Thirty-One

The tension in the car is suffocating. I knew she wouldn't forgive me, but her words cut me deep. I royally fucked it up with her, and I'll never be able to get it back. When I stepped into that shop and saw that asshole standing next to Teagan, I damn near lost my shit. How did she end up there in the first place? Buck had just seen her at my house a few hours beforehand.

I turn in my seat and stare at her. She looks so at ease, with her head comfortably resting on Weldon's shoulder. Her wrists have stopped bleeding, and I pray they don't leave scars. I resist the urge to ask the questions that are bouncing in my head. Who knows if she'll even answer me.

"So, the mayor is a crooked sonofabitch. Who would've known." Leroy chuckles. "Didn't see that one coming."

I face the front. "I should've. Explains why his wife is a cunt."

"You don't even know the half of it," Teagan mumbles.

"Well, fill us in," Griff ordered forcefully.

"No need to be a dick about it, baldie. Didn't mommy teach you fucking manners?"

The car fills with laughter. I watch her from over my shoulder, and she combs her fingers through her tangled hair; her mouth pulls into a slight grimace when she moves her wrist wrong. I look into her eyes and notice a tear forming as our gazes lock. My own eyes narrow in concern.

"No need to be a bitch, didn't your mommy teach you that."

The car goes quiet, and I watch Teagan. Her eyes are still on me, and her face has gone hard. I've seen that look once before.

"My mom is the reason why I am a bitch. Your dad must be a pussy because you act like one to be picking on a woman. Grow a pair asshole. "

Griff goes to reach for her when Buck and I move. Weldon blocks her, and Leroy slams on the brakes.

"That is enough. If you can't handle backtalk from a fucking woman, get the hell out of the car. She's right you are a pussy, Griff. Jesus Christ, can't we just get back to the house in one piece," Leroy barks.

Buck pushes Griff back into his seat, and I swear if he touches her just once, he's fuckin' dead.

"Sorry," Teagan spoke softly.

"Not meant at you, Firecracker." Leroy continues the drive as we sit quietly.

My place appears on the horizon, and I couldn't be more relieved to see it. After everything that's happened, we could all use a little breathing room. I need to have a heart-to-heart with Teagan, just the two of us. Leroy pulls into the driveway, and a light turns on in the house.

"Expecting company?" he asks, looking out the windshield.

"No." The sounds of guns being cocked has my heart racing. I turn to Teagan, who's gone pale. "Stay in the car, lay on the floor and don't move. Can you do that for me?"

A tremor shook her lips. "Yeah."

"Good girl, I'll knock on the window when it's time to open the door." I squeeze her knee before getting out. This isn't what I want for her; she somehow still got sucked into my life without knowing it. I know what I need to do, but selfishly, I don't want to do it.

Leroy points at Griff and Buck to take the back while Weldon, Leroy, and I take the front. Whoever is in my house better pray because they aren't leaving. Leroy stands to the left and Weldon to the right of the door. I kneel in front of Weldon, hold my fingers, and count down from three. Leroy turns the doorknob and flings the door open.

When no guns go off, we slowly enter. Buck and Griff meet us in the living room, looking confused.

"Upstairs?" Weldon suggests.

Where else would they be? It's not that big of a house; we gradually take each step, listening as we go. We break into our groups at the landing. My bedroom is dark when we enter, which doesn't surprise me. I never open the curtains. I mindlessly walk around the bed for the nightstand and flick the lamp on. The room is empty, and my heart settles down.

"I'm getting tired of this shit," I tell the guys.

"It has to be a joke. Are you sure Teagan isn't just playing you 'cause you pissed her off?" Leroy looks at me seriously.

"She would never do that; I was there from the start of this when Nancy did all this shit to Teagan. Before she suspected that I lied to her."

Weldon raises his eyebrow. "Are you sure she never suspected you?"

"Look, Teagan wouldn't do any of this. If you don't believe me, you can leave." My jaw tightened as I tried to reel in my frustration. I can't believe they would say things like that. Why would Teagan go out of her way and get kidnapped?

A shot goes off from down the hall, and I jump over the bed and take off to the spare room. I grab the doorjamb, coming to a stop. I try to understand what is happening in the room, but my brain won't catch up.

"You piece of shit," Blaine yells at Griff. "You shot me." He grabs his thigh, trying to stop the bleeding, but the blood runs through his fingers and drips onto the hardwood floor.

"What in the world?" Weldon asks in shock.

I step into the room, rounding Blaine taking in the piece of shit. "Why are you in my house?"

He spits at my feet. "Fuck you, I don't have to tell you anything."

I swing my foot and kick him in the kidney; he falls onto his side, moaning in pain. "Wanna bet? Start talking, or we shoot again, this time someplace where you can't dig the bullet out."

Griff steps forward, placing his gun on Blaine's stomach.

"Okay, fine. I came for Teagan. I know you have her. Hand her over."

"That's never gonna happen. Now try again." I step on his fingers, and he screams in pain, shaking his hand to get it loose.

A creak in the hallway has us turning our attention and pointing our guns. Teagan stands there. She takes a tentative step back, reaching for the wall, and she falls to her knees. I quickly dash out of the room and drop to my knees next to her, scooping her in my arms.

"I'm sorry." I brush her hair to the side and kiss her forehead. "What are you doing out of the car?"

She buries her head into my chest. "I got worried. It was quiet, then I heard gunfire."

