Page 90 of Control Freak
“No, nothing like that.” I used my shirt to twist the bottle cap off, exposing a strip of stomach, and Axel wolf whistled.
“Watch it,” Holden said, “or I’ll have to call Dalton.”
“I’m sure he’d like a good show too,” Axel snarked back with a wink.
“But would he like my foot up your?—”
“Dalton’s a sheriff, right?” I asked suddenly, interrupting Holden’s comeback.
“Acting sheriff,” Axel said. “Official election is in April, but he’s uncontested now that Fuckhead Hales is out of the picture.”
I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I had more pressing concerns. It sounded like Dalton was the sheriff, at least for now, so maybe he could help.
“Would he be able to find out about a prisoner for me? One in another state’s prison, I mean?”
The brothers exchanged concerned looks.
“What’s going on, Shiloh?” Holden asked.
I twisted my hands, unsure if I should drag Holden down this rabbit hole. He’d already done so much for me. He didn’t need to worry about my ex too.
I shook my head. “Never mind. It’s fine. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“Shy.” His voice was stern. “Tell me.”
I hesitated.
“Please,” he added softly. “I’m worried.”
“Okay.” Holden had enough worries without me adding to them. If I didn’t tell him now, he’d just wonder what I was hiding. I didn’t want him to think I was keeping secrets, not when he’d placed so much trust in me. “It’s about my ex.”
Holden tried not to show it, but I saw the small flinch around his eyes. The tightening of his mouth. His brothers didn’t hide it as well. They visibly cringed.
“What about him?” Holden asked in a remarkably neutral voice.
“Well, you remember that message I got last week?” I asked. “From those guys back in St. Louis…”
“I remember.”
“Well, they were threatening to take out my absence on Jimmie.”
“Jimmie’s still locked up, isn’t he?” Gray asked. “Seems like he’s safer than you.”
“That’s what I thought, but they sent me more messages. What if they can get to him in there?”
“They’re probably just trying to scare you into going home,” Holden said. “You can’t do that. It’s too dangerous.”
“I know, but…what if it’s not all a bluff?”
Flynn cleared his throat. “It does happen. But they’d need connections with someone inside.”
I turned. “So, Jimmie’s life could really be in danger?”
Behind me, Holden sighed. “I’m not sure how helpful that was, Flynn.”
Flynn ducked his head, mumbling, “Sorry.”
“Don’t blame him,” Bailey said. “He’s just telling you the truth.”
