Page 20 of Untouchable
He’ll be out of touch most of the time, and I’m left here in the hands of his friends. Safe. The word means nothing without Braxton in my vicinity.
“How do you feel about cooking?” Monroe is quickly becoming like the big sister I never had growing up. She’s got a caregiver’s soul, and it’s the sweetest thing in the world.
“You have a son, don’t you?” I ask instead as I watch her begin pulling ingredients from the fridge.
“Marcus.” Her hand goes to her stomach as she gives me a secret smile. “He’s with his grandparents this week. We thought it best just in case.” She doesn’t say it, but the implication is that,just in caseI brought danger to their door.
“I’m so sorry.” I hate being the reason she’s separated from her son.
“Don’t be. There was a time when I disrupted Shaw’s life just the same. Got him shot for his troubles, too.” Her eyes stray to the man in question, outside with Dodge and Trainer as they walk around the back of the house. “He doesn’t know about this one yet. I’d planned to tell him with a big dinner once Marcus is back home.”
“Do you want a large family?” Taking the potatoes from her, I begin washing them so I can start peeling.
“I’d love one. I grew up with just Mom and me, sometimes seeing my cousin Whitney, but I was a pageant queen, so basically, I was a dressed-up monkey for my mother’s fantasies.” I snort at the description. Monroe is one of the most classically beautiful women I’ve ever met. “I enjoyed it for a while, but then things drastically changed, and it became abusive, and until I hired Shaw to protect me from the stalker she paid to terrorize me, I’d never made a decision on my own.”
“Wow. Sounds familiar.” Feels that way also. It’s how I grew up. Different situation, same tyranny. “What happened?”
“My mother is in jail, Shaw all but ordered me to marry him, and now I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.” She pauses to turn and look at me. “I don’t want you to be afraid while you’re here. My husband has this place locked down tighter than the border. He has eyes and ears everywhere from town to here and up into the mountains. You are safe, Joss.”
My nose burns, and tears sting my eyes at her reassurance. I needed that, I hadn’t realized it. “Thank you.” Wiping my eyes dry, I start peeling and ask, “What are we making?”
“Pot roast. I burned the hell out of the last one, so I’m hoping you’ll know how to make it?” Our laughter draws the attention of the men outside, and my breath catches the way Shaw watches his wife. The possession and obsession are so similar to the way Braxton looks at me that I start missing him again.
“Yeah, I can do that. The trick is making sure there’s the perfect amount of water and you’re not disturbing the heat as it cooks.” By the time we’re finished preparing the ingredients, it’s practically lunch, and I’m exhausted.
Monroe shoos me away to my room to lay down for a bit, and immediately, I think of Braxton and can’t stop the tears even if I tried.
CHAPTER14
Braxton
When things appear too easy, I never trust the end result. And right now, shit is way too fucking easy. Sitting in an interview room at the Denver PD is Kaidence Marlowe. Admitting to shooting Trusen, stalking Jossilyn, breaking into her hotel room, and plotting to kill her sister.
Insisting she did it all alone.
The planning, the execution, and the intent, all her idea. I don’t believe her, and thankfully, neither does the detective on the case. While it’s true she took the shots at the bookstore—they have her on CCTV from across the street—I don’t believe she’s working alone like she insists.
“You really thinking someone’s coming here?” Trainer asks over the phone. “How the fuck would they even know you’d have brought her here?”
“Not a clue, but I’m not putting anything past these people. Dig deep enough, and the connection between me and Shaw is there.” There’s always a trail, you just need the right person to be looking for it.
“Want us to move her?”
“I don’t think there’s anywhere safer for her right now.” Not unless she was back in South Africa.
“Mr. Hughes.” The detective enters the viewing room. “You want to speak to her?”
“Yes. Trainer, I’ll call you back; I’m going to speak to the sister.” Hanging up, I follow the detective into the interrogation room. Immediately, Kaidence glares at me, and I recognize that the last few years haven’t been as kind to her as they have been to her other sisters. Her skin looks weathered, and the lines in her forehead run deeper. There are bags under her eyes, and her hair is greasy.
“Last time I saw you, you were much more put together.” I let the dig sink in.
“Last time I saw you, you were trying to get into my sister’s pants. Still working on it?” Her snide comment rolls off my back as I sit across from her.
“I’ve succeeded,” I confirm. “Often and in multiple ways.” I’m not going to hide shit from this bitch because I know she’ll eventually lose her cool. “Was shooting Trusen part of your plan?” Her eyes roll at the question.
“He was in the way.” The venom in her tone is laced with fury. “He should have stayed in Texas. Porter, too.”
“What about Sage?”