Page 113 of Freeing Denver

I nod at the ceiling. “Asleep with Wesson.”

“You’re Anthony Kelly,” Kitrick says, gaping at Taf.

Taf folds his arms, looking particularly smug. “The one and only.”

“Do you know how many crimes you’ve been linked to? You’re fucking unhinged.”

Taf’s grin widens. “Well, fuck. Thanks.”

“That’s not a compliment,” Kitrick says.

JJ spoons dry Lucky Charms into his mouth. “Make it a compliment before I kick your ass.”

I lift my hand and everyone falls quiet. “Have you called someone to pick you up?”

Kitrick nods, tearing his gaze from my friends, the people who’d likely earn him a gold star if he brought them in. “Yeah, but there was no answer.”

“Family?”

He scratches the back of his neck. “My sister won’t be happy to see me. I’ve disgraced the Marshall name, remember?”

JJ stops crunching his cereal. Taf’s expression falls.

“Did you say Marshall?” I ask. “As in, Detective Quinn Marshall?”

Kitrick pinches the bridge of his nose. “You know my sister, then.”

I lean against the kitchen counter and wonder whether this is good or bad luck to have Quinn Marshall’s brother in my home, and potentially in my debt.

“Yes. She arrested Denver,” I say dryly, and Kitrick sighs. “Stay here for the night.”

Everyone looks at me with a resounding, “What?”

I roll my shoulders, tiredness washing over my muscles. “If anyone is left of Spider’s men, they’ll want him just as much as he wants us. He goes out there alone, he won’t last the night. He stays.”

JJ pulls a face. “But … he’s got … a badge.” He gags as he says it, and Taf laughs.

“He protected Denver,” I say. “That’s enough for me to trust him for now. She’d be pissed if I kicked him out. He stays.”

I’m slouchedin the armchair in the bedroom, my elbow propping up my head, and my neck aches when I shift in place. Morning light filters through the window and Denver is still sleeping, Wesson as close to her as he can possibly be. I wanted to get into bed with her, but I don’t know how she’ll react if she wakes up and forgets where she is. Until I talk to her, I don’t want to get too close. I’m terrified of scaring her.

Wesson exhales deeply, stretching out his legs, then seems to realize his new position has separated him from Denver. He moves close again, plastered to her side. She still doesn’t wake.

A gentle knock on the door has my head turning, and Taf pops his head in. He gestures at me to come into the hall, and despite the urge to not move from my place, I know he wouldn’t be here unless it were important.

“Ranger is here,” he says quietly.

I instinctively glance toward the end of the hall. I didn’t tell Ranger when we were sending Sebastian in because his continuous reckless behavior could have put Denver at risk last night. He’s been “shoot first, ask questions later” since she disappeared, and while I’ve reveled in my own special brand of violence, I did so with purpose. Ranger just wanted to hurt things.

But it isn’t like I can hide our success.

I go to the stairs and Ranger glares at me when I reach the bottom.

“You didn’t tell me.”

“You were a danger to her and yourself,” I say simply. “Why are you here?”

His jaw tenses, a blaze of fury in his eyes. “I want to see her.”