Page 196 of Five Mountain Daddies

“Months,” shesobs.

“You were cheating on mybrother.”

“I didn’t meanto.”

She’s so pathetic. I stand up and leave the trailer, not able to sit there a second longer. As soon as I get outside, I suddenly feel dizzy, overwhelmed. I stumble, mind reeling, and fall to myknees.

My brother was stabbed by his closest friend, and shot in the head by his girlfriend. Jaxson and Kristi were sleeping together, cheating on him, and their last moments with him were to murder him. That was how my brother died, alone, broken, betrayed. He was probably confused and angry and in pain, and it’s all because of thesescum.

I break down, tears spilling from my eyes. I can’t stop myself. I sob and fall over onto my side, holding myself, breath coming inragged.

There’s a voice then, and someone pulls me into their arms. It takes me a second to realize that it’s Wyatt, whispering in my ear. He holds me tight while I sob, and slowly my tears subside until I’m looking up athim.

He smiles at me. “It’s over,” hesays.

“You gothim?”

He nods. “He’s tied up in our car right now. Mitch and the police are on the way.” He glances at the trailer. “What aboutKristi?”

“She’s in there,” Isay.

“Good.” He sighs and holds me tighter. “Are youokay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I whisper. “I just want to gohome.”

“Let’s get you home then.” He slowly stands me up. I can hear sirens in the distance, getting closer. “It’s all over, Cora. It’s going to beokay.”

“Yeah. It’ll beokay.”

We walk back toward the car. The sirens get louder, but all I can hear are Wyatt’s words, whispered softly in my ear. I don’t want him to ever let me go, never ever, but part of me knows that this is the end. He’s going to leave, and I’m going to be left here, trying to pick up the pieces of my brokenlife.

More chills run through me as Wyatt takes me home, and I don’t know where togo.

Chapter Twenty-Five;Wyatt

25

Wyatt

Afew days pass and we don’t hear much from Mitch or the Mason police ingeneral.

Cora is slowly coming back to herself. We spend most of our time together, going to eat around Mason, walking through the nature preserve, and watching old movies together. At night, I make her feel alive again, get her nice and exhausted so she can fall asleep in myarms.

Neither of us talks about me leaving. The case is finished, we both know what happened now, but I’m still here, still in town. Cora could go back to her apartment, but instead we both stay in my crappy little motel room, although the staff isn’t exactly happy to have me around considering the damage to their otherroom.

Saturday comes, and I get a call from my captain. “Haven’t heard a word from you,” he says tome.

“Sorry about that.” I lean up against the railing outside of our room. “This case has beentricky.”

“I made some calls.” I feel a chill run down my spine. “I know they madearrests.”

I clench my jaw. “That’s not all thereis.”

“What, you still cleaning up their fucking mess, son? Come back and do your damnjob.”

I think fast. I can’t explain to him that I want to stay because I’m falling for Cora. I couldn’t possibly explain that to him, and frankly, it’s not a good excuse. He’d fire my ass in asecond.

“Her mother’s still missing,” I say quickly. “We’re trying to findher.”

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