Killian Read online

  June exhaled. "A lot of people are for it," she said. "This company, it would mean jobs for a lot of people locally. Some of the locals here are in favor of it. I'm not a fan of it. Don't like the idea of some company coming in here and drilling away at West Bend."

  "An oil company?" I asked. "Do they drill for oil in Colorado?"

  June shook her head. "Minerals," she said. "Mining. A lot of people here are getting offers on their land."

  Elias cleared his throat, and June looked over at Stan. "Excuse me while I grab my child, before he eats Bailey's fur. We're going to leave you two alone now, give you some space. Just wanted to drop off some breakfast, make sure you didn't need anything."

  "Thank you, June," I said.

  After June left, Elias appeared to be deep in thought. I wasn't sure what that was about, but something June had said was bothering him.

  I didn't ask what.

  "Well," I said, changing the subject, "do you want to go get cleaned up, and take me into town?"

  Elias smiled, but he still stared off into the distance as he answered, and I could tell his thoughts were someplace else. "Depends," he said.

  "On what?" I asked.

  "On whether you want to get dirty with me later."

  "There is a convenience store in this town of yours, right?" I asked, thinking of the condoms.

  Elias nodded. "Sure is."

  "I would definitely like to get dirty with you," I said, my heart racing at the thought. In fact, it was the only thing I could think about.

  19

  Elias

  River tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear, smoothing it, but it came back out again, sticking up at an angle, unwilling to be restrained. I hid a smile. When I'd looked her up on the internet yesterday, I saw all these photos of her at events with long blonde hair, flashing big smiles and posing for the cameras.

  She looked better with the shorter hair. It suited her somehow- messy and unruly, refusing to be tamed.

  She tapped the pad of her finger on the counter in the car rental office, a nervous habit, I decided.

  "Anyone ever tell you that you look like that actress?" the rental agent asked, turning River's license over in his hand. I knew it was a fake, and wondered how passable it was. Not like the agent seemed like any kind of expert in sussing out fake licenses, not in a place that rented cars out of the back of a fishing tackle store.

  River nodded and rolled her eyes. "I get that a lot," she said. "Sucks. I hear she's a real bitch."

  I coughed, covering my laugh.

  River signed the paperwork and took the keys. "Thanks a lot," she said.

  "Welcome," the agent said, only half paying attention to her, his gaze focused more on me. "Recognized you when you came in here."

  "Oh, I'm not her -" River started, but the agent continued, looking at me.

  "Heard about your dad," he said.

  I sighed. The last thing I fucking wanted to do was talk to someone who knew my father. I didn't need to hear about what a great guy he was from one of the alcoholics he used to drink with down at the bar or something. "Yeah, well, that's life. Thanks for the rental."

  I turned to leave, my hand on the small of River's back as I guided her ahead of me. I wanted out of there before I got drawn into some bullshit conversation about my shitbag father. He was the last person on this green earth I wanted to think about.

  The agent called after us. "Least your mother can get that property squared away now," he said.

  I didn't turn around to listen to any more, and what he said didn't even register in my brain until we were outside, walking down the sidewalk ten yards.

  Your mother can get that property squared away now.

  What the hell was he talking about?

  River's voice cut through my thoughts. "What did he mean, he heard about your dad?"

  "Nothing," I said, my voice sharp. "None of your business."

  Shit. As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. River looked hurt, and then she clenched her jaw, a cold expression settling over her.

  "River - " I started, but she held up her hand.

  "You're right," she said. "None of this is my business."

  I opened my mouth to apologize, but before I could, I heard a voice from the past beside me.

  Not now. This is the last fucking thing I need.

  "Well, what the hell do we have here?" the voice asked, his tone less than friendly. "Elias Saint. And who are you?"

  River narrowed her eyes at the man standing before us in a law enforcement uniform. "Beth Winters," she lied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Who are you?"

  He looked at her for a long time, his eyes lingering on her face, and I had a sudden feeling of rage I forced myself to quell. The way he was looking at her....if his eyes had gone anywhere else but her face, I would have beat his ass right there in the street, cop or no cop.

  "Jed Easton," he said. "Sheriff Easton, that is."

  River's mouth was drawn tight and I saw her tapping her fingers against her side, tucked up underneath her crossed arms. She was irritated, that much I could tell; I wasn't sure if it was at me or Jed, or maybe at Jed for arriving right when she was about to tell me to fuck off.

  I should have been grateful for Jed's timely arrival.

  Except I wasn't.

  Not only because Jed was a douchebag, but because part of me wanted River to tell me to fuck off. It's what I deserved.

  "What brings you to West Bend?" he asked, his eyes still on River.

  "Vacation," she said. "Taking in the sights, you know. Small towns like these are a passion of mine."

  "And this Saint boy," Jed said. "He's an acquaintance of yours?"

  My blood boiled, and I clenched my fists. I was going to lay this asshole out for calling me boy.

  River's eyes widened and she looked at me. "I'd hardly call him a boy," she said, smirking. "Hung like a fucking horse. I'd say he probably has several inches on you." She leaned closer to Jed and raised her eyebrows. "Knows how to use them real good, too."

  I had to keep my jaw from dropping, listening to River talk. No girl had ever taken up for me.

  Hell, no one in my life had ever taken up for me. If there's anything I was used to doing, it was fighting my own battles.

  I didn't know what the fuck to think about this girl.

  Jed's face was red as he turned away from her and faced me. "You watch yourself," he said. "This town doesn't need your kind here causing trouble - not you or your brothers."

  "Fuck you, Jed," I spat.

  He smiled and nodded, then turned to leave. I watched him through narrowed eyes as he paused, then turned back toward us. "Oh - one more thing. Give your mother my father's regards," he said.

  My heart racing, blood pumping loudly in my ears, I barely registered River's hand on my arm. "Fuck!" I said loudly, enough that a couple passing on the sidewalk stopped and stared.

  Fucking Jed.

  "River, I - " I started, but she interrupted me, holding her hand up.

  "Whatever it is," she said. "I don't want to know. It's none of my fucking business."

  "River, I didn't mean to - "

  She shook her head. "Just because I defended you, doesn't mean I'm okay with you being a dickhead," she said. "I just don't like bullies, and that guy strikes me as a bully."

  "One of the worst kinds," I agreed.

  "Thanks for the ride, Elias," she said, the car keys dangling from her fingers. She turned to leave.

  I stood there and watched her walk away. Jesus Christ. I wasn't used to having to watch my attitude, make sure I didn't snap at people.

  I was used to dealing with subordinates, people I was in charge of in the Navy. Most of them fucking got out of my way.

  I felt a pang of regret. Shit.

  This is not how I'd planned on spending the rest of the day, dealing with family bullshit. I'd planned on spending it screwing the absolute hell out of River, but I'd fucked that part up.