Page 21 of Redemption

I told myself I wasn’t going to dig. I thought I had actually managed to convince myself by the end of the workday, yet here I am.

I quirk my head to the side. “What’s that look for?”

“What look?”

I gesture to him. “You look like you’re ready to lay someone out.”

He points to me. “You always were a smart one, Cowboy.”

I roll my eyes at Clay’s use of my call sign. When one of the guys from my unit found out I grew up on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, he dubbed me Cowboy, and from that point on, I was stuck with it. I made the mistake of telling Clay about it once after a few too many drinks, and now he’s decided he likes that name better than the one I was born with. My only solace is the fact that Ben Pryce, the dipshit—and I say that with the utmost respect—who came up with my name, got his payback. He’s now known as The Hulk after he broke a chair while sitting down one day. The dude’s a beast, so it’s hilarious and fitting.

“So, what gives?”

Clay swallows hard. “I don’t know yet. But I have my suspicions.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Clay pops another bottle open and hands it to me. “I take it you haven’t seen her.”

“Nope.” I take a swig. “I’ve been banned from the house until further notice, per your mother’s request.”

“That’s probably for the best.”

Why is this damn family so secretive all of a sudden? I’ve known Clay practically my whole life. He’s like a brother to me. It’s not like him to be anything other than a straight-shooter.

“What’s going on, man?”

He looks around to make sure nobody’s listening. “Between you and me, I think that Presley’s dickbag hus—”

“Hey, baby. You didn’t say you were comin’ here tonight.” Small hands wrap around me from behind while a set of firm tits press against my back.

I grab Nicole’s hand and guide her to the stool on my left so I can hear her better. “That’s because I wasn’t planning on it. Just came to talk to Clayton.”

Nicole glances at the bartender-slash-owner of this joint with more than a little disdain. “Clayton.”

His mouth forms into a cocky grin. “Nicky.”

She glares. There’s definitely no love lost between these two. “It’s Nicole now, remember? I haven’t gone by Nicky in a long time.”

“Nah, I think I’ll stick with Nicky.” He winks for added measure before walking away to take someone’s order at the end of the bar.

My lips twitch as I fight a smile. For some reason, Nicole got it in her head that Nicky made her sound childish, so she’s pretty much demanded nobody call her that ever again. Considering we all grew up in this town, I think it’s a little ridiculous, but whatever. It’s not my name. Clayton never seems to miss an opportunity to fuck with her, though. I should probably care more about that, considering I am sleeping with her, but I can’t really find the will when I think it’s funny as hell.

“Ugh, he’s so annoying.” Nicole turns toward me, giving me a quick flash of her underwear beneath the short denim skirt she’s wearing. Or should I say, her lack of underwear? “Did you know I used to have the biggest crush on him in high school? What was I thinking?”

She obviously doesn’t remember the night Pres and I caught her fooling around with Clay. If I’m not mistaken, he’s the one who popped her cherry. I should probably have some kind of feelings about that, too, but I don’t really care one way or the other.

“I’m sure we all did questionable things as teenagers.”

She chuckles. “Oh my God, you can say that again. You and Presley being a perfect example.”

“What does that mean?” Everyone around here knows talking about Presley is a no-go zone with me. The only people who are the exception to that rule are the ones related to her. I wonder why Nicole’s bringing her up all of a sudden. In the two years we’ve been seeing each other, she hasn’t done so once.

Nicole rolls her eyes. “Oh, don’t get all defensive, Beckett. I’m not baggin’ on your precious Presley. I’m just sayin—”

“Hey, kids, did I hear my sister’s name?” Clay pops his head in between us like a goddamn whack-a-mole.

“Jesus, Clayton!” Nicole places her open palm over her heart. “You scared the shit out of me.”

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