Page 46 of The Risk

Genny had spoken a lot about the stages of grief. She’d said before that it was hard for her to see—and she saw it all the time in the ER. When she saw people at their worst moments.

Well, so did Charlie.

And so did this man.

They just had to stall for time. Someone would come out and help them soon.

She told herself that. Told herself Charlie or his friends would realize something was wrong.

Charlie would. He just would. “Talk to me. Tell me about her. What was her name?”

“Her name was Candy…”

45

Hell,Rob wasn’t an idiot. He’d seen those other guys inside the diner. Lake, Rodriguez, the rest of them. He knew what the girl was really doing. She didn’t give a shit about what he had to say. He told her that, too.

“You just hope to change things tonight. But don’t you get it? Things don’t really change. They never do. Not the right way, anyway. Someone comes along and ruins all the good. Breaks your world into a thousand pieces.”

He tightened his hold on the weapon he had carried for years. And looked at the girl with Charlie Fields’s eyes.

“I should have had Major Crimes. Homicide. I’ve worked toward that for years. But your damned brother had to open his mouth with the chief. Recommended Rodriguez instead of me. That young punk doesn’t deserve it. Should be at home wiping snotty noses and ticketing meters, not heading two fucking teams like he does.”

He wasn’t being fair to Rodriguez, and he knew that. That man worked hard and was dependable. A fine damned cop. But so was Rob. He had always been. He had worked hard.

But Charlie Fields… “Charlie ruins every fucking thing. He always has. Well, it’s a sister for a sister now.”

“You were involved in me being taken, weren’t you?”

“Involved, hell, girl, I was the one who told them to do it. I was. And now those dumbasses are in prison. Just a matter of time until I am sitting there next to them, too. You think they were going to keep their mouths shut about me? I ain’t their brother, you know. Just hers. I was hers. And I didn’t take care of her the way a brother should.”

“And hurting us to get back at Charlie is going to change that?” Gene asked.

46

This wasn’t likea damned television show, where they just let the bad guy give his monologue and everything worked out okay in the end. Gene knew that. And his father had always told him to use his head, no matter what. His head felt like it was going to explode off his shoulders, but there would be time for that later.

After.

After he had the woman he loved safe. And when he did, he was taking her to his ranch and keeping her there forever. Keeping her as safe as he possibly could. Forever.

Gene tensed when the man took a step closer to Chantal.

This wasn’t aboutthem. It was about whatever beef he had had for Charlie for years.

Gene and Chantal were just caught in the middle of it. It wasn’t anything they had done.

Just like…

Fifteen years ago.

When Greer had gotten caught between their father and that Chase bastard and his friend. Those assholes had gone after his little sisters not because of anything anyone had done, but because they were lashing out in anger.

Just like the man in front of him.

It wasn’t Gene’s fault what had happened to Greer back then. Nor was it Chantal’s what had happened now, between this bastard and Charlie.

Hell of a time for him to finally realize the truth—to forgive himself.