Page 20 of Freeing Denver

It’s the first thing we’ve agreed on in months.

The sun is warm as we step outside the church. Police and security have pushed back the photographers, but they’ll have great shots of Ranger, Axel and I standing together by the car.

“What the hell is he doing, showing up here?” I ask.

Ranger rests his arm on the car. “This is the safest place for him to be. He’s in public—and not just any public, but people who support him.”

I grimace. “Who supports him?”

“You’d be surprised,” Alistair says as he approaches. “Denver, you’ll need JJ on you as well as Lewis.”

Ranger lets out a growl. “A reunion. Wonderful.”

I haven’t seen JJ since I left California, but Alistair has. It was a shock finding out that he’d been Colt’s man the entire time, especially given that he was hired long before I even knew the Harlands existed. Apparently, Colt had asked JJ to work his way into our lives, so if things went awry, he could keep an eye on Wilder. After the wedding, JJ insisted on staying behind to be his guy on the inside.

I’ll be having serious words with him about that when he wakes up.

“Suck it up to keep her safe,” Alistair says.

I arch a brow. “That almost sounded like concern.”

“I worry about you in the same way I worry about the engine in my car,” he says, texting. “You bother me when you stop working.”

I scratch my cheek with my middle finger, and while Axel chuckles, Alistair ignores the childish move in favor of watching Spider approach.

Ranger’s arm slides around my waist as Leo ‘Spider’ Eddards greets us with a weak smile. I can see why they call him Spider. He’s tall, his limbs long and skinny, and he moves remarkably swiftly, as if he’s gliding and not walking.

“Mrs. Luxe,” he says. “How lovely to finally meet you.”

I ignore his offered hand. “I cannot say the same.”

He presses his fingertips into his chest, feigning hurt. “Am I not the injured party in all this? I lost my only son.”

“It was foolish of you to come here, Spider,” Alistair says. “Especially today.”

Spider waves his hand as if ushering away a mildly annoying fly. “Today is the best day for it. Faith in the McEwans iswavering, and I’ll be giddy while watching each of you topple. And while the McEwans fall, the Harlands will burn, and the Luxes will follow. What a feast that will be.” He focuses on me, running his tongue over his bottom lip. “I’ll sink my teeth into what’s left.”

“No one is falling today,” I say.

His grin almost overtakes his face. “Tell me, Deluxe. How is Colt?”

I dart forward, but Ranger’s firm grip around my waist keeps me in place. “Better than your fucking son. His tongue tasted good when I bit it out of his mouth.”

Spider’s smile vanishes. “You’ll regret that, you vapid little cunt.”

A crack has people glancing over. Spider hits the ground, and I open my mouth to call Ranger back, but it isn’t him who struck.

Axel shakes out his fist, glaring down at Spider. “Watch your fucking mouth.”

Ranger’s smirk is filled with pride and victory, and he winks at me. I pull myself out of his grip and take Axel’s hand. “We’re leaving. Right now.”

Alistair smirks as Spider is helped to his feet by his security. “Try not to cause any more trouble, Denver.”

“Oh, fuck off, Alistair,” I hiss and practically shove Axel into the back of the town car. He scoots over and Ranger gets in beside me, slamming the door shut.

“And you chose this over me,” Ranger says, adjusting his tie.

“Consider how bad you are, then.”