Wrong Kind of Love

Annoyance tears through me. I’m tempted to chuck the phone against the wall, but I don’t. Instead, I go back to the front and wait for West’s patrol car to pull in. He parks to the side of the club, and I go outside. West is standing by his cruiser with his thumbs hooked through the belt loops of his uniform. When I get closer, he jerks his head toward the car, and I notice a blond guy in the back seat. “He came into the station rambling about his girlfriend being taken. Gave a description of Rich. Says he handed her off as collateral because someone had threatened his life.” West swipes a palm over his mouth. “I got him outta there before he got anyone’s ears up, but he’s definitely a problem.”

Fuck. It’s not even ten in the morning, and this day is already an avalanche of shit. I rub at the back of my neck and pace behind the patrol car. Tom may have sent him to stir up accusations, but getting me arrested can’t be Tom’s end game. Or maybe that fucking call Tor placed yesterday tugged at whatever conscience Euan has, and he’s trying to fix the mess he made. Either way, it doesn’t matter. This is not good, and there’s only one way to take care of this.

I look at West, already on my way to the passenger side of his police car. “We’re gonna have to get rid of him. We can take him to county road ten, down by Smith Lake. Kill him and dump him.”

West gives a nod, then opens his door and sinks behind the wheel. When I slide into the front, I glance through the plexiglass at the little shithead in the back. Khaki slacks and a collared shirt. He looks every bit the entitled prick I expected.

“I’m looking for my girlfriend,” he says, eyes all sad. And that sends my temper spiking. This weak little shit handed Tor over like a sacrificial lamb, and now he wants to play savior. I want to kill him. I’m picturing it...“That’s what Officer West said.” I swallow, tempering my voice. “I think I can help.”

The engine cranks, and I shoot Marney a text to keep an eye on Tor as we pull onto the highway.

Euan spends the forty-five-minute drive through Dayton rambling about Ria. About how he messed up, how much he loved her, how they were going to get married and live this fairytale life with two kids, a dog, and a fucking yacht. Each bullshit life plan he mumbles makes me want to tell West to pull over so I can go ahead and get it over with.

By the time we park at the abandoned marina, I’m out of patience. I exit the car and pace while West goes to the back to let Euan out. The kid stumbles out of the cop car and takes one look around at the deserted area, stopping on the lake. “Why are we here?”

West grabs Euan’s arms, crossing them behind his back.

“What are you doing?” Euan twists in a pitiful effort to get away. “Let go of me.”

“Is that what your girlfriend said to the guy who took her?” I pull my gun from my belt and click the safety off.

Euan’s eyes widen, and his fight against West grows more frantic when I take a step toward him. “Please, please, please.” The little shit is whimpering, and that just throws gasoline on the already angry fire roaring inside me.

I take another step toward him, my finger on the trigger, and he closes his eyes like the cowardly shit he is. “Tell me, fuckface, did you beg for her like that?” I lift the gun and aim, and he loses his shit, crying and screaming for help as West keeps a hold on him. And in the midst of his rambling, the one thing I make out is his saying: I loved her!

That blows any patience I had to smithereens. He handed Tor over. He knowingly put her in harm's way. He did nothing to protect her, and I want him dead for it. Putting a quick bullet in his head would be too easy, though.

I drop the gun to my side and confusion flashes over West’s face. “Let him go.”

“What?” he says, fighting against Euan, who’s now screaming.

“Let him go.”

West’s brows pull together in a disapproving frown, but he releases him anyway, and Euan takes off.

“What the hell are you doing, JP? He’s gonna—”

“I want him to think he’s going to get away.” I want him to have hope, something Tor has not had, which is why I let him get halfway across the leaf-strewn lot before I pull the trigger. His body jerks then goes down like a deer in the woods. Dead because I shot to kill.