Page 26 of Badges
This feels like an important connection.
Somehow, I have to try to picture them.
“There were a few. My dad got in a fight with one, his girlfriend was with him. She had light colored hair and was really nice. She braided mine while they were arguing.”
Echoes of their yells don’t form into words. Just the noises persist.
“Oh, some brothers showed up. They were like, teenagers? But they looked a lot alike. Both had dark hair. One made fun of me and pushed me down.” I raise my head, biting my lip. “Mom got so mad, she kicked him out. They came over a lot, but Dad would take them to the garage. They weren’t allowed back inside.”
Wade’s mouth turns up into a wry smile. “That sounds like your mom.”
“Yea, well, I wish she had kept some of that fire after we left Montana.” I twist my thumbs, fixating on my broken nail. “Our family in Texas made her out to be the bad guy to the point I think she stopped wanting to try.”
I know that’s what happened. She just gave up.
“Wait, there’s one I know. His name was Chris. He used to come over a lot, but then told my dad he was gonna stop because he met a girl.” I can almost picture him, sprawled on the couch with a beer in his hand.
He used to stare at me uncomfortably.
Wade’s jaw tightens. “That’s good. Keep trying, and I’m sure the other names will appear.” He pushes up, then twirls his finger for me to stand. “You’re going back to holding for a few more days until the deal is final.” He snaps the cuffs over my wrists, but holds onto the hinge in the middle, tugging me just hard enough I have to take a step closer. “But keep in mind, any funny business once you’remyresponsibility, you’ll be back here in a flash.”
His aftershave surrounds me as I look up at him.
I let my lashes flutter. “Don’t worry, I’ll be a good girl, daddy.”
His growl resonates and his lips drop into a frown as he pulls away.
Yet he can’t hide the hunger that flashes through his gaze before he turns.
The way they were all talking, whoever the man is that took my sister, he has to be close.
And I’m going to do everything I can to make sure I can get away to find her.
Ribbon of steel
Wade
She needs to stopwith that ‘daddy’ bullshit before I bend her over my knee and—
With a groan, I push down on my tight crotch and dig out a beer from the fridge.
Every day her pouty fucking lip makes me crazier. What the hell am I going to do when she’s in my house?
At least there’s still a couple more nights I don’t have to worry about her being only a few feet away.
Popping the top off the bottle, I slump onto my couch and stare at the scattered papers across my coffee table.
Jesus, I have to readjust my zipper.
There has to be something I’m missing. All these photos of the farms and businesses that Mason has worked with doesn’t make sense.
Who is so crazy that they want to attack and harass innocent people?
“Huh. That’s a dumbass question,” I mutter. I’ve encountered some real loonies through the years.
But whoever is fucking with Black Gulch really takes the prize.
I should be trying to piece it together.
