Golden Trail

Chapter Twenty-Three Enough?

Her hand came up to his jaw, her lips at his ear, Rocky whispered urgently, “Jasper.”

Layne’s eyes opened and he saw dark.

His cell phone on Rocky’s nightstand was ringing but Rocky didn’t move. She was out, it was the dead of night.

Layne’s neck twisted and he reached for his cell as his eyes took in Rocky’s alarm clock. It was one oh seven in the morning.

Fuck.

He looked at the display on his phone and quickly flipped it open while Rocky stirred at his side.

“Everything okay, Bud?” Layne asked Jasper.

“Dad,” Jasper replied and the tone of that one word made Layne squeeze Rocky then swiftly slide out from under her.

“Talk to me,” Layne ordered, coming to his feet at the side of the bed.

“It’s Keira,” Jasper whispered, sounding freaked out.

Fuck!

“What’s Keira?” Layne asked, he was moving through the dark room to get clothes. In between the office and Rocky’s, he’d gone home and packed a bag. He found it and started pawing through it as he heard Rocky moving in the bed.

“I don’t know, she’s out, she’s in my car and she’s out, Dad. Passed out. I’ve been drivin’ around, tryin’ to get her to wake up, talk to me. I can’t take her back to Mr. and Mrs. Callahan like this. They’ll freak. But it’s way passed her curfew and they’re gonna freak anyway. I don’t know what to do.”

“Break it down for me, Bud,” Layne demanded, his phone between ear and shoulder, he tugged up his jeans, the light came on, Rocky was out of bed.

“We went to a party. Dad… shit, okay… shit,” Jas hissed and stopped speaking.

“Jasper, listen to me, boy, you need to give me information right now. Do not worry about getting in trouble. Focus.”

There was a pause then, “Okay, well, there was beer and we had some.”

Layne pulled a tee out of his bag and yanked it on, keeping his phone to his ear as best he could as Rocky disappeared into the walk-in closet.

“Right,” he prompted when Jasper said no more.

“It wasn’t that much, Dad, swear. Swear. I had one or two because I was drivin’. Keira didn’t have much more. I swear, Dad. No way she should be passed out, not like this.”

“Keep talking,” Layne had grabbed his boots and Rocky was out of the closet wearing unzipped jeans and carrying a sweater.

“She was fine one second, not drunk or anything, and then the next she started stumbling around, acting funny, totally out of it. It didn’t take long, minutes, just minutes, Dad, and she passed out. I carried her to the car and started drivin’ around. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Has she been sick?”

“No, no way. She wasn’t that drunk.”

“She breathin’ okay?”

“Yeah, totally fine. Sometimes she mumbles, moves around. She’s just passed out.”

“How long ago was this?”

“We were gettin’ ready to leave. Her curfew is midnight. So, an hour and a half at most.”

Layne was sitting on the bed, his socks on, he was pulling on his boots.

“She ever out of your sight?” he asked.

“What?”

“Keira, at the party, was she ever out of your sight?”

“Yes,” Jasper answered. “Once. She went to the bathroom right before she started acting funny.”

“The beer, was it bottles, cans, keg?”

“Keg,” Jasper replied.

“You get her beers or did someone else?”

“Uh… me, mostly, I think. I don’t know.”

“It’s important, Bud, did anyone give her a drink?”

Jasper was silent. Then he bit out, “Shit!”

“Someone got her a drink?” Layne pushed.

“No, I don’t know, maybe. Some people were doin’ shots, Dad, but Keirry and me weren’t, at least she wasn’t when she was with me. But now I get it, she’s not passed out, someone gave her a drink and they slipped her something.”

“That’s what I’m thinkin’,” Layne said, he was up and moving toward the door, Rocky right with him. “Where are you?”

“In the parking lot of Shanghai Salon, in the back.”

“Roc and me’ll be there in ten. Hang tight and do not leave her.”

“Gotcha,” Jasper muttered and disconnected.

Layne flipped his phone shut as he moved down the stairs.

“Keira’s been slipped something?” Rocky asked his back.

He made it to the bottom and went to his coat on the armchair, nabbing it, he shrugged it on.

“Yeah, they were at a party, drinkin’ beer,” Layne answered as he turned to see she was at the bar, grabbing the coat she’d thrown on a stool in front of it. “He says she’s totally out.”

Rocky’s eyes came to him, she was pulling on her coat. “Vi and Cal are gonna freak,” she noted softly.

Vi and Cal had been through enough. They were gonna freak, absolutely.

Layne walked to the bar and tagged his keys. “On your phone, sweetcheeks, they’re probably worried. Tell them Keira’s safe, she was slipped something at a party, Jasper’s been takin’ care of her and we’ll get her home within half an hour.”

Rocky nodded, grabbed her purse and dug for her cell as they walked out, Layne locked up and they both hoofed it to the Suburban.

Rocky called Vi and Cal in the car and, listening to her, he knew she got Cal and further he knew she got an unhappy Cal. Layne drove to Shanghai Salon then around it, finding the Charger parked in the dimly lit back. He parked close and got out as Jasper and Rocky got out, Rocky going directly to the passenger seat of the Charger, Layne leaving her to it and going to his boy.

“We’re gonna take her home,” Layne said to his son without preamble. “You’re drivin’ Keira, I got your back. You own up to the beer and take what Cal dishes out.” Jasper nodded and Layne asked, “You know who would do this to her?” Jasper shook his head. “You know anyone who does this shit?” Jasper shook his head again. “Anyone at the party actin’ funny, watchful?”

“Nope,” Jasper replied then went on honestly. “But I wouldn’t really know, Dad. We were havin’ fun. I wasn’t payin’ much attention.”

Layne nodded. “She got admirers?”

“Yeah,” Jasper answered. “She’s hot.”

“Any one of those give you a bad vibe?” Layne asked.

“All of ‘em, Dad, she’s my babe. Not big on her havin’ admirers.”

Jesus, uncanny, Jasper was so fucking like him.

“All right, you think about that shit on your way to Violet and Cal because Cal’s gonna be askin’ these same questions and it’s gonna go better for you, you have answers.”

Jasper nodded and Rocky walked up to them.

“In the car, Bud, let’s go,” Layne ordered and was about to move away but stopped when he saw Rocky’s hand reach out, she grabbed Jasper’s and gave it a visible squeeze. Jasper looked to her, his son’s face a mixture of extremely pissed off and seriously anxious and her squeeze did nothing to alleviate this. Raquel saw that but still, she gave him a sweet, understanding smile, another hand squeeze with a shake then she let his hand go and walked silently to the passenger seat of the Suburban.

The buzzing started, it was loud, and it didn’t stop.

Layne’s eyes opened as Rocky came up to an elbow at his side.

“Jesus, fuck, what the fuck is that?” Layne mumbled, moving his head on the pillow to look at her.

“Someone’s at the gate,” Rocky mumbled back. “You can get them on the phone.”

Layne turned to the nightstand, saw it was six forty-three and he felt his jaw get tight.

He nabbed the phone and put it to his ear, “Yeah?”

“Figured you’d be there,” Gabby snapped back. “Let me in.”

Fuck.

“Gabby, it’s early. We’re not doin’ this,” Layne told her.

“Let… me… in or I swear to God, swear to God, Tanner, I’ll sit out here all fucking day and I won’t do it quiet,” Gabby bit out.

She’d do that. Gabrielle in a snit, she’d do anything.

Layne’s eyes went to Rocky and he asked, “It’s Gabby. How do I let her in?”

He watched Rocky’s eyes get big then she answered, “Hit three.”

Layne hit three, put the phone down then rolled from bed.

“What’s she doing here?” Rocky asked as he heard her rolling out behind him.

Layne grabbed his jeans off the floor and turned to her. She’d confiscated his t-shirt last night after they got home from talking Cal down from kicking the shit out of Jasper. He’d pulled the shirt off and barely got it over his head when she yanked it out of his hand, pulled it on and collapsed into bed.

“Stay up here, sweetcheeks, I’ll deal with her,” Layne ordered instead of answering her question and Rocky locked eyes with him.

“Why’d you let her in?”

“Because she wanted in, she was diggin’ in, she’s a bitch and, she doesn’t get what she wants, she’s more of a bitch so I’ve learned to let her blow it out, get it over with and then move on.”

