Southern Chance (Southern 1)

“You can’t leave,” Charlotte says, dabbing her eyes. “You just got here, and we can keep you safe.”

“You aren’t going anywhere,” Casey says, then looks at me.

Kallie walks to me, and I’m holding my breath. “This changes nothing,” she spews at me. “The less I have to see you—”

I cut her off. “Trust me.” I step toward her, and she doesn’t move. “We can agree on that and one other thing. The faster this is done, the faster you can hightail it out of town.” I look down, then up again, and I hope my look is that of hatred so she doesn’t see how much I still hurt. “You’re good at that.” I stare into her eyes and try not to get lost in them.

“This isn’t helping anyone,” Billy says, and Kallie turns away and walks to the bottle of whiskey on the table, taking a gulp. “You”—Billy points at her—“stop that.”

“If I have to do this,” Kallie says, using her fingers, “then I’m doing it drinking.”

“I want a shot,” the blonde says, and Casey speaks now.

“Darlin’.” She looks up at him, and I wonder what the fuck is going on.

“You aren’t the boss of the bottle,” she tells him and reaches for it. Kallie just takes another gulp, and I want to tell her that it’s enough.

“Oh, for the love of everything,” Charlotte says, getting up and taking the bottle from Kallie. “Sit,” she tells her and then looks at the blonde. “Olivia, honey, why don’t you start at the beginning?” Charlotte then looks at me. “Can I get you something to drink? Some tea maybe?”

“He isn’t going to be here long enough to drink anything,” Kallie says, sitting down, and I see that she’s wearing the same overalls she used to wear when we went riding. The same overalls I pulled down over her hips in the barn.

“Well, my ex-fiancé,” Olivia starts to talk, and I look at her and try not to make my eyes go to Kallie, “was just charged with insider trading, and he stole a fuck ton of money from investors.”

“Okay,” I say, not seeing the issue. “Well, he stole from people he shouldn’t steal from.” She looks at me, wiggling her eyebrows.

“I always knew he was shady,” Kallie says, and I avoid looking at her.

“Jesus,” Casey says, grabbing the bottle from his mother and taking his own gulp. “Why didn’t you tell us this?”

“How was I supposed to tell you guys this?” Kallie says. “Listen, they don’t know anything about me.”

“How can you be so stupid?” I say, and all eyes swing to me. Casey looks like he’s going to charge me, and Billy looks like he is going to shoot me in the foot, but still. “You live with her?” I ask her, and she avoids my eyes. “Mature,” I mumble.

“You don’t know me,” Olivia says. “I’m Olivia.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say.

“Oh, I don’t like you,” she says, and I throw my hands up. “You aren’t a nice person.” Kallie sits beside her and laughs.

“They live together,” Casey then says.

“So if you live together, chances are people know your name,” I inform her. Kallie finally looks at me, and I see now it’s starting to click. “And if they know who you are, then they will know everything about you.”

I look at Billy and Casey. “If they know her name, they know where she grew up.”

“Fuck,” Casey says, “he’s right.”

“If they know where she is, they know where to find her.” I shake my head. “I’m going to get eyes on the ground.”

“She’s safe if she’s here,” Casey says. “I have the whole farm wired.”

“I’m going to get the boys to patrol the area more,” I say. “The good news is nothing happens in this town without someone seeing.”

“At least that works in our favor,” Charlotte says.

“I’m going to set up a couple of things,” I say. “I’ll call you later.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Casey says, and I nod, turning and walking out of the door. I’m almost to my truck when I hear the front door open and close. I don’t know why I think it’s Kallie, but I also don’t know why I’m disappointed when I turn around and see Casey walking toward me.

“What now?” I say.

“This going to be a problem for you?” he asks, and I wait for him to say something else. “You are too close.”

“I stopped caring when she cut me from her life,” I say. Opening the driver’s door to my truck, I get in, starting it, and then look at him. “I have a job to do, and if I have to protect her, I will. Not because I care, but because it’s my job.”

“Good to know,” he says and turns back and walks into the house. I pull out and feel eyes on my truck, but when I turn back, there is no one there.