Page 59 of Dual Surrender

“I haven’t had a chance to figure this out yet.” Foster looked worse for wear, with bags under his eyes, his dark curly hair scattered around the top of his head, even as he pulled at the ends.

“Figure it out while I’m at work.”

“Do you have no sense of self-preservation?” Foster raised his voice, then pleaded his case to Kevin. “Can’t you talk some sense into him?”

“You know he’s his own man.”

“The hospital has security,” I said, hoping to alleviate some of Foster’s concerns, even though I found the man completely insufferable. “I’m safer there than at home.”

“What about Kevin?”

“I’ll go stay with Rich,” Kevin suggested. Like going to another part of the city would do anything.

“Colton,” I said.

“Why him?” Kevin asked.

“He doesn’t know Foster.”

“Who is Colton?” Foster looked from me to Kevin and back to me.

“My friend. My best friend,” Kevin answered softly.

“How have I never heard of this best friend?” Foster asked.

“He moved away,” Kevin said. “Shortly after I met Ronan.”

“Where did he move to?”

“Colorado.”

“That’s perfect.” Foster looked proud, like he’d cured cancer and ended world hunger, all by learning about a man he’d never met. A man I wasn’t particularly fond of in the first place, but he was the best chance I had to get Kevin out of town.

I was largely annoyed by Foster’s interruptions of late. I was mad he’d woken me up to come stitch up a hitman he was fucking. I was frustrated he expected all of us to just up and run because he’d gotten in over his head. He was wrong—I had a sense of self-preservation. He was the one who didn’t, because if he did, surely he wouldn’t be sitting on my couch making such unreasonable requests of us.

“Excuse me?” Kevin’s eyes widened. “I know the two of you are not making decisions for me without asking.”

“Foster isn’t making any decisions for you,” I snapped. “I am.”

“Thank you.” Foster’s entire body went soft against the couch.

“Ronan.” Kevin jumped off the couch and I sighed, giving him as much of a warning look as I could muster.

“We’ll talk about it when Foster leaves.” I turned the look to Foster. “And you were just leaving, weren’t you?”

“Yeah. Just leaving.” Foster stood, the outline of a gun visible under his jacket.

Because he killed people.

For money.

Fucking Christ.

“Let me know when this is finished.” I opened the door and walked away, leaving him to see himself out.

After the door closed, Kevin found me in the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed and staring at my own reflection in the mirror above our dresser. I wanted to go back to Big Bear. I wanted to pretend that Foster hadn’t turned our damn lives upside down and that everything was normal. It wasn’t normal. Nothing would ever be normal again.

“I don’t want to go to Colorado,” Kevin said, leaning against the door frame.