Rocky nodded then she clipped, “Fine, but this is my house and I’m not staying up here.”

“Roc,” Layne started, buttoning his jeans, “seriously, honey, trust me on this. Stay up here.”

“No,” Rocky returned, standing at the side of the bed not moving and not getting dressed.

Fuck. Now Rocky was digging in.

He loved her, he was happy as all hell to have her back but in that moment, with his ex-wife heading to the apartment and Rocky dug in in front of him, Layne allowed himself half a second to reflect on what life would be like with an adult Giselle-type woman, shy, quiet and sweet, a woman who got worried when he got pissed.

Then he realized that would probably bore him stiff.

Then he gave in.

“Right, then give me my tee,” Layne ordered.

“No,” Rocky repeated and Layne stared at her.

“Sweetcheeks, give me my tee.”

“No, Layne, it’s not even seven o’clock, it’s Sunday and for weeks you’ve been busting your ass for her and half of the ‘burg. Vera told me about her so I know what this is. She doesn’t get to come here and throw a tantrum when you’ve been putting your ass on the line for half the ‘burg and, I’ll repeat, for her. But, since she’s come here to throw a tantrum, obviously she’s got a point to make so I’ve got a point to make too and that point will be made by her walking into my house, early on a Sunday morning, pulling my man from my bed and she’ll see me wearing his tee.”

Shit, she was staking her claim, staking it with Gabby, of all fucking people.

He’d forgotten this about her. Soft, sweet, cute, funny, loving, touchy, hot in bed but she was also a Merrick. You didn’t cross a Merrick.

Layne moved close and put his hands to her neck. “Baby, listen to me, she is no threat,” he said softly.

“I know that and now she’s going to know it too,” Rocky returned.

Her eyes were bright and hard, flashing, she was pissed.

Seeing that, Layne instantly thought this whole thing was funny instead of a pain in the ass. He thought this mainly because Rocky was cute pissed but also because Gabby could be a bitch but he reckoned she was about to meet her match and, he had to admit, his ex had busted his balls for so long, he was looking forward to the show.

He swallowed his laughter, successfully fought back a smile, let her go and turned from her to pick up the dirty t-shirt he wore yesterday.

He was straightening when the doorbell went and the tee was yanked from his hand.

His eyes went to Roc. “Sweetcheeks –”

“Nope,” she snapped, turned on her foot and marched out of the room still carrying his tee.

Apparently her point would be made further by Gabby being confronted with a bare-chested Layne.

Layne followed her, eyes to his feet, allowing himself a smile until he hit the stairs and he wiped his expression blank.

He hit the bottom step as Rocky, no longer carrying his tee, which had mysteriously disappeared because Layne couldn’t see it anywhere, opened the door.

Gabby didn’t hesitate even a second before she fired the opening shot. “You didn’t have time to put on clothes?” she snapped, cottoning right on to Rocky’s play.

“It’s Sunday,” Rocky shot back, stepping aside for Gabby to enter. “After you leave, Layne and I are going straight back to bed. I’m not wasting my time getting dressed only for Layne to undress me again.”

Jesus. Below the belt straight off the bat. He knew it but this knowledge was fortified by Gabby’s face getting red at the same time it twisted.

“Well, don’t let me put you out, you can go right back to bed,” Gabby returned, not moving into the apartment. “Anyway, I’d rather you not be here while Tanner and I talk about our sons.”

Direct hit and Rocky’s eyes narrowed when it connected.

“I’m afraid you can’t tell me what to do in my house. You want a private conversation, you act like a normal human being, call Layne at a decent hour, set up a time to meet over coffee and talk like civil people. You want a drama, right here and right now, you’re going to have to act it out with an audience.”

“Suit yourself,” Gabby muttered and her eyes went to Layne who was standing, watching and keeping his mouth shut.

“Get in the apartment,” Rocky demanded when Gabby opened her mouth to address Layne and Gabby’s eyes sliced back to her.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Gabby snapped.

“You are not going to throw your tantrum outside my apartment. Come inside,” Rocky returned.

“I’m not stepping foot in your house,” Gabby retorted.

“You have two seconds to come inside, you don’t, you’ll find the door shut in your face, I’ll call security and they’ll remove you from the premises,” Rocky warned.

“Good,” Gabby hissed, leaning forward. “I’ll tell Jas and Tripp that you had me removed by security and they might not like Saint Rocky so goddamned much anymore.”

“They might not, then again, they might wonder why you’re on my doorstep before seven o’clock forcing a confrontation,” Rocky shot back and Layne’s mouth twitched because his boys loved their mother but they also knew her, Gabby knew that therefore Rocky had Gabby there.

“You think this is funny?” Gabby squealed, taking five quick steps into the house and Rocky closed the door behind her. He’d been looking at Roc, he missed Gabrielle’s eyes coming to him.

“Yep,” Layne replied.

“This is not funny,” Gabby’s voice was rising, indicating she was going to lose what little hold she had on her control and that was never pretty.

This meant Layne was done enjoying the show. “Why are you here?”

“My son got home after two o’clock in the morning,” Gabby answered without hesitation. “I dragged his ass out of bed an hour ago and he told me what happened last night. He did not call and tell me he was going to miss his curfew. He did not call me when he was in trouble. He came home and went to bed like he lives in a fucking hotel and his mother isn’t tossing and turning waiting up for him and worried out of her brain.”

“You’re tellin’ me this because…” Layne prompted.

“I’m tellin’ you this because you should have told me what was happening and if you didn’t, since you were with Jas last night, you should have advised him to share the minute he got home,” Gabrielle returned.

“We had it covered,” Layne replied.

“I’m his mother!” Gabby shouted.

“Jesus, Gabby, keep it down,” Layne ordered.

“Fuck you,” she shot back.

Layne uncrossed his arms and put his hands to his hips. “All right, woman, you’re his mother and he fucked up last night, he had a couple of beers. He let his girl have a couple of beers. He’s seventeen, that shit is gonna happen. I did it, you did it, everyone does it. It wasn’t right but he was bein’ smart, he didn’t get drunk because he was drivin’. But his girl got slipped a mickey and it freaked him out. He cares about her. He didn’t know what to do. So, if I didn’t advise him and he didn’t decide to let you in on that shit, it’s his call. He had enough to deal with considering his girl got drugged against her will on his watch and her stepdad was pretty fuckin’ displeased. If he didn’t feel like puttin’ up with your shit after that, I don’t fuckin’ blame him.”

“He doesn’t get to decide if he gets to put up with my shit, Tanner,” Gabby returned. “I’m his mother, he’s seventeen. You treat him like he’s thirty-five.”

“He’s a smart kid,” Layne replied.

“Yeah, he is, he’s smart but he’s still seventeen. He’s still a kid.” She threw her arms out and her eyes shot fire. “You let them curse, both of them and Tripp’s only fourteen. You think that shit doesn’t leak to my house? Tripp told me straight out you let them cuss!”

Shit, but Tripp sometimes had a big mouth.

Gabby carried on. “And this business with the Youth Group, I don’t know what’s happening with that, all I know is, neither of my sons have found Jesus. It’s not like I haven’t heard people talking about that so it makes me think I should know what they’re doing there because my guess is you’re involved somehow, it’s dangerous and no seventeen and fourteen year old boy should be involved in one of your operations.”

He skirted right around Youth Group, a topic which would make Gabby’s head explode, and he had to admit, rightfully so, and he focused on something that might not. “Gabrielle, they cuss at school, they cuss with their friends, who gives a fuck if they cuss?”

“I do!” she yelled.

“That’s ridiculous,” Layne returned.

“It’s being a good parent, Tanner,” she snapped back.

“Do not go there, Gabby,” Layne warned. “I’m a good Dad.”

She nodded and crossed her arms on her chest. “Oh yeah, yeah you are. The best Dad ever. The coolest Dad in the world. News flash, Tanner, you didn’t have one so let me educate you.” she announced bitingly. “Bein’ a good Dad does not mean bein’ a cool Dad it means bein’ a Dad.”

Layne took two steps toward her and as he did it he watched her brace which he figured was a good call on her part, considering he’d lost patience and didn’t hide it.

