Page 35 of Everything After

“Heads up,” I say, nodding to the road outside the shop. Four cop cars pull up with their lights on. We stand and move toward the office. I glance back as we step in, and Ronan is watching us. I don’t think much of it as I disappear into the office with the others. We step into the back office, and Sheriff Jerald Grant is waiting for us.

“Jerald,” Beckett says, shaking his hand.

“This better be good, Beckett,” Jerald says. “The wife is pissed I left dinner for this.”

“It’s about Samuel Sanders,” Mason says, and he lifts an eyebrow at us.

“I’m listening," Jerald says.

“I dated and lived with Samuel Sanders for seven years,” I say quietly, dropping my head. “I knew him as Anthony Sinclair, though.”

“Are you sure, Sierra?” he asks. “Look at me.”

I look up at him with tears rolling down my face, and he sighs. “I’m sure,” I say tearfully. “He worked construction, for the most part.”

“I had some buddies track him down before we knew his real name,” Mason says, and I turn to glare at him. “The place they stayed in is empty now. He left after she had been gone only a few days.”

“What’s the address?” Jerald asks.

“3875 Park Oak Drive,” I say.

“It’s rented under John Donaldson,” Beckett says. “He died eight years ago.”

“Shit… Alright,” Jerald says. “Is there a reason we are hiding for you to tell me this?”

“He was horrible to her,” Beckett says. “If there is any chance that he will target her, I want her name to stay out of this.”

“Alright,” he says. “If he reaches out at all, you have to call me right away. The feds are involved in this. I can protect y’all around here, but if you lie to them… You’re fucked.”

“We will,” Beckett says.

When we leave the office, the music has been lowered, and the cops who arrived with Jerald are standing around talking. We return to where we were sitting before, and Ronan walks over.

“Everything okay?” he asks Mason.

“Just asked us to turn it down,” Mason replies as Bella sits in his lap.

“You had to go into the office for that?” Ronan pushes. I don’t know why that pisses me off, but he’s getting on my nerves.

“Why are you being so goddamn nosy, Ronan? Jesus,” I snap.

“I wasn’t fucking talking to you, Sierra. How about you mind your own goddamn business for once,” Ronan snaps back.

“Oh, hell no,” Bella says as she starts to stand. Mason pulls her back into his lap when I stand.

“You think you’re a big man, Ronan?” I ask.

“You’ve been gone for seven fucking years. You have no right to even be here,” Ronan fires off. “We’ve never had issues with the cops. You show up, and now we do?”

“I don’t belong?” I laugh. “I am the daughter of a president. I’m dating one. Is my brother a president? What are you, Ronan? Just a fucking leech who saw an opportunity to stick your fucking nose where it doesn’t belong and earn a patch that wasn’t yours. Let’s be real fucking clear, Ronan. Your position is only yours right now because Bella was a minor when they split. How much do you want to bet I can take that fucking patch from you and there’s not a goddamn thing you can do? What do you think happens when Beckett and Mason rejoin everything?”

“They aren’t going to…” Ronan starts, but stops when I laugh. “You’re just a spoiled little bitch who can’t keep her fucking mouth shut long enough to keep a man. Is that why he beat you, Sierra? Run your mouth one too many times?”

“Alright. Out,” Beckett says, standing when I step back.

“I don’t answer to you, asshole!” Ronan shouts. Mason stands, and Bella takes my hand and pulls me back from everyone. Mason takes one step toward Ronan, and he nearly falls on his ass to get away. Mason instead grabs him by the shirt and slams him back against a closed bay door.

“If you ever speak to Sierra like that again, I’ll cut your fucking tongue out,” Mason says so calmly that it is actually concerning. My brother is fucking terrifying when he’s mad, but this… This is a step further than the rage everyone here has seen. “Your position is conditional, and I’m running out of fucking reasons to keep you around. Make no fucking mistake, Ronan. Sierra and Bella outrank everyone here. If you have a fucking problem with it, you know where the door is.”