Page 37 of Until Mayhem

Like Judge said, we were in the middle of a shitstorm, but that didn’t stop me from feeling flattered and honored I was her favorite.

“Owe her an apology,” Nox continued, slowly shaking his head, “and some of Piper’s cupcakes because I dismissed her concern over a nurse missing one shift. Told her everyone gets sick, but she said you wouldn’t call off over text. Shoulda known she knows every-damn-thing.”

Judge’s body tensed. “Did you and Dair still dig?”

“Aye. Thoroughly. That’s what took so long. Wasn’t gonna call ‘til the morning but decided to do it now since I wasn’t sure what you were up against there.” He grinned. “Looks like I was right… you’ve got your hands full.”

Judge didn’t try to explain, join the joke, or even comment. His muscles stayed taut, his jaw clenched as he prodded, “And?”

“Ophelia Kline.”

Hearing my name in a gruff, accented voice quickly drew my attention away from Judge’s reaction back to Nox.

“Is as clean as fresh fookin’ snow,” he finished.

“What?” I asked at the same time Judge asked, “You sure?”

Nox scowled, and though he was still attractive, he was also scary as hell. “Would I be out here freezing my balls off to call you if I wasn’t fookin’ sure? I could be in my warm bed wrapped around my warm wife.”

“Don’t get your frozen balls in a twist.” Judge paused before adding, “Clearly more’s at stake than originally thought.”

Although I had no clue what he was talking about, the way he’d said it made the innocuous words heavy with unknown significance.

“We dug deep, especially after finding the link to Carol Anne. If anyone else had been working this, I’d have sent their ass back out ‘cause everyone has a skeleton or two. But Ophelia’s clean, and spending a hundred years searching wouldn’t find jack-shit since there’s jack-shit to find.”

Judge lifted his chin in response, but I could feel him relax next to me.

Disconcerted and freaked out, not to mention exhausted beyond a filter, I said, “It’s bad enough people are digging around in my life, but you both talking about me as if I’m not here is making it much worse.”

“Sorry, lass,” Nox apologized, seeming genuine and not just placating.

Judge didn’t say anything, but he gave my wrist a squeeze before his thumb resumed stroking softly.

“What did you think I—” I started when another thought hit me. “Wait, does this mean I can go home?”

All the tension that’d melted from Judge seemed to come back tenfold, the veins in his forearm becoming more pronounced and the definition of his muscles more cut. Rolling his head to meet my eyes, his voice was soft when he said, “This proves you’re not workin’ for them, but you’re still involved. Your place being hit isn’t a coincidence.”

I didn’t need the reminder. Every time I thought about the destruction to my home—the total and complete invasion of privacy on such a personal level—my heart shattered and tears burned my eyes.

“So what you’re saying is it’s not safe for me there,” I surmised on a whisper.

“Sorry, princess,” he whispered back, his light brown eyes hypnotic up close.

So close.

The lead that’d filled my belly split by the thousands, erupting into butterflies with fluttering wings and hyperactive tempos.

“We’ve already moved your car to one of my warehouses,” Nox said, breaking the moment. “You’re welcome to come stay, lass.”

Judge sat up fast, taking me with him so I ended up on his lap. “Fuck off.”

Nox gave him the finger. “Got a guy working an hour away. He can swing by and pick ya up.”

“Fuckin’ try it,” Judge snarled, wrapping his free arm around my waist—tight.

“Not sayin’ I’m gonna hide her away in a fookin’ tower, you damn muppet. But when a thick bastard says ‘Nice to meet ya’ by throwing her in the back of a van, it’s understandable the lass might wanna get some distance.”

The logic was lost on Judge who merely bit out a fully-loaded challenge. “Fuckin’. Try. It.”

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