“I know my boys, I know what they’re capable of and we communicate. They’re both almost men and they gotta learn how to be good ones,” Layne told her, his voice low, rumbling, he was pissed. “You made it clear from the beginning, even before we got divorced, that we were both in this parent thing on our own. We never agreed, you never compromised. So, you do it your way, I’ll do it my way but since you made that decision, you don’t get to get in my face and tell me to do it your way. I’ll raise my boys as I see fit.”

“Right, so it’s okay they curse, fuck this and shit that, and it’s okay your fourteen year old son is already dating and he can’t even drive and it’s okay that your seventeen year old son is fucking his way through five different high schools. That’s all okay because,” she stepped back and flung an arm toward Rocky, “that’s the kind of man you are and that’s the kind of man you’re teaching them to be.”

“What’s that mean?” Rocky entered the conversation on a hiss.

Gabby swung to her. “You don’t have children, Saint Rocky, so you won’t get this but it is not okay and does not teach good lessons to have Dad banging the high school literature teacher right under their noses.”

Before Layne could speak, Rocky did.

“You know that’s not right,” she whispered but she was whispering in order not to yell.

“I do?” Gabby flung back.

“You know it’s not right,” Rocky repeated.

“You know what’s not right? Someone like you, who has it all, who’s always had it all, taking more. Taking more and more and more,” Gabby snapped, striding to Rocky and Layne moved with her so he was at Rocky’s back. Gabby didn’t even look at him when she stopped two feet from Roc. “You don’t have enough with your clothes and car and mansion, you need my kids too?”

“You don’t care about your kids, Gabrielle,” Rocky said quietly. “You care about Layne.”

Gabrielle’s torso shot back and she pushed out a puff of air. “Please.”

“You want him, you’ve always wanted him,” Rocky replied.

“Had that,” Gabby stated, her mouth a sneer, not glancing at Layne, “got rid of it.”

Layne rolled his eyes to the ceiling but Rocky laughed and it was laughter without humor so he rolled his eyes back to his woman.

“You are so full of it, Gabrielle, completely full of shit,” Rocky said quietly.

“Trust me, honey, you ever stick around long enough to get his ring on your finger, you’ll throw it back too,” Gabby stated.

Layne went still but Rocky went solid.

That didn’t mean Rocky didn’t speak. She did, to say, “Right, so, to get his ring on my finger, what’s your advice, Gabrielle? Should I quit taking birth control and get him drunk?”

“Bitch,” Gabby hissed on a forward lean.

“Oh wait,” Rocky threw down. “I don’t have to get him drunk for him to want to fuck me.”

Fucking hell.

“Women,” Layne growled.

Both ignored him.

“Go to hell,” Gabby snapped.

“See, full of shit,” Rocky went back to her earlier theme.

“What’s full of shit is you bein’ Tripp’s guide to all things girl and you playin’ matchmaker to get Jas what he wants. Yeah, I know, I hear Tripp on the phone, I saw you with Keira Winters at the game and then, poof,” her hand flicked out, “Jasper’s dating the most popular girl in school. Shit, you’ve crawled so far up their asses, it’s a wonder they can walk!” She ended on a shout.

“Tone it down, Gabby,” Layne warned but Rocky spoke over him.

“Um… let me educate you, Gabrielle,” she said. “I’m a teacher, I see it year after year, Keira’s the most popular girl and Jasper’s the most popular boy. That shit happens, the most popular boy and the most popular girl hooking up. It was going to happen one way or another but, just so you know, I didn’t work Keira, Keira worked Jas.”

“Right, Keira hasn’t been to my house for dinner,” Gabrielle retorted.

“Then ask her,” Rocky shot back.

“This is goin’ nowhere,” Layne cut in and his eyes locked on Gabby. “And this is not cool. You said your piece and, as usual, we don’t agree. Now we move on.”

“Oh no, no we don’t,” Gabby told him, her eyes still shooting fire and he knew, from experience, by the look on her face, she was about to step way over the line. And she did. “You want to know what isn’t cool? What isn’t cool is you two teamin’ up to take away the only things I got left, my boys. And what’s also not cool is you,” she jabbed a finger at Layne, “lettin’ them do what they damn well want to do whenever they want to do it. I leave here only if we have an agreement and that’s gonna be that she,” she jabbed her finger at Rocky, “doesn’t stay at your house when the boys are there and you,” she jabbed her finger again at Layne, “learn how to suck it up and be a decent father!”

Layne clenched his teeth and started counting to ten even though he knew that didn’t work, he had to try something so he didn’t lay his hands on the mother of his children.

Rocky didn’t count to ten.

She marched to the door, opened it and ordered, “Get out.”

“No way, Saint Rocky, you wanted me in, the drama happens here,” Gabrielle retorted, pointing to the floor at her feet.

“Get out,” Rocky repeated.

“You horned your way in on this discussion, you see it out,” Gabby retorted.

“I didn’t horn my way into anything, Gabrielle, this is my living room!” Rocky’s voice was close to a shout.

“Enough,” Layne clipped and both women’s eyes came to him but his eyes were on Gabrielle. “I’ve put up with your shit for a long time, penance for fuckin’ up with my boys, but that’s done. I’m warnin’ you right now, Gabby, that’s done. You fucked up and I straightened your shit out. I’ll remind you of somethin’ you forgot and it sucks I gotta throw it in your face, I wanted to avoid that but you forced my hand, but woman, you no longer have the high ground. You obviously didn’t pay even a little attention to me the last time we talked so you’ve again made a choice, the wrong one, but it’s your choice.”

He moved into her space, looked down at her and dropped his voice.

“You do not tell me how to raise my boys. You do not tell me when my woman can sleep in my bed. You do not bring drama to my doorstep or her doorstep at six forty-five in the morning or at any time. You get your support payments and we share sons. You exist for me only as their mother and that’s it. The bridge has been smoldering a long time, woman, but you just burned it to the ground. We… are… done.”

“That’s not going to work,” she shot back, leaning in and getting up on her toes to get in his face. “I know you hate it Tanner, but I’m their mother and you don’t have a choice but to deal with me.”

“Jas is in college next year, Tripp’s three years behind him. They’re nearly gone, Gabby, it’s gonna work because I’m gonna make it work.”

“Then we’ll see what the court has to say about you fucking Saint Rocky with the boys in the house,” she returned.

“Yeah, they’ll probably not like that, you know, a single man havin’ a girlfriend. They probably never heard of that. But, a single woman havin’ a live-in boyfriend who’s also an enforcer for a loan shark, they’ll like that, you reckon?”

Her face paled, she’d made a faulty play, she knew it then, she knew he had her but Gabby, being Gabby, didn’t give it to him. She went into stare down. She wasn’t as good at it as Rocky mainly because she did it with her face twisted and bitter instead of full of adorable attitude. It wasn’t nice to look at and it wasn’t fun at all.

Layne stepped back, ready to move things on but Rocky spoke and she did it softly.

“It’s almost sad,” she said and Gabby’s eyes and body swung to face her, “how much you want him and what lengths you’ll go to for his attention.”

And Rocky sounded sad, she looked it too, her eyes were no longer flashing, they were filled with understanding.

But Layne didn’t process that mainly because his gut squeezed and his eyes moved to Gabby whose face had lost all of its color and she looked like she’d been struck.

Jasper had said it but Layne hadn’t really heard it.

I see the way she looks at you, it’s the way Mom always looks at you when you don’t know she’s lookin’, but it’s more.

Jesus fucking Christ. It was Jarrod Astley, Gabby-style.

“Gabby,” he murmured and her gaze shot to him then over his shoulder.

“Screw you,” she whispered to his shoulder then turned to Rocky. “Screw you too.” She walked to the door, stopped, turned back and swept them both with a glance that didn’t really connect with either one of them. “You have it all, do what you want, you always had it all and did what you wanted. I should have known that would never change.”

“You think that, Gabby, you haven’t been payin’ attention,” Layne said quietly as he moved to stand behind Rocky.

Gabby looked at him then her eyes moved to Rocky then down them both then back to Layne.

“Screw you,” she repeated, turned, walked out the door and disappeared down the stairs.

Rocky threw the door to and turned to look up at Layne.

“Last Sunday started a whole lot better,” she noted.

Layne looked into her eyes a beat that led into two.

Then he burst out laughing.

Rocky pressed into him, her hand going over his mouth, hissing, “Layne, she might hear you!”

