Page 83 of Locke 2

His smile was sad. “It’s devastating, especially to those little kids.”

I nodded, smiling back.

This was the most ease between us.

Had we reached a truce? This was a micro step in the right direction.

Conor grinned. “I can’t wait to do this in Blackwater. Have us all together again, with Dom sitting right there.” He pointed at an empty chair across the table. Jem’s eyes pierced that empty spot, and he swallowed another big gulp of his coffee, looking bothered.

“That won’t be for some time,” Locke replied. “Dom is in a very bad place.”

Jem tapped the table, thinking. “Kali, did you want to visit that club tonight?”

I raised a brow. “Me?”

Locke edged closer, though his face remained empty. Jem nodded. “We can’t make noise, right? I would love to have the club door bashed down, but that’s too much attention, and since we know there’s a hole in this adorable little town and Lenny might be in it, we have to think outside the box.”

I nodded, following along. Smiling, I said, “You want me to lure him out?”

“You’re a gorgeous girl.”

“Absolutely not,” Locke cut in.

Jem didn’t pay him any attention. He kept his eyes on me. “Bring him into a backroom. We’ll be waiting—”

“I will shoot you if you continue speaking,” Locke retorted, and this time malice filled his tone. His expression was darker than I had ever seen. “This is my woman, and you will not use her like a fucking prop.”

My heart hiccupped at his words.My woman.His possessiveness seared me.

“Can’t she decide for herself?” Jem asked, calmly. His eyes were still locked on me. “Do you have any brighter ideas, Locke?”

I looked up at Locke. “I can do it. Anything to keep things quiet.”

“It wouldn’t be quiet if he touched you,” Locke retorted. “If he so much as looked at you in any fucking way—”

“Max,” Jem cut in, finally looking up at him. “Let your woman decide. She can say no.”

Locke clenched his teeth, but he didn’t reply.

He looked at me.

They all looked at me.

I mulled it over, and the more I did, the more it made sense to do it.

“It will be fast,” I said. “I can do this, Locke. We can get information out of him about where Tammy might be, and we wouldn’t be breaking down doors. It’ll be quiet, like you want.”

Locke was so pissed, his face turned a shade of red. But then he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Then I have to be there.”

Jem groaned. “Fuck me, Locke, you stand out like the fucking Statue of Liberty.”

“She’s not leaving my sight.”

“Then you need to change. You need to pretend to be…fucking normal.”

Locke nodded, like that was an easy task. “I can do that. I’ll do that.”

My lips flinched.

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