Page 21 of Unbearable

“I don’t know. Greer and I weren’t even together when we started living together, but that’s a whole other story,” Knox said. “If you mentioned how much ‘work’ she seems to be doing do you think something would happen? Something unpleasant?”He looked at Ethan who sat across from him coloring on a paper menu.

“I can’t risk it. Sometimes the…outburst has to be contained,” Fox answered. “I just wish I knew what was going on. I don’t want anyone put in harm’s way.”

“I have someone coming who can find out more about what’s going on. And before you mind-meld me,” Knox said, holding up his hands, palms out. “It’s our brother-in-law. He’s very good at poking around unnoticed. He’ll be here tomorrow.”

“No one asked for you to interfere,” Fox challenged.

“I’ve already tried,” Dover responded. “You might as well give up. He’s all ‘family this’ and ‘family that.’ It can’t hurt though. Guy’s apparently a fed.”

“Great, that’s just what I need,” Fox snarled.

“Look, maybe she’s just…‘working’ on someone else. If it’s something more, though, you need to know,” Knox argued.

“Do you get in the middle of everyone’s business?” Fox asked. “You do this to Memphis?”

“Hey, I’m the reason Memphis even met Thayer, same for Dex and Tyler. Flint and Willow, however, were all them. I just made sure they kept living. So, yes, I do this to everyone I give two shits about.” Ethan’s head bobbed up, his eyes wide. “Sorry, little man. I’ll put money in the swear jar when I get home.”

“You have a swear jar?” Ethan asked, his eyes still wide.

“I do. I think it’s funding our next vacation.”

“Can we get a swear jar?” he asked, looking at Fox.

“Thanks.” Fox scowled at Knox.

“See, your life is already better with me in it.” Knox smirked back.

Brooke placed the cash through the door in the glass separating her from the cabbie. She stepped out onto the curb and closed the back door.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay down here?” the cabbie asked.

“I’m fine,” she answered and stepped back against the building.

“Suit yourself,” he said with a shrug and drove away.

This was always the part she hated. You never knew who was along the waterfront after hours. It wasn’t dark yet, but that didn’t deter the drug dealers.

She had been propositioned several times as she’d walked the two blocks. This time she just got a catcall for her efforts. She teetered down a road never meant for five-inch heels.

Reaching the heavy metal door, she pressed the buzzer on the wall. A few minutes later the door was rolled back, and a strong hand jerked her roughly inside. It was dark except for a work light hanging over the door. Her eyes struggled to adjust before he had her by the arm and was dragging her through the darkness.

She guessed she should be used to this by now. It wasn’t the first time he had insisted she meet him at the warehouse. Her heart would race whenever she got the text to meet him. The flesh on her body would tingle the second she stepped inside the immense space.

He pulled her past the crates into his office and straight to the back wall.

“Turn around,” he snarled. She pouted but followed his instructions, turning her back to the wall. Somewhere on the wall he had a lock installed that opened a secret room. She heardthe sound of stone scraping against cement, and her heart began to race. This was her favorite part of the game.

“Come on,” he said stepping inside the room. She turned around and followed. The door closed behind her.

Her gaze immediately fell on the back wall. She took in the intricacy of the mural first. He explained that it was the school crest where he had attended high school. It was an almost lifelike rendering of an eagle.

But, unlike most eagle mascots, this one looked like it was flying right at you. The talons reached out in front of it, like it would swoop you up in them. It sent a chill up her spine every time she entered the room.

There was a motto written in Latin underneath the eagle that she muttered to herself. He had told her what it meant several times, but she never could remember. The only word that had stuck with her was the word pietas—piety.

Her gaze roamed over the rest of the wall. The driver’s licenses, ticket stubs, car keys, money. There were even several cell phones attached to the wall. Anything they found in the men’s pockets.

It was amazing what people carried with them. The silver-haired attorney had a pocket full of condoms. She wondered how lucky he’d thought he was getting that night. Turns out, not lucky at all.