“Don’t care,” Layne said from under her hand.

“I do, it’s mean!”

One of Layne’s arms went to span her waist, the other hand went to her wrist and he pulled hers away from his mouth and down then he pressed it against his chest.

“Live by the sword, die by the sword,” he muttered.

“She’s mother to your sons.”

“She’s a bitch.”

“Layne!”

“What?”

She stared at him then shook her head but didn’t answer.

It was, again, time to move on.

“All right, sweetcheeks, my guess is, we got about ten minutes before the next trauma. We can brush our teeth, make coffee and barricade the door with your couch or we can go back to bed. Your choice.”

“Can I suggest an alternate scenario where we barricade the door, start the coffee, go back to bed then brush our teeth and have a cup of joe?”

“That’ll take more than ten minutes.”

Her eyebrows went up, her body pressed closer and her arm wound around his waist. “Are you saying you aren’t up for the challenge?”

He dropped his head so his face was close to hers and whispered, “No, I’m sayin’ I’m hungry and I don’t like to be rushed when I eat.”

Her body melted full into his but it did this while she shivered.

“Bed it is, then,” she whispered back.

Layne grinned.

“Uh… Layne?” Rocky called hesitantly. She was sitting next to him while he drove her Mercedes, which, even though Astley got it for her, Layne had to admit was a sweet ride.

“Yeah, sweetcheeks,” Layne answered.

The next trauma hadn’t happened. In fact, he’d enjoyed Rocky, Rocky had enjoyed him, then she’d walked downstairs to start coffee, came back upstairs and joined him in the shower, they both enjoyed that then he sat on the counter in her kitchen while she made poached eggs on toast and hash browns and he kept sitting there, beside Rocky, when they ate poached eggs on toast and hash browns. Then Rocky had taken approximately half a year to blow out her hair and put on makeup while Layne called a variety of people to check on a variety of things and then they headed to his office.

He’d been unable to outfit her with a panic button the day before and he’d learned from Dave that Ernie was on duty listening to the bugs. He figured he should take his turn even though he wanted to do this about as much as he wanted to endure water torture but he might as well do it with Rocky hanging with him part of the time. She was going grocery shopping and had a few places to target for silent auction items for the charity gig but in between times she was going to hit the office. She’d be able to get him Mimi’s and lunch and he was pretty sure he could make out with her on his couch and still pay enough attention to the bugs to hear if anything was going down.

Though, the last part, he was only pretty sure about.

“Um… I’m not entirely certain how to say this,” she cut into his thoughts, still talking hesitantly. “But, I guess we’d get to this point eventually since you do have two sons and it would seem I’m going to be in your life for awhile.”

Layne didn’t know where she was heading with this but he still grinned at the windscreen and muttered, “Yeah, baby, you’re gonna be in my life for awhile.”

She was silent a moment then she said, “Okay, well then, um… she could have chosen a more diplomatic way to make her point but her point was valid.”

Layne was confused, therefore he asked, “Come again?”

“Gabrielle.”

Oh shit.

“Rocky –”

“Okay,” she said swiftly and he knew she’d turned to face him and a glance in her direction proved this true, “I’m in your life and they’re your sons so they’re in my life but that said, most of the time, promise, sweetheart, I won’t wade in unless you want me to but this time, I mean, I’ve seen Gabrielle around a lot over the years, with the boys, and it seems to me she’s a good Mom. Being a good Mom, regardless if Jasper is a boy or not, she probably worried about him last night just as much as Vi and Cal did about Keira. I know you’re a man and he’s your son, a boy, and you know how boys are so you won’t get this but I know she worried and,” she sucked in an audible breath, “you should have phoned her to let her know he was all right.”

“Sorry, were you not there a couple hours ago?” Layne asked.

“Yes, but –”

Layne talked over her. “I try to avoid communication with Gabrielle.”

“Well, I can see that too, but –”

“She’s a bitch.”

“Um… yes, but –”

Layne turned on Main and lucked out, in Rocky’s Mercedes, with a double spot open in front of the office, he could pull right in rather than needing to use all of his attention to steer the Suburban behemoth.

Therefore he was able to continue talking over Rocky as he parked. “She isn’t a bitch to the boys but she’s a hard Mom, she’s strict, she’s in their business, I’m not down with that.” He put the car in neutral, set the parking brake, switched off the ignition and turned to face Rocky. “That’s her choice. We discussed it when they were young, we discussed it throughout the time I was away and we’ve discussed it when I came back. That wasn’t the first conversation I’ve had like that with her, Roc, but it was the last.”

Rocky looked directly into his eyes but she spoke quietly when she asked, “Do you at least see where I’m coming from?”

“Yeah, I see where you’re comin’ from. You’re the woman who got up without a word, without a judgment, got in the car and went with me to take care of my boy. You’re the woman I saw grab hold of Jas’s hand last night when he was freaked and pissed and his girl was passed out in his car and he was gearin’ up to face Joe Callahan. You think Gabby would do any of that shit?”

“Um –”

“No, she wouldn’t. She’d lose it. That’s why Jas called me. That is also why he avoided her last night and went to bed.”

“But, Layne, he shouldn’t be underage drinking.”

“You did,” Layne returned and he knew she did, she didn’t do it with him, but she called him twice when she was out with friends and got hammered. He’d come to pick her and her girls up to take them home.

“It wasn’t right when I did it either,” she replied softly.

“So, I get in his face about it, next time he fucks up, and there’ll be a next time, Roc, he didn’t like the consequences of him mannin’ up and callin’ me, he goes it alone. Like Gabby said, he’s seventeen, he didn’t know what to do last night, what happens when he doesn’t know what to do but he feels compelled to go it alone because he doesn’t wanna put up with the grief he’ll get by comin’ forward and bein’ honest?”

As he spoke, Rocky’s face changed and when he was done, she whispered, “I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

Layne reached out a hand and curled it around her neck, leaning forward as he pulled her to him.

When they were close, he said gently, “I tried the lecture gig with Jas, it doesn’t go over as in, it doesn’t go over at all. He’s a learn by doin’ type of kid and he’ll make mistakes. My only hope is, he fucks up royally, he’ll call me in for guidance. Last night he fucked up, not royally, but he called me in for guidance. It was the right thing to do.” She nodded and he squeezed her neck. “And Gabby earned what she got last night. That’s the kind of parent she wanted to be, that’s what she gets. She’s too hard on ‘em. That’s my opinion. I can’t say it hasn’t worked because they’re good kids. I can say I don’t agree with all the ways she goes about it. We never found a middle ground, I was willin’ to give, she was not. This is what’s left of that.”

“Okay,” Rocky whispered.

“Somethin’ else, sweetcheeks,” Layne went on.

“What?” She was still whispering.

“You’re in my life, I’m in yours. I come with them. You wanna talk to me about them, about my decisions regarding my boys, about anything, you don’t hesitate. You got somethin’ to say to them, you say it. If I don’t agree, we’ll talk about it later. But this is your life now and I think you know, bein’ a teacher, when it comes to kids, you can’t hesitate.”

Her eyes went intense as her lids lowered, her mouth softened and she leaned in, veering to the side, she kissed his jaw.

Then she shifted her lips to his ear and said, “All right, sweetheart.”

His hand flexed on her neck and then slid up into her hair.

“Sweet kiss, baby, but it’s not enough,” he muttered.

Her lips moved and she kissed his cheek.

“Enough?” she said this with her lips moving against his skin.

“Nope.”

She moved again and her lips brushed his, her eyes looking into his, she repeated, “Enough?”

“Quit fuckin’ around, Roc,” he ordered.

He watched up close as her eyes smiled.

Then they closed.

Then her head tilted.

Then she gave him more than enough.

Layne had his feet up on the desk. He was eating the reuben Rocky bought him, his mouth over a square Styrofoam container held up almost to his chin.

Rocky was sitting on his desk, dipping a curly fry into ketchup next to her half-eaten French dip. They were listening to nothing but Layne hadn’t heard only nothing. Layne had heard a showdown between Towers and Jeremy. Jeremy had won, talking Towers down, earning a few more days to swing Giselle around. Clearly, they’d motivated him appropriately the day before, he’d handled it like a pro. Then both of them had left and now silence.

