CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Justice
Country music fills the barn while the families of Winchester gather for a night of fun and socializing. Usually I wouldn’t be caught dead at something like this but Hannah wanted to see Amelia again and I wanted to get Ryanne out. Get people used to seeing us together.
There’s no denying the shock on some of the faces when we walked in but they were smart enough to mask it and not only welcome Ryanne back but Hannah as well. It was a good move on their part.
Not long after we arrived, Jessica pulled Ryanne onto the dance floor and they’ve been there ever since. My father eventually joined them, leaving my brothers and me at the table we’re sitting at now. He’s been going back and forth between dancing with Hannah and Amelia to spinning Ryanne around. He’s completely in his element and looks happier than I’ve seen him in a long time, maybe ever.
“I still can’t fucking believe you talked me into this,” Knox grumbles, not as enthusiastic to be here as the others. He hates crowds.
Neither he nor Braxten were eager to come but I was able to entice them with a plan, another reason I chose to come. It’s an ample opportunity for us to talk to Craig Clemson. Despite the fact he works for Toder, he’s a good guy and the three of us have always gotten along with him. I figure if there’s a chance to get any kind of information about the damage done to my father’s property it will be from him.
Agent Jameson called my father yesterday and gathered all the information. He said he would try to dig up anything he can find on his end but encouraged us to do the same. He assured us that if we could get any kind of evidence he would bring them down.
“It’s not so bad,” Braxten says, relaxing back into his chair. “The view is nice. Look at all the hot women shaking their asses, especially his,” he adds, punching my shoulder with a cocky smirk.
I shoot him a glare, the same one I’ve been sending to all the other fuckers I’ve caught checking out my woman. It’s that fucking black dress she’s wearing. The way it clings to her body and teases the tops of her thighs. It would tempt any red-blooded man.
The need to claim and possess burns within my blood. I want to mark her, make her mine forever and make sure every motherfucker knows it. Her wearing my ring would solidify that, so would her walking around, stomach swollen with my child. The thought has me growing hard on the spot.
She wants it as much as I do. I know she does. She’s just being stubborn to prove a point; the tension around the farm hasn’t been helping matters either.
“Look, I need to talk to you both about something,” I say, but make eye contact more with Knox than Braxten. “I need you to make more of an effort with Ryanne. She thinks you hate her.”
Knox avoids my gaze, lifting his drink to his lips. “Why would she think that?”
“Geez, I wonder, Mr. Personality,” Braxten chuckles.
“You barely acknowledge her,” I tell him.
He shrugs. “I’m like that with most people.”
“Not her,” I say, tone firmer. “I need you to do this, Knox. The more comfortable she feels the more of a chance I have at convincing her to stay. I want us all together. I want this to work.”
He nods but says nothing else. I know it’s hard for him, not only because of the change of our relationship that we have yet to talk about but he already has issues with women. He doesn’t trust any of them.
“I’ll make more of an effort too,” Braxten cuts back in. “I’ll start kissing her to make her feel more welcome.”
I nail him in the shoulder, making the fucker laugh.
Our exchange comes to an end when Craig approaches our table. “Well look who it is,” he bellows with a grin. “The infamous Creed brothers joining the families of Winchester for an annual dance. How times have changed.” His tone is filled with amusement as he takes a seat at the table, clinking his bottle against each one of ours in greeting.
“Well Justice here is a family man now,” Braxten mocks. “So that makes him like the rest of you sorry bastards.”
Craig grunts but it’s good-natured. “Congrats, by the way,” he says, tipping his beer in my direction. “Jessica enjoyed catching up with Ryanne yesterday. It seems our daughters did, too.”
“That’s what I hear.”
“How long are you guys in town for?”
“Depends on who you ask,” Braxten says before I can, earning himself another glare from me.
“Ain’t too keen on being back, is she?” Craig chuckles.
I shrug. “Not really, but hopefully I’ll be able to change her mind. Either way, I’m not leaving until I know my father is safe.”
The bottle pauses at his mouth, regret flashing in his eyes. “I heard about Thatcher’s land. I’m sorry. It shouldn’t have happened.”
“You’re right. It shouldn’t have and we’re going to make sure it never happens again.”
All easiness fades from him. He knows exactly where this is going.
“What can you tell us about it, Craig?”
“Nothing, man.”
“You have to know something.”
He shakes his head. “Toder didn’t let us in on any of it. He closed the case and made it clear we move on.”
I’m not surprised to hear it but the information still has my blood heating.
“He’s a shady fucker, you guys know that. His reach is far.”
“Maybe, but ours is farther,” I tell him.
Silence descends, the unspoken truth falling over the table. “What do you mean by that?”
“We know people,” Knox says. “People who can bring them all down if we can get the evidence we need.”
