Trust Me: Matty and Kayla, Book 3 of 3 (The McDaniels Brothers 7) Read Free

needed to be changed.
    I took a glug from my travel mug full of now lukewarm tea and closed my eyes to shut out the clutter. It was probably a good thing I had a lot of work ahead of me. It would keep my mind on the mundane.
    At least, during the part of the day where you’re not gathering evidence in hopes of sending your father to prison for the rest of his life.
    A low knock sounded on the doorjamb and Mick stepped into my office. “Hey, sweetie. How’s it feel to be back?”
    Like I want to leap over the desk and rip your heart out with my hands.
    Instead of saying that, though, I worked up the rueful chuckle he was expecting. “I’m fifty-fifty. Glad to be back in the groove, not so glad that you guys decided you would just wait until I came back rather than trying to run this place without me.” I gestured at my overflowing desk and shook my head at him incredulously. “What am I going to do with you?” I asked, hoping that my voice didn’t sound as tinny and fake to him as it did to me.
    “It’s not my fault.” He gave me a helpless smile and threw up his hands. “I’m hopeless at that stuff. That’s why I have you.”
    The ache started in my chest and traveled outward, until my whole body hurt with the effort not to cry.
    I wanted to rage at him. To scream, and hit and tell him I would never, ever forgive him. Instead, I pasted a placid smile on my face. “It’s okay. I’ll dig out by the end of the week. I just have to hunker down and get a shovel, is all.”
    He nodded and toyed with the gold ring on his pinky finger. “I have faith in you, kid.” He turned to go, and then turned back like it was an afterthought. “Hey, have you heard from our boy since the fight?”
    He scanned my face for clues that I refused to give up. I’d spent my whole night tossing and turning, playing this exact part of the conversation over in my head, so I was more than prepared.
    “Yeah. I called him last night to let him know I was back in town. We’re going to meet on Wednesday to talk about the strategy for the fight. He’s not happy about it, but I think he’s coming around to the idea of throwing it if he has to.”
    I wasn’t the best of liars, and even as determined as I was, part of me felt like he’d see right through me. After a long moment, though, he nodded, the smug satisfaction apparent on his face.
    “I figured he’d see reason eventually, the little prick. I’m sorry I put it out there like that, though.” He shook his head regretfully. “I thought you had told him already. I didn’t mean to cause trouble for you.”
    That was bullshit and we both knew it. He hated Matty and had every intention of driving a wedge between us. But that didn’t matter anymore. If I wanted to carry on like it was business as usual, I had to let it slide.
    “I know. It was for the best, anyway.” I kept my voice light, and leafed through a handful of papers on the desk in front of me. “After spending the week thinking about it, I know you’re right. He’s more trouble than he’s worth and I’m not going to let him come between us.”
    He nodded, clearly satisfied with my answer.
    Hook, line and sinker.
    “I’m proud of you, sweetie. Family first and always.”
    That sentiment sent bile rising in my throat along with words unspoken.
    What about my mother, you son of a bitch? She was my family too.
    I looked away from him then, sure the fury roiling in my gut was going to shine through. “I better get to it if I’m ever getting out of here tonight.”
    “Sure, sure. Hey, I’m going to La Fortuna for lunch at noon if you want me to bring you back a meatball sandwich.”
    I didn’t look up, still not trusting myself to keep it all together. “That would be great, thanks,” I said brightly.
    He turned and then walked out, and I kept my eyes averted until I was sure he wasn’t coming back. A minute later, I slumped over the desk and pressed my cheek against the cool mahogany, trying to calm my