A Kade Christmas

I had nothing. “Yelling at her?”

“Right. I’ll do the talking.” She hit the unlock buttons, and we all piled out.

Her friend Zellman was already outside, leaning against his truck, his bounty-hunting vest on. He flashed us a grin, coming to fall in line with Bren. “Nice to see you ladies decided to join me. It’s a nice day for some ass-kicking.”

Bren told him, “I’m leading this.”

His eyebrows shot up. “What?” He stopped walking, then hurried to catch up. “Why you?” He gave us an uneasy look. “Uh, you guys sure about this?”

“I’d like to either burn down her house or explode all of her vehicles,” I told him through gritted teeth. “So, yes. I’m sure.”

Zellman froze before scanning over Heather and Taylor and then closed his eyes for a moment. “Okay then.”

They both stepped up on the front porch. Bren was about to knock when her phone and her friend’s phones both went off. They paused, reading their screens, and then shared a look.

“No shit.”

A genuine smile lit up Bren’s face, and she glanced at me.

I was taken aback.

Channing’s sister was stunning with a sleek beauty to her, but she was also a little scary. The girl stabbed her principal because he touched her. And that was not an out-of-the-ordinary occurrence for her, but whenever she was around us, she was locked down. I figured it was how she was with anyone outside her group. I always felt she was a little like Mason in that regard, but seeing a genuine smile light up her face—I was speechless for a moment.

Heather groaned. She was not speechless.

“What just happened?” she asked, moving around.

“Your girl has a warrant out for her arrest.”

Heather blinked, staring at Zellman, who then flashed his phone screen at her.

She gasped, grabbing it. “Holy shit! Holy shit!”

She read it right before Zellman snatched it back, and then he and Bren got ready. They stepped off the porch.

Bren was on a radio that I didn’t know she had.

Heather turned fully around to me, shock slackening her face. “Tate was previously arrested in Vegas, and she missed court.”

“What does that mean?”

Taylor answered for her, “That means she’s a fugitive.”

Bren was listening, glancing around. Her radio was crackling back, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“There.” Zellman and her must’ve been looking for someone. He patted her vest and pointed to a truck parked further down the street. The door opened. Someone was coming out. The door shut and… Oh, no. Mason would not be happy about this.

His stalker was crossing the street, wearing a cocky smirk.

Bren groaned. “He’s like the lint between your toes. You enjoy clearing them out but never know how the hell he keeps getting there.”

He came over and stopped, scanning Bren up and down. “What’s up, Monroe? You gotta start admitting that you like me. It’s been too many years. Cross and Blaise are all good.”

She growled, jerking her thumb to the house. “Zeke. You followed her here?”

“I did. Put the word out. A buddy of mine saw her and gave me the heads-up. She’s still in there.”

“Who else is inside?”

Their radios both started going off, and Zellman stepped away, his head bending to listen.

As he did, Zeke answered Bren, “I don’t know. Some old chick, and her.”

“You don’t know who?”

“Nope. You didn’t ask for that.”

Bren deadpanned, “I want to hit you. Right now. Right in the forehead.”

Zeke’s smirk just deepened. “But you won’t because you’ve grown fond of me. Admit it, Monroe. Admit it.”

Heather stepped toward Zeke, barely containing a growl. He hadn’t noticed, nor had Taylor or I, and his eyes got bigger with each discovery, but Heather was in his face. He backed up. She went with him, and she lowered her voice, “I know who you’re fucking right now, and if you screw her over, I will end you in all things Fallen Crest and Roussou. You’ll have to go to Frisco to get gas, get food, get anything, and no one goes to Frisco anymore.”

He didn’t reply, just swallowed. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.

Zellman came back. “Channing conferred with Hawk. We can take her, us two.”

That was all Bren needed.

She pointed her baton at Zeke. “Stay here, or I’ll use your proximity as an excuse to knock you out.”

He stepped back, a wide step. His hands were up. “You got no qualms from me. I’m kinda terrified of this group now.” He was side-eyeing Heather, but he didn’t seem surprised by her threat.

Bren went to the door first.

Zellman was at her back, and he tapped her back.

She pounded on the door, “Open up! This is New Kings Bounties. We’re looking for Tate Sullivan.”

There was no response.

She hit the door again, “OPEN UP! NOW!”

The door swung open. Helen was there, and her mouth fell open. “What is going on—”