Page 31 of Shattered Pieces

“Should I pin him down and tell him she didn’t betray him until he believes me?”

“He’s stubborn and won’t listen. I’m really disappointed in the way Skeeter’s handling it, and it’s not helping Caden. I really thought he’d have her back and help her. I want the truth, Hunter. Did she kill Max?”

I glanced up at her from my food, popping a piece of potato in my mouth and eating it before answering. “No. He’s probably just being a snake underground. There’s no proof a murder even occurred, so whoever claimed to have seen it is lying. You really think Rory could take down a grown man?”

She eyed me, not believing me in the slightest. “I think everyone underestimates that girl. She’s been through a lot, and desperate people do desperate things.”

“She’s not a murderer,” I said firmly, cutting up some roasted carrot and eating it, hearing a snort as Caden appeared in nothing but his gym shorts with a sweat towel around his neck.

“Get the fuck out of my house, Rivera.”

“At least let me finish dinner first,” I grinned, eating more potatoes.

He fumed silently as he stalked over to the fridge for a bottle of water, glaring at me while he chugged some.

“Caden, enough,” Josie sighed, taking a sip of her wine. “Eat some dinner.”

“I’m not sitting at that table with him. I can’t believe you’re fucking letting him⁠—”

“You will not talk to me like that!” she snapped, surprising all three of us from the way we all glanced at her. “I understand that you’re hurt and confused, but I’m not your enemy here. Hunter has been run ragged doing trips back and forth to make sure Rory’s alright. He claims he and Rory weren’t in a relationship of any kind, so you need to sit down, eat dinner, and be nice for five minutes. Please.”

I shoveled the rest of my food down, pushing the plate back. “Thank you for dinner. I might take my leave. I don’t want to cause a problem.”

“Fucking liar. You love causing problems. Like showing up at the Shed to pick a fight with Skeet,” Caden said with a bark of laughter.

“I confronted him because someone shot Marco and made me crash my bike. Of course I considered our attacker to be Skeeter. He’s a spiteful asshole when he thinks the world’s out to get him. He didn’t do it, so I have no further reason to be a problem. If you were smart, you’d stay away from him. You don’t understand how dangerous things are right now. If it wasn’t Skeet shooting at us, it was the Soldiers, which means they’re making moves. Do you understand there’s a war going on?”

“If you stopped⁠—”

“I’m not even the problem here, the Soldiers are. Stay home so your damn mother doesn’t have to lie in bed at night wondering if you’ve been gunned down somewhere,” I snapped, turning to leave. Josie called after me but I kept walking, almost making it to my car before Tyler grabbed my arm and stopped me.

“Dude, slow down. I’m coming with you.”

“You really need to stay here too, man. I meant what I said to Caden. Shit is going down, and you don’t want to be caught up in it,” I warned, shaking him off.

“We’re already caught up in it. Besides, I can’t sleep by myself,” he huffed with embarrassment, and I scrubbed a hand over my face before looking at him.

“You really need some sleeping pills.”

“I’ll pay you.”

“Jesus Christ, I don’t want your money. Go get your keys, I’ll wait,” I said in defeat, getting a suspicious look in return.

“You promise?”

“Yes. You’re getting the nickname Velcro,” I growled, crossing my arms and leaning back against my car to show I was waiting.

He narrowed his eyes but took off to grab what he needed, the garage door opening soon after so he could back his car out.

I grumbled about clingy assholes as I climbed behind the wheel of my car, rolling the window down to talk to him when he was beside me.

“We’ll head to mine. You lead so I can keep an eye out for anyone who might follow us.”

“Alright. Do you have beer at home?”

“No.”

“Can we stop then? I’ll pay to fill the fridge,” he offered, and I rolled my eyes.