Doubt flashes in his gaze but there is also no denying the hope there, too. He wants them taken down as much as we do.
“We’re trying to do this by the law, Craig, but in order to do that we need your help,” I push. “We know who did it, and we know he’s covering for them like he always does. All we need is one piece of evidence, anything to bring them down, and we need your help to get it.”
His gaze shifts around the room, doing a quick scan of our surroundings before leaning forward, bracing his arms on the table. “Look. It’s not much but Hodges said the night of the fire Toder came in reeking like a fucking gas station,” he says, talking about another deputy he works with. “His shift had long ended but apparently he came back to the station, saying he forgot something. Shortly after he arrived is when the call came in.”
The son of a bitch was there; he had a hand in torching it. The knowledge fuels the fury barreling through me.
“For the past few years I’ve been trying to find something on all of them, including Toder,” he goes on to say, taking me by surprise. “I’m sick of the power they hold over this goddamn town as much as everyone else. So far though, every lead I’ve followed has led me to an empty road. I have no doubt they keep their secrets locked up somewhere but it isn’t anywhere I’ve found yet and I’ve even searched the fucker’s house before.”
Frustration is thick in his voice, the same one coiling inside of me right now.
“I’d say any evidence that was collected from your father’s property has already been destroyed.”
We figured as much but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up. Every single person who had a hand in this will pay.
“I’ll help you guys with anything I can, you know I will, but finding concrete proof isn’t going to be easy.”
“For their sake they better hope we do,” Knox says. “Otherwise we will resort to our own method of justice.”
“Don’t say that shit to me,” Craig stresses. “I mean it; you fuckers keep that shit to yourself. I’m a by-the-book kind of dude, I took an oath, don’t make me break it.”
“Calm down, Cinderella,” Braxten says. “If we take care of it you won’t even find their bodies.”
“Jesus Christ.”
The three of us chuckle as he tosses his beer back.
The conversation ceases when the others come back to join us. My father leads Hannah and Amelia to the other end of the table as they carefully carry their plastic cups, red juice sloshing over the top and onto their hands.
“Hi, Daddy.” Hannah greets me loudly to be heard over the music while Amelia gives Craig a kiss on his cheek as she passes by him.
“Hey, baby. Having a good time?” I ask.
“The best! Did you see me dancing with Papa Thatcher?”
I nod. “You’re a natural.”
“That’s because she has the best teacher,” my father boasts with a proud grin.
“Mama said she’d show me how to line dance later.”
“Is that so.” My attention moves to Ryanne as she and Jessica come stumbling over in laughter. Our gazes lock, her laugh softening into a smile. One that would knock me on my ass if I weren’t already sitting down.
Jessica whispers something in her ear that has her blushing. I know exactly how far that pink stain spreads, my fingers itching to reveal all that creamy skin.
As they reach the table Jessica drops down on Craig’s lap, her arms winding around his neck as she plants a hard kiss on his mouth. “Hey, handsome.”
“Hey yourself.”
“Staying out of trouble?”
“Trying to,” he mutters incoherently.
Ryanne moves for the end of the table where Hannah sits but I snag her wrist and bring her down on my lap instead. Her subtle intake of breath penetrates the air when she feels how hard I am.
She shifts, wiggling her ass on my raging cock. My hands drop to her bare thighs in warning, fingers trailing to slip just beneath the edge of her dress as I fight to restrain myself.
Knox’s gaze drops to where my hands are, his jaw and body tightening before looking away. The guilt that plagues me cuts deep.
“You should come dance with us, Daddy,” Hannah says, breaking me out of my turbulent emotion. “It’s so much fun.”
“I’m not much of the dancing type,” I tell her regretfully, hating to let her down.
“Why not? Papa Thatcher dances.”
“Because Papa’s romantic charm didn’t rub off on his sons,” Ryanne says, side-glancing me.
“You don’t need charm when you look like us,” Braxten tosses back with a cocky smirk.
She shakes her head but she can’t hide her smile.
I notice my father is distracted by something across the room. Glancing in the same direction, I find Gwen Hamilton at the buffet table. Her eyes meet my father’s before quickly darting away.
I frown, wondering what I’m missing. “Everything all right, Dad?”
“Huh? Oh yeah, sure,” he says quickly before standing and lifting Hannah into his arms. “How about some grub? I’m famished.”
“Do they have ice cream here?” she asks.
He chuckles. “I’m sure they will for dessert but let’s get some dinner first, shall we?”
Ryanne stands with them, turning to face me. “You want something?”
My eyes sweep down her body, letting her know exactly what I want. “I’ll eat later.”
Pink invades her cheeks, the smallest hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “Suit yourself.” She walks away, hips swinging, taunting my barely restrained control.
The moment I get her alone tonight, I’m going to remind her just what happens when you tempt the beast.