Rocky had been in and out twice. After he spelled Ernie, she’d gone to get him a Mimi’s, hung out with him awhile and then she’d headed out to hit the jewelry store on Main for a donation (and scored herself a gold and amethyst bracelet, it wasn’t fit for a queen but it wasn’t shabby either). Then she’d gone grocery shopping, taken it back to her apartment and come back with lunch.

“When does Spike come to relieve you?” she asked, popping the fry into her mouth.

“Three,” Layne answered.

She moved her Styrofoam container from one hand to the other and looked at her watch. Then her nose scrunched.

“That’s nearly two hours away,” she muttered, picking up her sandwich and shoving it into her little plastic container of au jus. “I’ve never done it but I’m pretty certain watching paint dry is more interesting. At least it changes colors. So, maybe it just darkens a shade but that’s something.”

Layne grinned at his reuben.

“Told you this investigation shit is mostly boring,” Layne muttered back, her eyes slid to him and he took a huge bite of one of many of Frank’s Restaurant’s freaking fantastic sandwiches and watched his woman smile.

Layne’s phone rang, her eyes dropped to it on his desk and then narrowed.

“Cal,” she whispered as Layne pulled his feet from the desk and reached for the phone.

He flipped it open and put it to his ear. “Yo, Cal.”

“You at a place where you can move quick?”

Layne’s back went straight.

“Maybe, why?”

“’Cause Keira just came shooting out of her bedroom. Even though she’s grounded and Vi told her no phone calls or texts for a week, she found a way to take one from Jasper. Apparently, he’s been on a mission today. He found out what happened last night and he’s meanin’ to do somethin’ about it.”

Oh fuck.

Layne put his lunch down and stood, reaching for his jacket. “She tell you what he found out?”

“Yep. He heard from someone who witnessed it that Keirry took a shot from a kid named Tyler Berger. Keira says she doesn’t remember it but if she did it that was the only drink she had that Jasper himself didn’t hand her. Jasper learned she took it after usin’ the bathroom right before they were gonna leave so the timing fits. According to Keira, Jasper is not a big fan of Tyler Berger mainly because, while he was playin’ it cool and textin’ her, Tyler asked Keira out. She didn’t go but this made Tyler pretty fuckin’ unpopular to Jasper. Jasper told Keirry that he reckons this kid slipped her the drug and he’s itchin’ for payback for last night and for Tyler tryin’ to move on his territory. That said, Keira says Tyler’s a slimeball and she doesn’t put this shit passed him. She says his parents are out of town and it was his party they were at last night. Jasper is headin’ that way and so am I.”

He had his jacket on and his eyes glued to Rocky. “Where is it?”

“The Heritage. Don’t have the house number but Keira says it’s the second left in the development, at the end of the street. I figure I’ll see Jasper’s Charger parked out front.”

“I’ll be there in ten,” Layne stated.

“Good, I’ll be there in five, I’ll deal with what I find and you take it from there,” Cal replied.

“He was pissed, Cal, and he’s protective. What you find may be messy,” Layne warned.

“Yeah, why’d you think I went easy on him last night? He was more torn up about what happened to Keirry than Vi and I were, and, man, I gotta tell you, your girl gets slipped a date rape drug, it tears you up. But, Keira is on a mission to live her high school years to their fullest and is definitely not immune to fucking up as in taking a shot from a known slimeball and downin’ it.”

This was not in doubt, the Layne family had learned Keira was a nut and it was further indication his son was just like his old man.

“I hear you, brother, but I’m on duty in the office. I gotta brief Roc before I leave so she can take over. I gotta go,” Layne replied.

“Gotcha, see you in ten,” Cal said and Layne heard the disconnect.

His eyes were still on Rocky so he spoke. “Jasper found out who slipped Keira the drug, he’s bearin’ down on him now, Cal’s five minutes out, I gotta get to my boy.”

“Go, baby,” she whispered.

“You take notes you hear anything important, see the numbers on the screen?” he asked, she glanced at the screen and nodded, “Write down timings. I can scroll back and listen. You hear something big, something that freaks you, you take note of the time and call Merry then you call me. Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, “Go.”

He leaned in quickly to kiss her forehead that she helpfully tipped back for him and he took off.

Jasper’s Charger and Cal’s truck were in front of an enormous house that took up the entirety of a secluded cul de sac at the end of a street on The Heritage. The house was set back from the road and surrounded by trees. Its front yard was also littered with cans, bottles, chip bags and used plastic cups.

Layne parked behind Cal’s truck and jogged to the front door which was partially ajar. He slipped through and saw the house was like the yard, except a lot worse. The place was a disaster and it smelled like vomit and stale beer. And there wasn’t one keg in the wide entryway, there were three.

He heard the voices from upstairs, Jasper’s pissed, Cal’s a murmur, another boy’s sounding scared.

Layne took the stairs two at a time, moved down the hall and walked into a bedroom that was a mess, not from the party, but from a teenaged kid living in it. And it was enormous. It had a queen-sized bed, heavy, expensive furniture and it was stuffed full of everything a kid could want. State-of-the-art stereo, computer, TV, PS3, shelves full of DVDs, CDs and games, handheld video games, digital picture frames, expensive cell phone and an MP3 player scattering the surface of the desk and chest of drawers, tangles of clothes everywhere.

All three pairs of eyes came to him when he entered the room and Layne saw Cal had Jasper held back with a hand in his chest, Jasper was keeping it in check but that didn’t mean he wasn’t straining. Another boy, three inches shorter and definitely slighter than his son, his hair a sandy blond mop on his head, a bedhead, Layne had no doubt when he primped it was styled passed Tripp’s best efforts, had pressed himself against a wall. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin was gray because he was hungover. His lower lip was already swelling fat and a trickle of blood was seeping from his nose because Jasper had time to get a few in before Cal arrived.

Layne’s eyes went to his son. “You cool?”

“No,” Jasper bit out, his eyes never leaving the other kid.

Layne looked at Cal and Cal shook his head.

Layne looked back to Jas. “Stand down,” he said low.

“Slipped it to her, Dad,” Jasper growled, his gaze piercing the other boy.

“Stand down,” Layne repeated.

“Drugged her, drugged my babe, made her pass out. I wasn’t there –”

Layne got close to his son as Jasper spoke and demanded quietly, “Jasper, cool it.”

Jasper scowled at Tyler Berger and he did this for awhile as everyone waited, tense. Then he took a step back from Cal’s hand and Layne watched him force his body to relax.

Cal studied Jasper then dropped his hand.

Then Cal looked at Tyler. “You do it?”

Tyler’s frightened eyes went from Jasper to Cal. Then he realized, with two adults in the room, things had changed. One look at his room and Layne knew that Tyler Berger played the adults in his life and he was really good at it.

This was proved true when he jutted out his fat lip and grunted, “No.”

“You did it,” Jasper said softly.

“You see me do it?” Tyler shot back.

“Nope, but Justin did,” Jasper replied.

“Justin’s an asswipe,” Tyler returned.

“Justin’s got no reason to lie,” Jasper retorted.

“Maybe he did it,” Tyler suggested.

“Yeah, right, he did it,” Jasper said sarcastically. “He’s Keirry’s lab partner in Biology, they’re friends. And he’s dating Heather and thinks he’s gonna get in there. You think he’s gonna fuck that up by drugging Heather’s best friend?”

Tyler shrugged.

Layne entered the conversation. “Advise you to come clean, boy.”

Tyler’s eyes came to his and they were belligerent. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Then you better be a whole lot more convincing than you are right now,” Layne told him. “’Cause Cal and me, we can control what happens in this room. We cannot control what happens at school. You get me?”

Tyler straightened and stated, “No. I don’t get you. What I get is that I’m gonna tell my parents that you and him and your kid broke into my house and he hit me and they’re gonna call their lawyers and we’re gonna see if the Great Jasper Layne plays ball for Purdue after my parents’ lawyers get done with him.”

Layne clenched his teeth.

“My future doesn’t hinge on a full ride,” Cal remarked and all eyes went to him.

“What?” Tyler asked when no one spoke.

“Carried my girl to her bed last night. Her boy here says she had three or four beers and she was out. She’s probably a lightweight but she was out. You’re young, you don’t know how a man feels when life proves to him how vulnerable his girl is when she’s not under his watch. Not a good feelin’, boy,” Cal said.

