“I didn’t actually fill your men in until now, either. I just told them that there was something more going on here than what appeared on the surface.” Then Adam sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
Around them, the music played, some people danced, and others just sat and chilled, beer on the table and, in some cases, food as well. Angel’s Roadhouse mid-week was busy—and busier later in the evening, once Lusty Appetites closed.
For Leesa, the sheen of date night had dimmed, some. Of course, she was relieved that her ex had been sent packing without incident. But for some reason, she didn’t feel settled. She didn’t know why, and that just ticked her off. But that’s not Adam’s fault.
It wasn’t. But Lusty’s sheriff was as much of a control freak as she’d ever seen. If only on principle, she felt she needed to protest that. Leesa mentally counted to ten, and then she met Adam’s gaze. “I’m all for you and whoever else you delegate to have a hand in this situation stepping up and doing your thing. However, you need to know that, after fifteen years of wearing the uniform of my country and submitting myself willingly as a pawn to the United States Army, I am not interested in carrying on that little habit, now that I’ve mustered out. This situation became my situation when others took action to make it so. I don’t believe in stepping forward without all the intel, and neither, Sheriff Kendall, should you.”
“Point taken.”
Leesa couldn’t recall the last time she’d made waves and actually stood up for herself so adamantly. Well hell, that felt good. There was no room for embarrassment for her outburst to blossom, either. Adam had just agreed with her and his wife, Ginny, was giving him a “so there” look.
“I’ve given you all the solid intel I can,” Adam said. “And for this op, you’re not alone, feeling a bit in the dark. We just have to carry on and do the best we can and trust the others who are in charge and in possession of all the twists and turns to do their jobs, too.”
Leesa blinked, and then she offered Adam a smile. “Well, I just bet that frosts…you.” Man, my language from my army days really wants to creep in at the damnedest times.
He caught her correction and grinned. “You have no idea. The one good thing is that, with any luck, you’re out of the mix. Bateman’s boss told him he was not to involve you any further in his case.”
“That’s good, then.”
“I’m surprised Adam isn’t growling over the incursion into his domain. Big brother here is the most alpha of all the alpha males in this family—well, except for Marc’s big brother, Robert.” Jake grinned at Marc and shot his brother Adam a side-glance.
I didn’t know cousin-speak could also be brother-speak.
Adam shrugged. “True. But he uses handcuffs and blindfolds and sometimes whips in his practice of being alpha. I just use my intimidating, steely gaze and authoritative voice.”
“Well, you have me there,” Jake said.
Not brother-speak. Leesa realized that Jake was trying to ease the tension at the table so that she could take a bit of a step back from the moment. It almost worked, too.
Leesa still felt that blanket of unease across her shoulders. “So, you’re pretty sure that we’re clear? That I don’t need to worry about my ex jumping out at me from behind a tree somewhere?” Leesa met Adam’s gaze. She told herself she’d know if he was lying, but the truth was that she doubted, very much, that she would.
“Well, I don’t have all the details of what’s going on with Bateman,” Adam said, “and that makes me nervous as hell. I do know that his agency is looking into his cases and his recent movements. I also know that he’s under surveillance, and Peter’s involved in that.”
“They’re investigating the investigator?” Phillip asked.
“They are.”
“Did you give Bryce a heads-up about Bateman?” Leesa didn’t want anything to do with her ex-husband, but she didn’t wish him harm, either.
Adam looked over at Marc Jessop—and Leesa did, too. He didn’t appear all that relaxed, considering the consensus was that Leesa’s part in whatever the situation was had definitely come to an end. Oh, he was smiling, but he wasn’t nibbling on the wings, and he wasn’t drinking his beer. Instead of wondering, Leesa asked.
“You think something’s off, too, don’t you?”
“‘Too’?” Marc tilted his head to one side and met her gaze. “You’re having weird vibes?”
On either side of her, her men edged closer. Jason, on her left, took her right hand in his while Phillip, on her right, laid a hand on her knee.
“I can’t explain it. I should be heaving a giant sigh of relief, but I feel just the opposite of that.”
Her cell phone chimed. She tugged her right hand free and fished her phone out of her jeans pocket. Maybe her odd sense had nothing to do with Bryce. Maybe it was her parents. Maybe something had happened to them.
Leesa didn’t recognize the number on her call display, but she did recognize the Dallas area code.
“Hello?”
“Lees…” It was Bryce’s voice, but he sounded off. Really, badly off.
“Bryce?” She sensed every man at the table stiffening. She put her gaze on Jason but focused her hearing on the phone in her hand. She eased it away from her ear slightly, located the volume button on the side, and used one finger to turn up the volume. Bryce groaned, and then he coughed and groaned again.
And then another voice came on. “He’s a dead man if you don’t do exactly what I tell you to do, Leesa. I have the roadhouse in sight, so don’t let any of those local yokels come with you. When I hang up, you’ll have two minutes to leave that place and drive to where I tell you to go…”
Adam shoved back
