Page 49 of Ransom

"You ever think that the reason you still feel so angry about it is because you're still in love with him, even after all these years?"

"No. You’re delusional, and need to get that checked."

Her lip curls, and she shakes her head; then she's gone. She's so fucking pushy.

And I'm not in love with Ransom, not the way she's talking about. I'm still in love with the boy I knew, the one that held my hand and looked at me like I shined brighter than the full moon.

But that boy doesn't exist anymore. The man that replaced him? The one that tried to destroy me?

That Ransom?

He can go fuck himself.

18

RANSOM

"They don't take kindly to stalking around here."

Fuck.How did I let him sneak up on me? He's built like a tank, all muscle and sinew, with close-cropped hair and sharp eyes that miss nothing. The kind of guy you'd want on your side in a fight.

"I'm not stalking," I say, trying to keep my tone light. "Just... reminiscing."

The man—wearing aMcKenna's Autocoverall—narrows his eyes. "Reminiscing about what exactly?"

Who the fuck is this guy? I cross my arms over my chest and raise a brow at him. It's the 'I'm in fucking charge' pose I use in negotiations, but it's not working here. Probably because I am at such a disadvantage right now. I don't have any information, and I don't have anyone but myself to blame for it. "I used to live here. Well, not in the garage itself, but upstairs with the McKennas. I'm a friend."

The guy snorts. "Friend, huh? That's not exactly how I'd describe you based on what I've heard."

My stomach twists. Fucking small towns. Of course, he already knows who I am. Why didn't I hold off and do somerecon first? "I'm just here to… fuck, I don't know. Make amends, maybe?"

He raises an eyebrow. "By lurking outside the garage?"

I wince. He's got a point. "Things didn't go so well last night. I'm trying to figure out the right approach, that's all."

"Blair's not here," he says, his tone clipped. "She's out on a job."

That's not news. I watched her drive out an hour ago. That's the only reason I felt safe enough to walk right up to the building. There are a lot of dangerous, heavy things in there. Things Blair would have no problem throwing. "I'll just wait."

We stand in awkward silence for a moment, sizing each other up. Logically, I know Blair couldn't be running this place by herself. This is a small town, but anywhere you find well-used vehicles, you'll find a busy mechanic. That's why shops like this are good investments. Maybe not this particular shop, but the ones I own all over the country are. But who the fuck is this guy?How long has he worked here? How close is he to Blair?

In any negotiation, the person with less information is at a disadvantage. I hate being unprepared, but this whole trip is a show of idiocy, so there's no point in trying to pretend I know what the fuck I'm doing. Why did I have to keep Blair and this town such a fucking secret? My brother Declan, hacker and all-around computer god, could have gotten me the rundown on this guy a year ago, but no, I had to be a paranoid motherfucker and keep it all a secret.

"So, how long have you been working here?" I ask, not even trying to sound casual.

He shrugs, expression guarded. "Few years now. Blair's a good boss."

Why does that surprise me? She always knew her stuff when it came to cars, but people were another matter. I can't picture her as a boss or dealing with customers. Does she really havethe kind of patience it takes? Maybe she doesn't, and that's why Robert came to me? Because he was worried she wouldn't be able to handle the responsibility of the garage?

"She always had a knack for this stuff," I say, gesturing toward the garage. "Even when we were kids."

His expression softens slightly. "Yeah, she's something else."

Would it be wrong to throat-punch this guy and throw him in the trunk of my car? I don't like the look in his eyes when he talks about Blair.

At all.

We lapse into silence again, a thousand unanswered questions between us, both of us unwilling to give up anything important. And how the fuck does he know about me? About us. Has he just heard gossip, or did she tell him?

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