“I’m so sorry for you,” Tyler sneered.

“Thinkin’ you better get smart pretty fuckin’ soon or I’ll make it so you feel a whole lot sorrier,” Cal whispered and Tyler’s eyes widened before he quickly pulled his asshole teenaged kid cloak back into place.

“My parents will hear that too,” he snapped, “you threatening me.”

“Won’t be able to do shit,” Cal returned. “You don’t play this smart, right fuckin’ now, I can guarantee you Jasper is gonna make your days a livin’ hell and I’m gonna make it my mission to make the rest of your life a livin’ hell. Now, do you get me?”

“You can’t threaten me.” Tyler’s voice was rising.

“Sure I can,” Cal replied casually. “Can fuck with you too and you don’t cop to what you did, I will. That’s a promise.”

Tyler looked to the floor, muttering, “This is bullshit.”

“I see you don’t feel like gettin’ smart so we’re done here,” Cal stated, moving to Jasper, putting his hand on his back and starting the both of them toward the door, he finished with, “It’s on.”

Cal and Jasper kept moving but Layne kept his eyes on Tyler as Tyler’s narrowed on Cal. He was scrambling, he knew he was fucked, he just couldn’t find a way out.

So he took the only way out he knew.

“He can’t come in here and hit me and you can’t come in here and threaten me!” Tyler was beginning to shout. “And you can’t fuck with me! My Dad’s CEO of Wyler Pharmaceuticals.”

Cal stopped, turned and looked at him, brows up. “He is? Well, fuck me, that’s impressive.” Cal put his hands to his hips and went on. “It’s impressive but what it isn’t is frightening. What’s he gonna do, come to my house and throw pills at me?”

“Shut up,” Tyler whispered.

“Still not bein’ smart,” Cal muttered, shaking his head.

“Tyler,” Layne called and Tyler’s angry eyes came to Layne. “Do you know what I do?”

Tyler glared at him a beat then jerked his chin up in an affirmative.

“Then you know I’ll follow the trail and I’ll find evidence you had the drug,” Layne stated and Tyler’s face started to pale. “So, you can spend the rest of the day cleanin’ this house but you’re gonna miss somethin’ or, what I saw downstairs, somethin’ was likely damaged or missin’ and my guess is what’s missin’ is the contents of your parents’ liquor cabinet. Your parents are gonna know you threw a party and it’s likely they’re not gonna be happy about it but they’ll probably let it slide because I reckon they let a lot slide with you, considering you’re a punk and a boy isn’t born a punk, he’s made that way.”

“Go to hell,” Tyler whispered, his cheeks getting red.

Layne kept talking. “What I also would guess is, they’re not gonna let it slide when I prove you drugged Keira Winters. They’re not gonna let it slide because Cal isn’t gonna let it slide. I get the evidence, they’ll press charges, and trust me, a punk like you, juvvie isn’t gonna be a whole helluva lot of fun.”

The red bleached out of Tyler’s face, it went white and his mouth dropped slightly open.

Layne kept at him. “They can have a lot of money, hire great lawyers but I’ll tie you so tight to that shit you can’t get loose. And Keira Winters is famous in this ‘burg, I don’t reckon you’ll find a judge who’ll look kindly on you druggin’ a girl whose father and uncle were murdered and whose mother was stalked and kidnapped. I reckon a judge will think Keira Winters has suffered enough in her short life, her mother has too, and I reckon a judge will look at your parents’ expensive attorneys and take in your punk attitude and know you need a lesson. I also reckon he’ll smile when he gets to be the one to give it to you.”

Tyler swallowed.

Layne continued. “So, right now, you got a choice to keep bein’ a punk or man, the fuck, up. Admit what you did, explain why you did it, apologize to Cal and Jasper and we’ll all move on. That’s your choice. You got one second to make it before we move out.”

“I –” Tyler started.

“No joke, Tyler, one second,” Layne warned.

“Coach Cosgrove gave it to me!” Tyler blurted and the entire room went wired.

Everyone was silent for long, tense moments until Layne broke it by asking, “Come again?”

“He gave me a hundred bucks, told me to slip it to Keira and keep her from Jasper,” Tyler told them, his eyes darting between the three males in the room and Layne knew he was giving it to them straight but there was something missing. “It wasn’t even me, really, I just put it in the shot and gave it to her. It was Coach Cosgrove.”

Layne was frozen so when Jasper moved, Layne couldn’t do a thing about it but Cal got hold of him and shoved him back.

“Stay cool,” Cal growled at Jasper and Jasper must have gotten himself under control because Cal turned back to Tyler. “No shit?”

“No shit, freaked me out, he showed at the party about five minutes after they showed,” he pointed at Jasper.

“Tell me exactly what he said,” Layne demanded and Tyler looked at him, his body alert, his mind still scrambling.

“He didn’t say much of anything. He just said give her the drug, keep her away from Jasper and let it play out however it played out. Problem was, she was with Jasper all night and I couldn’t get to her. I didn’t know they were leaving when I gave it to her. No one has a midnight curfew, that’s crazy,” Tyler replied.

Layne felt Cal’s eyes on him but he didn’t take his from Tyler. “So, you’re tellin’ me the coach of the football team was settin’ Keira Winters up to get hurt.”

“I don’t know what he wanted. Just know what he said,” Tyler answered then continued. “She sticks to him like glue,” his eyes slid to Jasper, he couldn’t hide the jealousy, it was stark on his face, then they slid back to Layne, “couldn’t keep her from him after she took the shot so she went funny when she was with him.” That jealousy took hold and his voice took on the thread of a whine when he went on. “Then he picks her up like he’s in some stupid, romance movie, carries her to his car while all the girls watch like he’s some kind of fuckin’ movie star and then they were gone, there was nothing I could do.”

“Cosgrove come back?” Layne asked.

“No,” Tyler answered.

“You didn’t see him at all?” Layne pressed.

“No, not at all,” Tyler replied.

“Has he called you?” Layne pushed.

“No, nothing, haven’t seen or heard from him at all,” Tyler said.

“That doesn’t make sense, Tyler,” Layne noted, the kid was hiding something.

Tyler jutted up his chin, digging in. “Well that’s what happened.”

Layne studied him a beat then asked, “How old are you?”

“Seventeen,” Tyler answered.

Shit, as Layne suspected, he was underage.

“When do your parents get home?” Layne went on.

“Tonight,” Tyler replied.

“Where are they?”

“Chicago, Mom’s shoppin’, Dad’s got some conference,” Tyler told him.

“On the phone,” Layne ordered, walking to the kid’s desk and tagging his cell phone. “Tell them they’re coming home now.” He turned and tossed the phone to Tyler who fumbled and dropped it.

Tyler squatted to the phone but his head was tipped back to stare at Layne. “What? Why?” His voice was shrill.

“Because I’m callin’ the cops and they can’t talk to you unless a parent or guardian is present,” Layne explained. “And I reckon it’ll be better for you to call them now than wait and have the cops call them and tell them they’ve got you at the Station.”

Tyler nabbed his phone and straightened like a shot. “But you said –”

“I thought you were fuckin’ around. I didn’t know Cosgrove was involved.”

“But I can’t –” Tyler tried.

“You can and you will,” Layne demanded.

“I can’t! Everyone will know! Coach Cosgrove will be pissed!” He was freaked right the fuck out.

Definitely hiding something.

“All right, this has escaped you but this is not about you anymore. This is about Cosgrove. You owned up to it, got smart and you were honest. You fucked up. You took a coupla hits and manned up. Now, if you keep your shit together and cooperate, it’ll look good for you. You go back to bein’ a punk, this time a sissy punk, it won’t look so good and you’re in that hole you were in five minutes ago with Jas and Cal both happy to ride your ass until you beg for mercy and me workin’ with all I got to make you pay for what you did to Keira. Again, kid, you got a choice. Make it but make it now,” Layne ordered.

Tyler stared at him.

Then he asked, “I won’t get in trouble?”

“Can’t tell the future,” Layne replied. “Your folks’ll probably be pissed. Girls and their parents know you aren’t afraid of usin’ a date rape drug, you won’t get a date until you go to college. As for the cops, you cooperate, they might feel generous.”

Tyler hesitated so Cal entered the conversation.

