Page 107 of All the Missing Pieces

Baker’s spine stiffened. “Excuse me?”

“I said no.” My fingers tightened around my glass as I tried to keep my voice even. “I am not working with them. You know why this job is important to me. You know why what I do is sacred. To them it’s nothing but a joke.”

“Stop being so dramatic, Ridley. The guys know how to entertain, that’s all. And it wouldn’t hurt you to learn a little of that.”

I stared back at the man I’d worked with for almost four years now. I remembered the night I’d broken down to him about Avery, telling him why bringing these stories to light meant so much to me. Maybe he’d never actually cared at all.

“I quit.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. But the moment I gave them voice, I felt free.

Baker scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I. Quit.” I spoke each word like it was a complete sentence. “We each have an out clause in our contract. I’m using mine effective immediately.”

“Come on, Ridley. There’s no need to throw a tantrum. Just?—”

“I’m not. This hasn’t been working for a long time. Maybe it never did. But either way, I’m done.We’redone.”

At least I’d get to keep the name. It was in my contract. But I’d have to start fresh when it came to subscribers and reviews. It didn’t matter that I’d have to start from scratch or find a whole new staff of people to work with. I didn’t care if I had to crawl up a mountain on bloodied knees, I’d do it. Just to be free of Baker. To know that the work I did was to help.

Baker lashed out, his hand gripping my wrist so hard it startled a gasp out of me. The sound only made him tighten his hold as he pulled me in. “Don’t think you can just walk away from me, you little cunt. I have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into building you. And I can pour just as much into tearing you down.”

A shadow swept over the table and a furious voice cut through the din of the bar. “Let. Her. Go. Or I’ll happily remove your balls from your body.”

42

COLT

I hadn’t takenmy eyes off Ridley for more than a handful of seconds since we'd gotten to the bar. Nothing longer than a hello and chin lift to Trey when I’d sat my ass on a stool at the end of the mahogany closest to her and Baker’s table. And now I was damn glad I’d picked that seat.

Because I’d seen those first flickers of annoyance pass over the bastard’s face. I’d seen it ebb and flow, retreat and come storming back in. I’d seen it morph into fury at something Ridley said to him. And I’d been out of my seat before he’d grabbed her.

The moment his hand latched onto Ridley’s wrist, a red haze slipped over my vision. It took everything in me not to reach over the table and grab him by the throat. I would’ve arrested someone else for doing the same, but all I could think about was how he was touching Ridley without her permission, hurting her.

Baker’s gaze jerked to me. “This is none of your goddamned business, hick.”

I didn’t give a damn what he thought of me, what insults he might hurl my way. All I cared about was Ridley. “I’ll give you three seconds.”

He scoffed, gripping Ridley’s wrist tighter. “You can’t do a damn thing. My lawyers would have your ass in a sling. I’m untouchable.”

“Are you sure about that?” Ridley snarled.

One second Baker had her wrist in a tight hold, and a moment later, he was twitching and crying out in pain. He curled in on himself and fell to the floor, yelling and sobbing.

The whole bar went quiet around us, the only sounds the strains of some retro rock 'n' roll and Baker’s cries. But I was already moving to Ridley, helping her out of the chair, hands going to her wrist. “Are you okay? Do you think it’s broken?”

She shook her head. “I’m fine.” She flexed her hand, twisting her wrist as if to prove it. Then she held up her other hand and grinned. “Pretty sure I tased his balls.”

My eyes went wide as I took in the small pink device that looked more like a flashlight than a Taser. “Seriously?”

Ridley shrugged, still grinning. “You gave me the idea with that whole remove-your-balls-from-your-body threat.”

“Should’ve known you’d take that literally,” I mumbled.

Trey moved toward our huddle. “Deputies are on the way. You okay, Ridley?”

She sent Baker a withering stare as he still writhed on the floor, and tucked the Taser back into her pocket. “I’m fine. Sorry about the drama.”

Trey glanced at the man on the floor and then pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. “Never seen a fall quite like that one.”

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