Blaine cries from the guest room, and she looks up at me. I shake my head. "You don't need to know."

"No, but you should know what Blaine said to me."

I take a deep inhale and stare down the hall. Blaine is still on the floor with the guys standing over him. Leroy looks over at me and raises a brow. I nod him over so he can hear what Teagan has to say because if Blaine needs to die, he has to hold Teagan for me.

"What's going on? Sorry about all the guns, Firecracker. Can never be too cautious."

"My fault." She nods. "I'll yell next time to put the boy toys away."

Leroy shakes his head. "A pistol even under stress. Okay, why am I out here and not in there messing his face up?"

"Go ahead, tell me what Blaine said to you."

She softly hisses as she lays her hands gently on my shoulders for support as she stands up. Slowly, she makes her way to the other side of the hall, bowing her head. As she begins to talk, my vision starts to build blinders. I can feel the rage building; he's the reason why she was kidnapped over some family bullshit that happened between Nancy and Teagan's dad. Are you kidding me? Her dad knew about this the entire time and never said or did anything. He put his daughter in danger.

"Clear something up for me, Firecracker. How is this all centred around you?"

"Nancy wanted revenge because she never got to live her dream in this town. Her name was tarnished. Yet she married into a well-known name, her husband is the mayor, but she's pushing papers in an office. "

"And that is your problem, how? I'm not sure how kidnapping you and wanting you to disappear will solve all her problems," Leroy says, looking confused.

Teagan shrugs. "I'm struggling to get it, too. There's definitely something else we're not getting, and the only solution I can think of is just to go ask Dad."

"Griff, tie that asshole up. It's a wrap for the night, and we'll finish this tomorrow. Silas, take care of her; she needs to sleep."

Teagan meets my eyes, and I can tell what she's thinking. "It's alright; you can trust me on this one." I guide her to my room, and she sinks onto my bed.

"Did you want a shower?"

"Silas? I need you to tell me the truth."

I sit next to her, resting my elbows on my knees. "The truth about what?"

"All of this, Silas. No one that jacks cars shoots people. What are you hiding? I thought we talked about this."

"This business isn't always easy, and people get shot. Do you see why I wanted to leave this life? Who wants to live like this all the time? I wanted to keep it away from you, yet you somehow still got into it."

"That wasn't your fault. I had beef with Nancy for years. I'm sure this all happened because I got a restraining order on her, and that set her over the edge. There has to be a reason why she wants my side of Main Street empty."

"You think that's why she's down there?" I toss my hat onto the bed and run my fingers through my hair.

"The record store next to me was always busy. One day, the owner came down with a cold and never recovered. I have a feeling Nancy was behind it."

"What about the boutique?"

She shakes her head and lays down. "The boutique got an eviction notice; they have to move out at the end of the month."

How is this happening in this town? Does no one care? "And only you have been fighting her?"

"Yeah, and it doesn't help that there is family history. I didn't think they would go this far." She holds up her wrists. The angry, bloody line stares back at me. A reminder that if I didn't lie, I would've been with her.

"We should get your wrists cleaned before infection sets in."

I drag her up and into the bathroom. She sits on the toilet, and I dig the first aid kit out from under the sink. "How bad do they hurt?"

"Not so bad now, just when I move them. "

I grab the antiseptic and spray it along the rope burn; she inhales sharply when it hits her skin. "Sorry."

"It's cold, that's all."

I gently clean the wound, trying not to make it bleed. "Have a shower, then I'll wrap them; I'll find you a shirt and boxers."

"Thanks, Silas. For everything. Even earlier, I came off as a bitch when you cut me loose; maybe my emotions were a little high. Mr. Montgomery isn't someone you want to be mixed up in. You know who he is, right?"

"No, who is he."

"Nancy's dad used to run drugs in this town, remember? Now, Mr. Montgomery does it. Where do you think all the drugs go?"

"The city?"

"I would watch your back next time you go carjacking in the city."

I step out of the bathroom and close the door. I find her a change of clothes and leave it on the bed; I step out of the room, closing the door behind me. I go and see the guys downstairs.

"How is she?" Buck asks, closing the fridge and cracking open a beer.

"Ah, she's fine. She also informed me who the mayor is." I grab a beer, drinking half of it.

"Do tell before I get older." Leroy folds his arms, leaning back in the kitchen chair.

"Where's Blaine?" I look around but don't see him.

"I shoved him in the upstairs closet; he won't be getting out anytime soon," Griff chuckles.

"His dad is the drug dealer, not Wolf. This entire time, we were wrong."

"The mayor gig is a cover up?" Weldon confirmed. "What a douchebag. Why not give it to his wife? She damn near acts like it."

"I think that's why she acts like it; he's never here. It has nothing to do with family issues; she doesn't want Teagan's dad to get suspicious again. That's all what this is. So, run the daughter out of town, and no one will be wiser." Buck states the obvious.

"Can't have her shop be targeted and no one else on that street," I add.

Leroy snaps his finger. "Bingo. Teagan never did anything wrong; Nancy has been trying to cover up for her husband and found a way to do that."

"The only thing left is to expose them all." Griff raises his beer.

We all raise our beers and drink. Now I understand why Elma wouldn't talk about that family. Too much was at risk. I leave the guys and check on Teagan. I quietly open the door and find her sleeping in bed. No matter how much I don't want to leave her, I need to. After tomorrow, she'll have to move on without me.