“Best deal you’re gonna get, boy,” he growled.

“God!” Tyler, backed into a corner, for once in his life without his Daddy’s money or hotshot CEO bluster to hide behind to keep him safe, exclaimed, “This is jacked up!”

“Yeah, it is,” Jasper told him. “It’s totally jacked, Tyler. So, maybe, take a second to think about this shit and do right, you freakin’ moron.”

Cal cut his eyes to Layne and Layne watched his friend’s lips twitch while he pressed his own together.

Then Layne looked to Tyler. “What’s it gonna be?”

Tyler stared at him again then his eyes did a sweep of Cal and Jasper.

Then he flipped open his phone, pressed a few buttons, put it to his ear and after a few beats, said, “Mom?”

Colt and Sully left the interrogation room, both their jaws tight, their faces hard.

They left behind Tyler Berger and his father Travis. Travis Berger was probably an inch shorter than Layne but no less fit. But whereas Layne worked at being lean and strong, Travis Berger worked at bulk and intimidation. The man was a brute in a suit and his son was definitely a Mama’s Boy. Layne reckoned Tyler got to be a punk because Dad worked long hours, Mom was a pushover and Dad wasn’t all that thrilled with the results of his inattention but his priorities were fucked. One look at those two and it was evident that career was definitely more important than family. Watching them for half an hour, it wasn’t only evident, it was definite. Travis Berger barely knew his boy and what he knew he didn’t like much.

Cal and Layne were both in the observation room and the air was thick and volatile. They’d watched Colt and Sully work the kid and they’d done it in silence. The silence was because even a word could spark the invisible fuse in the room and when it did, that fuse was short and, once lit, the room would explode.

Travis had let Colt and Sully go all out on his boy, he hadn’t intervened once. He was now standing in the corner, staring down his nose at his son, legs planted wide, arms crossed on his barrel chest, face a mask of pissed way the fuck off.

The door barely closed on Sully when Travis spoke. “What’d I say?”

Layne watched Tyler stare at the table in front of him but he whispered, “Dad –”

“Three strikes,” Travis cut him off. “I told you after you kept fuckin’ around and didn’t listen to me, you had three strikes left. Now, one was that pot I found in your room two weeks ago. Two was that fuckin’ party and I saw your Mom’s Royal Doulton smashed, Ty. To bits. She loves that shit. God knows what other damage was done. I work hard, Ty, I work fuckin’ hard to give you and your Mom nice things, I go away for work and come home and I get this?” He sucked in breath, his face twisted with rage, gearing up for the worst part and he continued. “And three is you drugging Joe fuckin’ Callahan’s daughter in order to get in her pants.”

Layne had been right. Tyler had been hiding something and what he’d been hiding was that Cosgrove gave him the drug to frame Jasper. He was supposed to give it to Keira, lead her away, get her in a compromising position, “find her” and tell everyone, including the cops, he saw Jas do it. Considering he’d given her Rohypnol, even Keira wouldn’t have known who slipped her the drug or what happened to her because she wouldn’t have remembered. Jasper would have been fucked, his future ruined, his reputation destroyed and he’d lose his girl.

Cosgrove didn’t go so far as to tell Tyler to compromise Keira, just to remove her shirt and undo her jeans. Under not-so-delicate pressure from Colt and we’re-all-men-we-get-it bullshitting from Sully, Tyler had given up that he felt this was a golden opportunity he wasn’t going to pass up. His intention was to take advantage of Keira who he suggested, lamely and by no means convincing anyone in that room, had a thing for him.

What he didn’t plan on was that Jasper and Keira were as tight as they were and Keira wasn’t big on leaving her boy’s side so she didn’t except to go to the bathroom and, on the way back, accept an ill-advised shot after which she wasted no time in getting back to her boyfriend. He also didn’t plan on Jasper turning the tables and enhancing his reputation by publicly taking care of his girl.

The door opened and Sully and Colt walked in but Cal and Layne didn’t move, Cal probably couldn’t move for fear he’d commit murder.

Tyler’s head came up, “But Dad –”

Travis Berger leaned forward and roared, “Shut the fuck up! Jesus Christ, whose kid are you?” Tyler blanched and Travis threw his hands out then clenched them in fists. “You drugged a girl for fuck’s sake! Who does that?”

“Dad, Coach Cosgrove said –”

“I don’t give a fuck what that twat said. Jesus, Ty, Jesus, the man beats his wife and kid. Jesus. You see a man like that, that man hands you an illegal substance, you call the fuckin’ cops, you do not take direction from him! Fuckin’ shit.” Travis shook his head but his eyes didn’t leave his son. “Jesus fuckin’ shit. What do I even do with you? I gotta deal with you and I don’t even wanna look at you.”

Tyler’s face crumpled and Layne knew he was going to cry. He didn’t need to see that shit so he forced his eyes away, reached out to flip the switch to shut off the audio and looked at Colt.

“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” he asked and Colt nodded.

“Yeah, man, but you don’t know what I know,” Colt replied and Layne felt Cal move to position himself at Layne’s side.

“What do you know?” Cal growled and Colt and Sully looked at him.

“Hendrick’s County Hospital had seven admissions last night, six females, one male. All unconscious or incoherent on admission for reasons unknown until the test results came back and all of them had been roofied. Last, all of them had been drinkin’ at J&J’s Saloon,” Sully answered.

Layne shook his head. Cal planted his fists on his hips.

“Was Cosgrove seen at J&J’s?” Cal asked.

“Yep, Cheryl clocked him, pointed him out to Darryl and Darryl showed him the door. That said, it was Saturday, it was a madhouse as usual and Cheryl, Morrie, who was also on, nor Darryl know how long he was there before Darryl chucked his ass out,” Colt answered.

“So, Cosgrove is metin’ out payback. I confronted him, Cal’s providin’ safe harbor for his wife and kid and you’re both sittin’ sentry, that the play?” Layne asked but he knew, that fucking dick, he knew.

“That’s my guess,” Colt replied.

“Goes without sayin’, I want his ass in a cell,” Cal snarled.

“Goes without sayin’,” Colt agreed.

“Also goes without sayin’ I want that punk-ass piece of shit in that room to face some serious as fuck consequences,” Cal went on, jerking a finger to the observation window.

“Goes without sayin’,” Colt repeated.

“Good news on that is, it’s pretty clear his Dad’s feelin’ much the same way,” Sully murmured.

“No, Sully, he’s not. He’s not feelin’ the same thing I’m feelin’ right… fuckin’… now.” Cal’s voice was a scary whisper.

“I get you, man,” Sully whispered back but his whisper was conciliatory. “I’m just sayin’ you won’t have a battle on your hands on top of all this shit. He’s not gonna fight his son’s side ‘cause he knows his son doesn’t have a side. He didn’t step in once when we were questioning him. He’s gonna let that boy swing.”

Cal was silent and so was the rest of the room, everyone stuck with pretty fucking unhappy thoughts.

Sully broke the silence. “Got shit to do. A bulletin to put out. Bar patrons to interview. Shit like that. Am I gonna be able to get down to that or am I gonna get a busted lip and split knuckles losin’ my fight to lock down you three badasses?”

Layne and Colt instantly relaxed, Colt’s lips even formed a small smile.

Cal didn’t think anything was funny. Then again, Cal’s stepdaughter narrowly missed getting raped the night before. It was going to take awhile before Joe Callahan cracked a smile.

“We’re good, Sul, do your work,” Colt muttered, Sully studied Cal, must have read what he wanted to read, he nodded and walked out.

Cal turned to Layne. “You straight with your kid?”

“Yep,” Layne answered.

“You gonna share that shit?” he jerked a thumb at the observation window.

“Not sure about that,” Layne replied because he wasn’t sure. He shared what Tyler Berger and Adrian Cosgrove had planned, Jasper would be uncontrollable. He knew it because that shit happened to Layne, he’d be uncontrollable.

Cal nodded. “I’ll talk to Vi. Keira’s not only supposed to be off her phone but she’s also grounded until next Monday, no studyin’ at Jasper’s house, no visits from Jasper, no dates. I’m thinkin’ after what went down last night, it wouldn’t be good to keep her from Jasper or Jasper from her. I’ll talk Violet into lettin’ Jasper come over.”

