Inked Babies (Inked Brotherhood 6)

“Feeling okay?”

And fuck, now he’s staring at my hands that are shaking like an old guy’s. I shove them in my pockets. “I’m fine.”

“Doesn’t look that way to me. What the hell happened now?”

“Fuck off, Rafe.”

“Fuck you,” he says and beams as if I gave him a puppy.

He’s fucking weird sometimes.

“Okay, now that the niceties are out of the way, tell me why you canceled two appointments.” Rafe’s jaw clenches. “Did you have a flashback? Are you feeling sick?”

“I said I’m fine.”

“You should visit a psychologist, man.”

“I will.”

His brows lift. “That where you’re going now? Let me ask again, more slowly: did something happen?”

“Nothing happened.” Fuck, now he won’t let go.

“Don’t tell me you’re to the same therapist you used to visit.”

“None of your business.”

“What’s going on, Z-man?” Rafe walks into the booth, gets right in my face. “You stopped going to your therapist because you thought you saw Kenneth Shaw in his car outside. You had the mother of all flashbacks and ended up in a back alley not knowing how you got there. And now, out of the blue, you wanna go back? Why?”

“Christ, Rafe. Back off.” I shove at him, manage to move him less than an inch. Fuck, I need to get my strength back. “I said, it’s none of your business.”

“I’d punch your lights out for saying that, but that would be too easy. Talk.”

Dammit, I should’ve left earlier.

“Kenneth Shaw ditched his old car,” I say. “The police won’t find him. I figured… the only way to catch him is to use a bait.”

“A bait.” He takes a step back. “No.”

“If he wants me, then he’ll be there.”

“Dammit, Zane.” He rubs a hand over his face. “You won’t be okay until he’s behind bars, will you?”

I don’t bother answering. He knows me.

“First of all, are you even sure you saw him that time outside the therapist’s office? That he followed you?”

“Fuck no,” I mutter. “I’m not sure about anything. But I think I saw him. I think he followed me. I lose nothing by trying, right?”

Sweat is rolling down my face. My hands shake harder at the thought of facing him again, of playing hide and seek with that son of a bitch.

“Then I’m going with you.” Rafe turns around, not waiting for my reply. “I’ll be waiting for you at your truck. Hurry up.”

He sure is a bossy boss, but relief swamps me at the realization I’m not doing this alone. “Coming.”

***

“Does Koko know?” he asks me as I drive through the town, clenching my hands on the steering wheel. “About you going to look for Kenneth?”