“But…” What? I had no other option. I shook my head and looked at the ground. “I guess I don’t have any choice,” I mumbled, once again wishing I hadn’t said out loud what should’ve stayed inside my head.
“I’m sorry, Rebel. Truly, I am.”
I looked into the brownest eyes on the face of the most handsome man I’d ever seen—forget the body I could barely tear my eyes from. Under other circumstances, as in if I wasn’t facing a murder charge, I would’ve climbed his body like a tree. “I don’t want you to think I’m not grateful.”
“Let’s go.” He led me over to an old pickup truck and opened the passenger door. “It doesn’t look like much, but it runs.” He closed the door behind me and walked around the front of the vehicle. My eyes tracked him the entire way. Everything about him was so fucking hot it took my breath away.
I ran my hand over the cracked leather of the bench seat, overcome by memories that sat too close to the surface on a day like today.
“My granddaddy…” I began, fighting back tears and trying to clear my throat and find my voice. It was clogged with emotion from thinking about how, when he was alive, I’d felt protected, cared for, loved. “He had a truck like this.”
He reached over and wiped away a tear I didn’t realize had spilled onto my cheek. “We’re going to find Possum’s killer, Rebel. I promise you that.”
Twenty minutes later, we drove through the gates of King-Alexander Ranch. I’d never been on the property, but I’d heard stories about it. It was even more spectacular than I imagined.
“I live in one of the ranch hands’ houses,” he said as we passed what I guessed was the main residence.
“This is for a ranch hand?” I gasped when he pulled into a driveway and waited for the garage door to open.
It was a miniature version of the main house, built from timber and stone. Tall windows all along the front and side gave it an airy, open look, and huge wooden posts were topped with thatched roofs covering outdoor seating areas. There were even a fireplace and outdoor kitchen. It was the nicest place I’d ever seen, outside of a magazine.
“This was the manager’s before he got married and moved to a neighboring ranch.” He came around and opened my door. “I’ll give you a quick tour.” He pushed a button to close the garage door and then entered a code on a keypad. “The ranch’s security systems are elaborate. I’ll give you the rundown after you’ve had a chance to rest.”
I followed him into the kitchen—my favorite part of any house—not that I’d ever seen one this grand. The cathedral ceilings were made of unfinished wood and retained by the same massive wooden posts as outdoors. One of the interior walls was covered with stone with a cutout for the range and cupboards. There were stools set up on one side of an L-shaped island and more at a breakfast bar.
We swept past the family room that was adjacent to the kitchen, and down a hallway. Edge stopped, reached around me, and opened the door.
“This is the gym. You’re more than welcome to use it. It’s obvious you take good care of yourself,” he said as his eyes swept my body.
Not able to resist, I did the same to his. Buff didn’t begin to describe him. Every muscle I could see was defined, as I anticipated was true of those I couldn’t see. Edge was taller than me. He would be even if I wore heels. I liked that. A lot. His hair, that he kept closely cropped on the sides, was a mess of curls on top, and while it was brown like his eyes, both were entirely different colors. His hair was chocolaty while his eyes were caramel. Dark stubble covered his square jaw, but through it, I could see his dimples as he grinned at my blatant perusal.
Edge cleared his throat and continued to the next door which opened to a bedroom.
“The lavatory is right across the hall.” He stopped smiling and scrubbed his face with his hand. “It didn’t occur to me that you might need to stop and pick up some things.”
I didn’t have much in the way of possessions. The idea that after my arrest my asshole landlord had probably trashed what little there was, made me sick to my stomach. The photos of me with my mother and grandparents were what I cared mainly about.
Edge led me back out to the family room. “We can go out later if you’d like.”
I pulled out my dead cell phone. “You don’t happen to have a charger that would work with this, do you?” As soon as the words left my mouth, it occurred to me that I wouldn’t have service since my bill hadn’t been paid since I was arrested.
No clothes, no phone, no money. I had nothing, and considering I was out on bail with a murder charge looming, who would give me a job? I doubted even Bobby would, especially since his brother was the sheriff.
The magnitude of my dire situation landed heavily on my shoulders. “Excuse me,” I mumbled, rushing back down the hall to the bathroom. Once inside, I sat on the toilet seat and wrapped my arms around my stomach as silent sobs racked my body. The truth was, I was better off in jail. At least there I didn’t need to worry about my next meal or where I’d sleep or that I didn’t have a cell phone. I knew it sounded crazy, even in my thoughts, but I had to ask Edge to take me back.
I turned on the faucet and let the cool water run over my wrists. It had always settled me when anxiety threatened to turn into a full-fledged panic attack. I doubted any amount of water could stop one from coming on now.
“Rebel…Lucy…are you all right?” I heard Edge ask from the other side of the door.
“I’ll be right out.” I splashed cold water on my blotchy, tear-streaked face while trying to figure out how to ask someone who had posted bail on my behalf to take me back to lockup.
6
Edge
I leaned against the wall, wishing I knew how to handle this situation better. Would it help if she had another woman to talk to? It occurred to me that I should’ve stopped at the main house and introduced Rebel to Shadow.
Returning to the kitchen, I sent her a text explaining the situation, which Shadow immediately answered, asking what I thought Rebel might need. Need? God, I was a wanker. The woman was wearing the same clothes as when she was arrested. Not to mention her apartment was surely rented by now. Who knew what might have happened to her belongings? When I responded, she told me to bring Rebel to the house as soon as it was convenient.