Translation: I’ve been reminded my girl is vulnerable and it’s been proved your boy has her back so he’s just been recruited to keep having her back indefinitely.

“Be appreciated,” Layne murmured.

Cal nodded and walked to the door. Before he opened it, he turned back.

“Lotta boys would do different, they got a hot, unconscious piece in their car. Lotta boys wouldn’t even bother takin’ her to their car much less makin’ sure she’s safe.”

“Jasper’s not a lotta boys,” Layne replied.

Cal held Layne’s eyes. Then he nodded. Then he left.

“You gotta be all kinds of stupid to fuck with Joe Callahan.” Layne heard Colt mutter and he looked to him to see Colt staring into the interrogation room.

“He’s seventeen, Colt, his brain is in his dick and you’ve seen Keira. That kid had no shot and he’s not used to not havin’ what he wants and he’s got no qualms about doin’ whatever he feels like doin’ to get what he wants. Cosgrove knows this kid. Cosgrove knew exactly what he was doin’. And Cosgrove’s convinced himself after spendin’ years cowing his wife and son that his balls are big enough he could take on a badass like Joe Callahan. Bad luck that Tyler threw that party and Jasper and Keira gave him his shot.”

Colt turned to Layne. “You gotta be all kinds a stupid to fuck with Cal but Cal’s retribution would be swift and painful. Yours, man, slow and lasting.” When Layne’s eyes met his friend’s, Colt finished, “What I’m sayin’ is, you’re standin’ here, so I’m guessin’ you’re takin’ this a lot better than I expected.”

“I started my day with Gabby in my face, spent most the rest of it listenin’ to the masterminds behind a child prostitution ring havin’ a twenty minute conversation and then a lot of nothin’. I got a good kid and he made the right decisions last night which means right now we’re dealin’ with justice not tragedy. I’m feelin’ pretty good about that and I’ve gotta hold onto the good because fuck knows what’s gonna hit next.”

Colt grinned. “What’s next is, it all eventually goes away and you’re left with wakin’ up next to Raquel Merrick every day and goin’ to sleep next to her every night.”

Layne grinned back. “Yeah, that’s the plan, except she was there when Gabby came over to throw down this morning and Rocky wasn’t down with that. First time in two decades, brother, I took a moment to reflect on what it would be like to have a shy, retirin’ woman sharin’ my bed.”

“How long’d that moment last?” Colt asked.

“About a nanosecond,” Layne answered.

Colt’s grin got wider as he laughed softly.

Then Colt quit laughing and his face got serious. “I had shy and retiring. Trust me, brother, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”

Layne wasn’t around when Colt was married to Melanie Seivers, who was painfully shy and retiring, but his mother was and the tragic, lost love of Alexander Colton and February Owens was ‘burg lore. That meant Vera Layne and her cronies had spent a lot of time chewing over the fact that Alec Colton and Melanie Seivers were not a match made in heaven. Layne knew this because Vera knew Colt was a friend and she repeatedly shared her cronies’ conclusions. No one was surprised by Colt and Melanie’s divorce. And no one was surprised when Colt hooked back up with February, a woman who was not shy and retiring by any stretch of the imagination.

“So you got yours, I got mine, what the fuck are we standin’ in a little room for?” Layne asked.

Colt’s grin came back. “Fuck if I know.”

“You got anything to brief me about that other shit?” Layne asked, moving toward the door.

“Nope,” Colt answered, following him and they stopped. “Same as this mornin’. We talked to IMPD and they know all about Nicolette Towers. What they don’t know is where she keeps her stable. We have boys on her tail at all times and she’s steerin’ clear of that location and Rutledge is steerin’ clear of her. He doesn’t leave the ‘burg and he’s been nowhere near her. We’ve clocked her with some of her muscle so we’re puttin’ names and faces to her crew but she’s not leadin’ us to her girls and neither are they.”

“She know she’s been made?” Layne asked even though she gave no indication of that during her conversation with Jeremy that day.

“Nope,” Colt shook his head. “Rutledge doesn’t either considering he visited a known prostitute last night, took his twenty minutes, got his blowjob and went.”

“Got a source that says she’s hands on,” Layne told him.

“Don’t know what to say, Tanner. We can pull her in on identity theft and hold Jeremy Goulding over her but she’s gonna have to roll over we do that and what I’ve read and what IMPD know, this bitch is made of steel. We’re not gonna break her. We need evidence. You said your man didn’t find the photo shoot photos at her apartment?”

“Dev found nothing. He had a good amount of time to look and it was clean so he planted the bugs and got out.”

“Even if he found ‘em, not against the law to take pictures of teenaged girls. It’s not cool but we got nothin’ messy to stick to her.”

“Jeremy bought us a few more days,” Layne told him. “Heard it when I was listenin’ this morning.”

“Well, let’s hope she fucks up before he cracks. Read up on him too. Small time con, not too bright, stupid recruit for her but maybe not, since she’s made him nearly the sole face of this shit so he’s also the perfect fall guy. It’s a miracle he hasn’t disintegrated before now.”

That was precisely what Layne was worried about.

Colt’s voice dropped lower. “This shit moves a lot faster, your source comes out in the open.”

“I told you, I told Merry, that can’t happen,” Layne replied just as low.

“Tanner –”

“We still have no evidence, we don’t have the location of her stable, we don’t have a lock on her army and we don’t have anything to connect her to Rutledge except the word of a small time con and whatever the fuck Ryker is and Ryker only saw Rutledge visit the apartment once. My girl would be swinging in the wind and, trust me, brother, you’d never hold Towers on the word of my source and without any evidence, she wouldn’t even go to trial. We need patience.”

“We don’t need patience, Tanner, we need time and I’m guessin’ a coupla days isn’t gonna get us shit. Goulding is gonna cave and she’s gonna bolt.”

“You got any bright ideas?” Layne asked.

“Only one I got is not bright, it makes my teeth hurt and leaves a bad taste in my mouth,” Colt answered.

“Set up one of the girls,” Layne muttered.

“Not gonna happen,” Colt muttered back.

They shared unhappy silence until Layne broke it. “Patience.”

“Prayer,” Colt returned. “They used God, let’s hope He feels motivated to lend us a hand.”

“I’ll get Vera on that,” Layne offered.

“Yeah,” Colt replied, one side of his mouth up in half a grin.

Layne opened the door and walked out.

Colt followed.

Layne nodded to men he knew as he walked through the bullpen on his way to the backstairs. He pulled out his cell as he jogged down the stairs and was out the door and nearing the Mercedes when Rocky picked up his call.

“Hey sweetheart,” she answered.

“Hey baby, where are you?”

She’d called and told him that Spike had relieved her, she’d gone down to Mimi’s, ran into Feb and since she was rideless and Layne was busy, she and Feb were going to hang.

“At Vi’s. Where are you?”

“On my way to Vi’s,” he replied, folding into her car.

He heard her soft laugh then it went away and she asked, “Everything okay?”

“It will be.”

A pause and then, “That’s not a great answer, Layne.”

“Best I can do for now, sweetcheeks. I’ll brief you when we get home. Is it your house or mine tonight?”

“Mine,” she replied immediately.

“You don’t like the toothbrush Jas bought you?”

She burst out laughing and Layne listened to it thinking Rocky’s laughter made a day of good and bad turn mostly good again.

When she got it under control, she answered, “No. My house doesn’t have Devin and Vera in it.”

Oh shit.

“I thought you and Mom were cool.”

There was nothing for a few beats and then he knew why when she spoke quietly. She’d been looking for privacy.

“Vera and I are cool. But not so cool I suspect she’ll be happy to hear her son making me moan and I enjoy you, baby, but I don’t want to court suffocation every time we have sex.”

This meant Layne was going to get him some that night. This wasn’t surprising, eighteen years had done nothing to shear even a layer off Roc’s sexual appetite, or Layne’s. But that didn’t mean the promise of it didn’t feel fucking great.

Shit, it was almost over but the day kept getting better.

“Good call,” Layne muttered and twisted the key in the ignition.

“See you soon,” she replied.

“Absolutely.”

Layne flipped his phone shut, put the Mercedes in gear and backed out of his parking spot.

Then he flipped his phone open, scrolled down to Jasper’s number and told his son just enough so his boy would sleep in peace that night.