perfect, Jonas,” she said as she looked around the room. “The kids are going to love it.”

The wide smile that spread across Jonas’s lips had me shifting uncomfortably. He looked so genuinely happy that I had to wonder if he’d somehow compartmentalized his actions, because I couldn’t explain his complete and utter lack of guilt.

Unless he didn’t have anything to feel guilty about.

The thought was so unexpected that I actually took a step back. Was that even a possibility?

“Case, this is Cole,” I heard Jonas say despite the roaring in my ears. “Cole, this is Casey Prescott.”

I picked up on the sudden tension in Jonas’s voice and that helped settle the disturbing thoughts that had started to rattle around my head.

“Hi,” Cole said as he extended his hand. But like Jonas, Casey wasn’t having any of it and she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Cole. And just like with Jonas, he seemed caught off guard by the hug but he recovered quickly.

“I’m so sorry about Carrie, Cole. I wish I’d gotten there sooner…”

At Casey’s words, I froze. Had she known Carrie? How was that possible?

I thought back to what little I knew about Casey’s life before she’d married her husband. The possible connection between her and Cole’s sister hit me hard and fast and I was actually reaching for my phone to call Mav before I remembered where I was.

“Mace?”

I had no idea how Jonas’s voice pierced the fog that clouded my brain but when I looked up, I saw all three of them looking at me with concern.

“What?” I asked.

“You okay?”

I nodded. “Yeah, sorry,” I stammered. “Was someone talking to me?”

“I was asking if you might be able to come to Jonas’s birthday party tomorrow night at our house in the Hamptons. We’re celebrating a week early because we’re leaving for Ireland on Friday,” Casey said, her voice thick with concern.

“Yeah, sure – I’d love to,” I rattled off.

I tuned out again after that and automatically began gathering my tools. I needed to get the hell out of there and call Mav. I needed some fucking answers. I needed to know that I hadn’t nearly done the unthinkable.

“You sure you’re okay?” Jonas asked when he reappeared by himself in the studio.

“Yeah, just a little tired,” I said. “I’m going to head out if that’s okay.”

“Sure,” Jonas quickly said. “About the party, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to. And it’s not really a party, more of a dinner. She wrangled Cole into coming too so…”

I wasn’t sure if he was telling me that because he could sense the tension between me and Cole, or if he just didn’t want me there. In truth, I was too shaken to even worry about it so I didn’t answer him.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Jonas asked awkwardly.

I nodded but as Jonas passed me on his way towards the stairs that led to his apartment, I said, “Casey’s really nice. Have you guys been friends for a while?”

Jonas smiled. “Almost eight years. She saved my life,” he said softly. “Night, Mace.”

“Good night.”

I was already dialing Mav’s number by the time I reached the van and he picked up just as I slammed the door shut.

“Hey-”

“I need you to look up the name of the man who tried to kill Casey Prescott,” I barked before Mav could even get another word in. Mav must have sensed my mood because he didn’t ask any questions and I could hear him typing.

“Mateo Santero.”

“What was the name of the girl he killed in Chicago?”

More typing, then, “She was a Jane Doe.”

“That’s not good enough, Mav,” I snapped. “I need a name!”

Mav didn’t answer me but since I could hear him typing, I tried to rein in my frustration.

“Fuck,” I heard Mav breathe. “Carrie Bridgerton.”

I closed my eyes as a wave of heat flooded through me. What the hell had I done?

“Mace-”

“No!” I snapped. “Not over the phone. Meet me at our place. One hour!” I hung up the phone without giving Mav a chance to respond and then I slammed my hands down on the steering wheel over and over again until I felt some of the initial rage ease from my system. I knew I needed to get a grip since Jonas could easily see me either from his apartment window or if he came down to the gallery for any reason, so I started the van and went through the motions of parking it in the garage. It took me another ten minutes to get to my car and then I was heading out of the city.