Page 59 of Hurt

“One day, he came home, and he was worse than before. That was the first time he yelled at us. He even pushed Willow down when she tried to grab him.” Licking his lips, he took another drink of the beer but didn’t seem like he liked it any better this time. “Two days later, I was on a plane to White Sand Mesa.”

He finished the drink and tossed the empty. Lips shiny from beer, Noah stared at his shoes.

He was fighting those years. That would explain why there was no record of him. Kurt paid for everything in the cash he bled for and left no trace. Grant had seen Kurt protective of his sister—he couldn’t imagine him ever laying a hand on her. Something happened to make him flinch at his own sibling’s touch.

The Vega Cabal was ruthless with debt. After the Becketts died, their debt would fall onto the only blood relative left alive. Kurt must have been giving most of that money he earned to the Vegas. He probably still had to.

Was that why the address was on the envelope? Was it a list of debtors?

There were more pieces now, but he still couldn’t see the full picture.

“Why didn’t Willow go to college?” Grant asked.

The kid fidgeted like he didn’t know what to do with his hands. “After the incident, she didn’t trust Kurt alone.”

Grant didn’t think the story could get worse. “Incident?”

The Weaver assassins came in with arms full of grocery bags. “I’m just saying, I think that lemons are the males and limes are the females of the species.”

“Please stop talking,” Elijah said as they carried the bags into the kitchen.

Noah moved to help them but paused. “Let’s just say those leather cuffs are not a fashion choice.”

Then he was gone, leaving Grant alone with his thoughts.

12

WHEN I START TO TUMBLE FROM THE SKY, YOU REMIND ME HOW TO FLY

Roland drove in silence. He didn’t know what to say to the cheery woman in his passenger seat, and he felt awkward. Willow didn’t seem to mind. There was an easy smile on her face as she leaned against the window and watched the scenery change. Whatever music station Elijah had left on the radio was playing quietly, filling the car with relaxed notes.

It was nice.

He would never admit it, but Roland had agonized over where to take Willow on their date. It wasn’t as if he normally went to places that would be considered suitable for a romantic interlude, and when he searched for ideas on the internet, he found their generic suggestions to be unhelpful. Roland couldn’t imagine getting any sort of enjoyment from an amusement park. Masses of people crowding him. Loud noises and rides that were only created to induce nausea and release adrenalin to fool people into thinking they were experiencing a rush of joy.

Or at least that’s what he had thought. But when he pictured Willow taking him by the hand and dragging him to whatever shiny attraction had drawn her attention—he found the thought of an amusement park to be less abhorrent.

When they started seeing buildings and civilization, Willow stretched in the confines of the car. “It’s been so long since I’ve been out,” she said wistfully.

Roland watched her out of the corner of his eye. “Why not?”

Willow wrinkled her nose. “It’s hard to get away. We don’t have a car, so I have to ask Molly to borrow hers. Or Sid’s motorcycle.”

The thought of Willow riding a motorcycle almost made Roland drive off the road.

“Would you like a car?” he asked while trying to gain his composure.

Willow laughed. “Sure. But most places would take one look at my non-existent credit score and kick me right out the door.”

“I could give you one.”

Willow laughed and lightly smacked Roland on the shoulder. “And they said you didn’t make jokes.”

Roland wasn’t kidding, but they had arrived at their destination before he could say so.

They pulled into an empty parking lot in front of a modern-looking building. Made of a rustic stone, there were no windows set into the façade. A large art sculpture was situated in front. Roland assumed it was some sort of abstract piece, but it just looked like a bunch of twisted metal to him.

Willow didn’t wait for Roland. She stepped out of the car and surveyed their surroundings with her hands on her hips.