Filed To Story: Secret Shifters Next Door Series PDF Free
I stepped into the bar and was surprised by how busy it was. It had been the same way a few weeks ago, but I’d thought that was only for April’s welcome-home party. Obviously, Kris and Kellan had done a good job of marketing the place, and it seemed like they had a full bar every weekend from the looks of it.
Kris was behind the bar but hadn’t spotted me yet. Still on edge, I scanned the room. I didn’t see Ryland or any of the other hunters who had been outside Harley’s house last year. Deciding it was as safe as it could be, I found a stool at the corner of the bar.
Finally noticing me, Kris nodded at me and continued pouring drinks and opening beers for the people waiting.
After he was done, he came over and leaned closer to me so as to be heard over the crowd. “What can I get you, Steff?”
“I’ll take a beer. I’m playing DD for your sister tonight.”
Kris rolled his eyes and chuckled as he grabbed two ice-cold bottles from a cooler below the bar. He handed me one and took the other bottle for himself. He waited for me to take my first
drink before speaking again. “I’ll tell you this. I’m not going to ask any questions. My sister is a grown woman and can make her own decisions. She’s chosen to forgive you, and so has Kellan. I trust them more than anyone else in my life, barring my wife. If they’re good, then that’s good enough for me.
“All I ask is that you don’t break her heart again. For her sake, yes, but also for mine. I don’t know that I could survive seeing her broken like that again. Do you understand that?”
I did. I could feel and hear the pain in his tone, and I nodded. “I promise I will never hurt her like that again.”
I held up my bottle to him. After a moment’s hesitation, Kris lifted his and clinked it against mine. In that instant, it was like all the years of pain and anger evaporated. The bitterness and shame, the hurt and agony were gone. It was the type of reconciliation only possible with people who had been as close as we’d been back then. My heart swelled with the thought of getting two of the best friends I’d ever had back.
We caught up between Kris helping customers. I told him about the security firm and playing pro ball, he told me about taking over the bar and meeting his wife, Chelsea.
“She’s at the little get-together at Tate’s house, too. Harley met her at the nail salon a few weeks ago and they got friendly. Chelsea was surprised to find out Harley’s husband was your business partner. Small world, right?”
I grinned. “Small town, more like.”
“True. I’m happy she’s out enjoying herself. Happy for April, too. All that stalker stuff had her pretty shaken up. She’s pissed about the whole world knowing her business, sure, but that along with a bunch of people trying to force their way into her life is more terrifying. She showed me some of the emails and messages. Those people are freaks. From the stuff they said in those messages, it’s like they think they know her. Like they
already have relationships with her. They are totally out of their minds.”
“She showed me. Fuckers are scary.”
“Right? Anyway, I think being back home has done her a world of good. Hang on.”
Kris went to get an order for a group of ladies. While he worked on their drinks, I thought about what he’d said. He had no idea about the incident a few nights before. The thought of keeping that secret from him was not pleasant. Especially when that secret involved Kris’s sister. Plus, if anyone could be trusted to keep his mouth shut, it was Kris.
When he came back, I leaned over, trying to keep my voice low. “You know what you were saying about the stalkers being crazy?”
“Uh, yeah?”
I sighed and glanced around that bar to make sure no one was listening. “One of April’s stalkers ended up in Lilly Valley. And I do mean
ended. The guy’s dead.”
Eyes widening in surprise, Kris shook his head as if he was trying to clear it. “The fuck?”
“I know. It’s been kept pretty quiet. Lilly Valley doesn’t even have a newspaper anymore, so you probably didn’t hear anything about it. The guy was left outside my security firm.”
Kris stiffened. “Do you guys know who did that? The stalker is scary, but the fact that some psycho killed the dude and left him there like a trophy or something is scarier.”
I couldn’t get too deep into the details. There were some things Kris and Kellan didn’t need to know. “No idea yet. The cops are working on it. There is one thing you can help out with, though.”
“Name it.”
“Keep your eyes open. Any strange or new customers, anyone who’s asking lots of questions about April or me and my guys.
Give me a heads-up if anyone like that makes themselves known. Got it?”
Kris lifted his fist, and I tapped it with my own. “Anything you say, brother.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep my emotions in check. Kris calling me brother? That was something that hadn’t happened in years. It brought me back to a time of laughter and love—a time of my life I thought was gone forever.
I chatted with Kris for another couple hours and paid for the one beer, then headed out to the parking lot. I was shocked to see it was almost one in the morning. Before I could get into my truck, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out and saw it was a text from April:
Heybab im nNeed a ride You come geet me?
I had to read it three times to realize she was drunk-texting me and not trying to send some sort of coded message. I sat in my truck and laughed before heading to Tate’s house. Kris was helping Chelsea into his car when I pulled in. She looked pretty hammered, and if that was any indication, I’d have my hands full. I pulled into the driveway and saw Tate standing outside with Harley and April.
I could tell by the look on his face—a combination of exhaustion and humor—that Tate was stone-cold sober. Harley and April, however, were about three sheets to the wind. They were falling all over each other and laughing about something.