Dillon sat at the kitchen table, listening to the gurgle of the coffee pot, inhaling the strong brew wafting through the house. He was restless and couldn't sit still. So he went to the side window where he could see Elliott's house. Is a client after Avri for putting them away, and Josh, because of his association with her, was simply a victim who wouldn't talk? What would someone want so much they would tear apart a local lawyer's office, house and car, not to mention, murder her boyfriend?Okay, so it's definitely not a local. They don't attack their own. So, Josh was an outsider; had only been here a few months but made enough contacts to put his life in jeopardy.Something glittered in the sunlight and drew his attention to Elliot's back patio. He zeroed in on a small camera located above the glass sliding door on the deck, leading inside the house.Elliott had said he would have Avri's house covered with his cameras. I wonder what he captured. He reached for his cell and calle
Avri heard something ringing in the background and stood still. Her eyes opened and she gazed into Dillon's stark blue eyes. When his lips left hers, she acknowledged her cell phone ringing. She backed out of Dillon's embrace and pulled her cell out of her back pocket, but it had stopped ringing. She stared at the number on the screen while the caller left a message.After the phone emitted a beep indicating she had a message, she listened to the voicemail. She turned her back to Dillon.A man's gravelly voice said, "I know where you live, where you work and all about your son. Don't call the police. You have something that's mine, and I want it back. You've been warned."The call ended. Fear consumed her, and her body filled with fury. I have something someone wants? What? What could it be? And whoever it is knows about Drew. How can I protect him? He's just a little boy.Dillon's breath was warm on her neck as he studied her face. "What is it, Avri? What's happened?"She shook h
His motorcycle in the truck bed was just asking for a ride and within minutes he roared through the winding mountain roads. Without a helmet his hair whipped in the cool fresh air, cleansing the demons from his soul. He needed some air, he needed to think, and he needed not to hurt.Avri didn't trust him enough to tell him what was going on. Why? Why couldn't she tell him? Why couldn't she trust him? Didn't she know he'd do anything for her?His heart was breaking, his self-confidence gone. Maybe he shouldn't have come back to his hometown and to old friends and lovers. He drove, rumbling through the quiet mountains. From Avri's to Chase's place it only took about ten minutes using the short cut through the mountain pass. He wouldn't bother Chase with any more problems. He'd been such a great friend; they were on equal terms again and he wanted to keep it that way.As his bike thundered between his legs when he took a turn too sharp.His foot hit the ground right before the bike le
Mitch advised Dillon to stay with Avri and then he left to continue the search. Dillon found her sprawled on the kitchen floor. He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms, rubbing her arms and her back in big circles, while whispering soothing words in her ear.When her breaths sounded like hiccups, she drew away from him but remained sitting on the floor beside him. "Let's get off the floor and more comfortable. Do you want to lie in bed or sit on the couch?" Dillon asked, as he gently pulled her to her feet."Couch, in case Mitch calls. I want to be ready to go get my son.""And you will get him, Avri. I'll help you." Dillon said, meaning it more than he thought he would. He hadn't thought about her dating other men, let alone having a sexual relationship. And now, knowing she had a son didn't matter at all. He'd gladly take and raise a stranger's son if he could have her with him.He put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the couch in the living room. They sat,
Suddenly, out of the dark, she watched in shock as Dillon flew through the air, slammed into the guy, and knocked him to the ground. The barrel of his handgun pushed up under the guy's chin. Dillon threw something back toward her car and when it landed, she saw it was a gun."Where's the boy, big man?" Dillon bellowed, as he sat on him, his legs straddling his wide girth. The sound of a trigger being cocked reverberated throughout the otherwise quiet darkness. She watched in awe as Dillon shoved the gun harder under his chin while the man on the ground raised his hands above his head. "I'm not going to ask again. You have three seconds to answer, or I'll blow your fuckin' head off." Dillon's bellow echoed in the cool breeze, bouncing off the cemetery tombstones. His eyes never wavered from his victim's face.Avri saw the man's lips move slightly but couldn't hear them distinctly. Dillon reached behind his back with his free hand and yanked something from the waist of his pants. He pl
Dillon stomped along the rough path, checking back every now and then as they followed him back to the parked car. Avri could only assume he was furious, not only with her but with the idea she'd kept such a secret from him for so long. She'd actually hid his son from him. She should've kept Drew at home and introduced them.After they first saw each other at Rosie's and the two other times he'd come to her house late at night, she should have simply blurted it out. What if he can't forgive me? What if he doesn't believe me? What if he left and didn't come back again?Avri, holding Drew's hand, helped him along the rough path. She heard the car engine start and said, "Let's hurry, Drew. We don't want to miss our ride."Dillon sat in the car, his hand on the gearshift, ready to go. Avri opened the front seat and jumped in, pulling Drew with her, situating him on her lap.It was a sullen and silent ride the short distance to her house. When Dillon parked her car in the drive, he pull
Elliott strode to the porch and stopped. His gaze moved between Chase and Dillon."You ready?" Elliott asked, staring at Chase's face, not wavering for a moment to glance at Dillon."Yup, let's go. Dillon, come on." Chase stood and stepped off the porch. "We're goin' for a ride, and we're goin' to straighten everything out once and for all."Sounded good to Dillon. He stood and followed Chase and Elliott to the barn, not missing the glances they shared, especially once they all entered the barn and three horses stood ready, saddled up, and anxious to run.Chase and Elliott rode out of the barn leaving Dillon standing beside a horse, his mouth hanging open. What the fuck?Dillon mounted his horse and took off at a gallop after them. He knew where they were headedto the old fort where they'd played as kids. Later it was where they'd shared the details about their first sexual experiences, where they'd discussed colleges, girlfriends, business, and life in general. Dillon wondered wh
Dillon glared at his friends, big grins on their faces, beneath their childhood tree fort. "What's so funny?" Dillon asked."I think I saw the light bulb go off in your head," Chase answered while Elliott sat there nodding his head."Fuck you guys. I have a life. I'm gonna start living it right now." Dillon jogged toward his horse, jumped on and started back to the barn. He gave Bullet his head, and he galloped full out, barn-sour, anxious to get back to the cool barn and his feedbag.He handed the reins to one of the ranch hands and raced to his bike. After leaping on he turned the key in the ignition, pushed on the gas and spun out of Chase's drive, leaving flying dust and dried leaves behind. He sped along the winding road, up and down the mountain road on his way to Avri's house.He was ready to have a two-way conversation and hoped she'd feel the same way. If they could get through this they'd be able to get through any obstacles in the future. He was ready to be a father, a r