Page 111

Though he’d surprised me. He’d agreed to it without teasing or questions, training me dutifully, showing me everything he knew.
His schedule was less than reliable now that he was a husband and father, but he always ensured to make time for me once a week. Because that’s the kind of man Kip was, underneath all the inappropriate jokes. He was a good one.
And as much as I hated to admit it, I needed the help of a good man. Or at least the ear of one. One who had experience in deadly situations.
My brother was out for obvious reasons. And no way was Elliot getting anywhere near the situation. He didn’t have the training or experience Kip had, but he’d try to interject, getting himself killed.
That wasn’t happening.
Burying my head in the sand wasn’t either. Not after Jasper’s most recent visit. The time to stop fucking around had come. The time to stop fucking around had come with the dead body in the woods. And I’d been trying. Behind a computer screen. There was only so much that could be done there. It had eventually become glaringly obvious that I had to get my hands dirty. Bloody.
Kip and I were done sparring for the day, both of us toweling off and drinking our respective waters, though I had trouble keeping mine down at the prospect of the conversation we needed to have.
“That shirt is ridiculous,” I remarked, looking Kip up and down. The muscle tee he wore dipped so low that his nipples were exposed on either side. “You look like a douchebag gym bro. Which you used to be, but now that you’re married to my best friend, you don’t need to flauntthat.” I waved my hand. “Especially with me. I’m not buying what you’re selling.” I wrinkled my nose. Kip was an arguably attractive man, but I considered any sexual feelings about him … icky. The man was basically my brother.
“I’m not flaunting it for you.” He puffed up the aforementioned chest without shame. “It’s for my daughter. She’s a nipple girl.”
I choked on my water, sure I’d heard him correctly but assuming he was having trouble forming sentences thanks to the year-long buildup of sleep deprivation.
“She likes nipples, to calm her to go to sleep,” he clarified. “And I like to give her easy access.”
My mouth hung open, trying to understand that but failing. I wasn’t a parent, but I knew kids did weird shit. And that most men would likely not allow their daughter to fondle their nipples to sleep. Clearly, this was not true for Kip. He would do anything for his little girl. Including surrendering his dignity.
“Okay.” I felt the corner of my mouth tipping up.
My half smile didn’t last for long, as I prepared to do the one thing I swore I’d never do, especially not to an alpha man who cared about me.
“I’m in trouble.” The admission was more difficult than ripping my own teeth out.
To his credit, he didn’t smile with any kind of satisfaction. In fact, the proverbial jokester looked incredibly somber. “I know.”
Confusion ripped through me. “You know?”
“Not the specifics.” He sipped his water. “Although Rowan and I did consider using our contacts to dig into your life to figure out what the fuck had you running back here.” He cracked his neck. “We thought better of it. I value my balls where they are, so I convinced your brother that you would’ve come to us if you needed our help.”
I owed Kip a thank you for that. I didn’t know how talented their ‘contacts’ were, but if Rowan had gotten even a whiff of what I was really involved in, there would be no getting him off my back.
“I’m not here for your help,” I rushed to explain. “I’m here because in order to get myself out of it, I’m going to put all of you in danger. If I’m successful, which I plan to be, nothing willhappen to any of you. If I’m not, then my goal is to let them take me down before anything else happens.”
Kip winced, taking off his cap and running his hand through his hair. “Fuck, Cal,” he whispered. “It’s that bad?”
I nodded, grateful he wasn’t spouting all the protective bullshit my brother would’ve. Which is why I didn’t go to him. I knew Rowan would try to fix things, put himself in harm’s way in order to protect me. That wasn’t happening.
“You have to let us help.”
Maybe I spoke too soon.
I shook my head. “You can help me by being extra on guard while I sort this shit. Anyone strange in town, any tails you pick up, you treat as enemies.” I wiped sweat from my brow. “I am not afraid of death, Kip, but I’m terrified of having to bury my family because of my choices.”
My voice shook, even as I used all of my strength to keep it steady.
Kip looked out at the waves, shoulders tense, knuckles white around his water bottle.
“Does Elliot know?” he finally asked, looking back at me.
I picked my cuticles. “No. He’ll try to get involved in something that is way out of his depth and would get him hurt or killed. I’m not letting that happen.”
“If it were Fiona?—”