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“It’s a feeling, I got no proof, but I think he’s law enforcement of some kind.”
Hunt looked at me like I had lost my mind. “Kaz does land deals.”
“I think it’s a cover.”
The way he acted, the way he carried himself, the way he’d inserted himself into Piper’s business when he didn’t seem to like her one bit, and how he helped me, told me that Kaz wasn’t who he said he was.
“I don’t see it, but let’s say it’s true. He helping you or hurting you?”
“Helping me…and using me as well. I think he’s investigating Piper Novak, and her interest in me made me interesting to him. Then I decided not to sell, in large part thanks to his interference, and now Piper is out for blood.” I took a long sip of the amber liquid. “This is all conjecture.”
Hunt raised both eyebrows. “I don’t know what that word means, bossman. You gotta stop using them ten-dollar words around cowboys like me.”
“You done?” I said dryly.
He grinned. “Yeah…for now. If he is warning you,andhe is who you say he is, he must have a good reason.”
“Yeah,” I muttered, rolling the glass of whiskey between my hands. “That’s what’s bothering me.”
We grabbed our glasses and the bottle, then headed outside to the porch.
“I didn’t even realize it, but I missed this place,” I murmured, settling into a well-worn chair, stretching my legs out, and propping my feet up on the railing.
Hunt took a slow sip, then set his glass down. “Probably missed the woman more.”
As soon as I thought about Elena, I smiled. “Yeah, definitely.”
“She’s happy. First time…since you left, I see her happy.”
For a moment, I considered bringing up what had happened with Elena and our baby, but instead, I swallowed it down. Right now, all that mattered was that Hunt had saved her life—and for that, I owed him more than I could ever repay. “Thank you for taking care of her.”
He nodded. “She’s like a sister.”
“I know.”
“The baby was yours.” He wasn’t asking.
“Yeah.” The sorrow still sat heavy in my chest. “It hurts…and I don’t know why ‘cause I didn’t know the baby. She was only ten weeks pregnant. But the loss still hurts like a motherfucker.”
Hunt patted my shoulder. “It’s supposed to feel this way to lose a child unless you’re a sociopath.”
“Is that Gloria you’re talkin’ about?” I asked, amused.
I’d told Hunt about what went down with my mother. He had been shocked because he’d seen what I had, a fragile woman who seemed to be lost all the time—not the malicious bitch I’d uncovered her to be.
“Just sayin’ that most people love their children, if they didn’t, we wouldn’t survive as a species. So, you hurting was inevitable. You just found out; the wound is fresh.”
I drank some more. “How bad was it?”
“Pretty bad. Physically, she got better quickly. Emotionally…I’d say she started healing when you came back. She saw you with Fiona, and I think it struck her that it was time for her to move on and live her life.”
He spoke softly, but I felt like he’d screamed the words:Time for her to move on and live her life.
“I liked Maria, but she did a number on Elena,” he continued. “I loved Nash, but he wasn’t fair to her.”
“He was scared that if he let the world see he loved her, he’d never get me back.” That was another regret I was getting used to living with.
“I’m glad you’re moving forward. She needs it desperately, but I get the feeling so do you.” Hunt then chuckled. “Let’s hope you get to move forwardtogetherwithout one of you gettin’ shot.”