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Purring like an outboard motor, Sam walked in a circle, plopped down on Jude s lap,
shot a leg into the air, and proceeded to lick his balls. Or the spot where his balls should
have been. Poor animal had been snipped. Jude winced and resisted to urge to reach
between his own legs to protect his equipment.
Yeah, you won major sympathy points there, pal. He rubbed a hand down the cat s
back, then gave him a light push. Now get gone. Go cuddle up to Libby. She needs it and
I have a phone call to make.
As if Sam understood, he jumped down and trotted into the house, still purring. Jude
watched until the cat disappeared from sight, then turned his gaze back to the phone.
Started to dial. Stopped. Tossed the phone from hand to hand.
Goddammit.
He hit speed dial before he could talk himself out of it. It rang twice once more than
usual and to his surprise, Camden answered, sounding as if he hadn t been to bed yet.
You got Greer s message? he asked.
The tension seeped out of Jude like water from a sieve. Cam, he could talk to easily
without the conversation devolving into a shouting match. About K-Bar s disappearance?
Yeah. Where did that intel come from?
One of my informants, Cam said and bit into something with a loud crunch. Probably
one of the carrot sticks he d taken to eating like candy after he quit smoking last year.
Soup s reliable. Strung out, but his info s always solid. He says K-Bar wouldn t skip
because Mama K-Bar put up her house for bond and her son wouldn t want her ending up
homeless. I believe him.
So where does that leave us?
I spent my day casting a net. If he shows anywhere in the city, we ll be the first to
know.
He may not be in the city, Jude said and told Cam about the car that had been tailing
them tonight. His brother reacted about like expected, with a litany of ear-blistering and
creative curses.
He waited until Cam took a breath and added, Which is why I need Reece to work his
computer magic and lay a virtual trail to anywhere other than Key West.
Not happening. Reece is out, Camden said. A tab popped on a can in the background.
A beer, no doubt. Man, Jude could use one himself.
What do you mean, out?
He took a home security contract that came in yesterday.
Fuck. He dragged his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. Sighed.
Really, he didn t know why he was surprised. The last time we spoke, he wasn t happy
with me.
So what else is new?
But I never thought he d actually leave me hanging.
You did almost blow the mission wide open. You endangered Libby Pruitt s life.
No I didn t.
I m sorry, Cam said, sounding not the least bit apologetic. Actually, there was a thick
undercurrent of pissed off in his voice. I have to side with Reece on this one. You were
careless.
C mon! There was no real threat in anyone seeing that internet video and linking me
to Libby. Not unless they wanted to dig back eight years and even then, it would be a
difficult connection to make. I already told you I was careful about who saw us together.
Camden made a sound full of disgust. Man, you know I love you but you are a
complete asshole. Mom would be ashamed, the way you go through women like other
men go through socks.
Jude hissed softly as the barb struck home. Okay, that hurt, especially coming from
Cam. He expected hell, even looked forward to those kind of remarks from Reece. But
not Cam, the Wilde family s glue, the peacemaker, the only one of his brothers that
understood him. Or so he thought.
Well, he finally managed. At least his voice didn t sound as raw as his emotions felt.
Everyone has flaws.
Some people more than others. You re thirty fucking years old, Jude. When are you
gonna straighten up your life? Before he could formulate a response, Cam muttered a
curse. Sorry, I didn t mean that. I m exhausted and my mouth s working faster than my
brain. I m starting to sound like Reece.
No. You re right. You re both right. When this is over& He trailed off. He didn t know
what would happen, but something had to change. He was tired of pretending. Tired of
wearing a smile while everything else stayed locked up in his chest, slowly clawing him
into shreds from the inside out.
It is over, Cam said. Greer wants to pull you both out and relocate Libby to her
father s cabin in Vermont.
So Pruitt had talked Greer into the cabin idea. If Jude thought that would do any good,
he d be in packing their bags now wait. Cam only mentioned Libby s name. Relocate
Libby. What about me?
Cam stayed silent for a moment. You re coming home. Pruitt wants me to stay with
her.
No.
Jude
No fucking way.
A pause. Goddammit. Are you sleeping with her again?
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