Free Dawson's Stand (Welcome to Covendale Book 4) by Morgan Blaze

you did, I…” She trailed off when she realized Gage hadn’t moved an inch and was still staring furiously at the spot Jenny had stood. “Gage?” she half-whispered, placing a hand on his arm.
    He was shaking.
    “Gage,” she said a little louder. “Are you all right?”
    He blinked and turned toward her. For an instant he looked right through her, but then he shook his head and sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said.
    “For what?”
    “For Jenny. For getting you into this.” His jaw clenched briefly, and he stared at the ground. “You never should’ve helped me. She’s crazy as a rat, but she’s right about one thing—now you’re guilty by association.”
    “Hey.” She waited until he looked at her. “She’s wrong about you. And your family.”
    He smirked. “Thanks. But you don’t really know me.”
    “I know you lied to protect me.”
    “What?”
    “The sheriff told me,” she said. “He wasn’t going to let you go unless you told the truth, and you didn’t. But when I explained what happened, he said he understood why you lied…because of me.”
    “Sheriff Tanner said that?” He glanced back at the station, like he expected the man to come out and drag him back inside. “Well, I guess we’d better get out of here before he really does change his mind,” he said. “They didn’t let me drive here, though. You?”
    “No,” she said. “But my truck’s not far from here. I, um, just got a new job this morning.”
    He smiled. “Hey, that’s great. Where?”
    “Magic Mags.”
    “Really? I know someone who works…oh,” he said. “I take it you’ve met Luka.”
    “Your sister.”
    “Terrific,” he grumbled. “All right, what did she say about me? Whatever it was, she’s lying.”
    Kyla couldn’t help laughing. “Actually, she didn’t say anything. I kind of didn’t get the chance to tell her I’d met you.”
    “Good, then there’s still hope.” His smile slid into curiosity, and he added, “So how’d you know she’s my sister?”
    “Her last name, for one. But mostly her eyes.”
    He grinned. “Oh, right. Dawson green.”
    “Yes,” she said faintly—because speaking of Dawson green, there was a pair of them staring at her intently and doing things to her insides that she hadn’t felt in years. She had to look away before she melted. “So, I guess we’ll walk there?”
    “Good idea,” he said. “I can talk Luka into letting me borrow her car.”
    She let Gage lead the way, at once excited and afraid of the feelings he’d stirred in her. This was not in the plan. She’d only meant to rejoin the world one step at a time, but Gage might end up being a giant leap toward a place she’d intended to avoid.
    And she wasn’t sure she could take that leap.
    * * * *
    Luka was behind the front counter when they walked into Magic Mags. At first she smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but then her eyes moved from Kyla to Gage and her expression froze.
    “Wow,” Gage said with a laugh. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you speechless before.”
    “What the hell happened to you?” She came around the counter, looking furious and worried at once. “Hey, Kyla. I’m glad you’re okay, but what are you doing with Gage? Was he…oh my God. Did you get arrested again? I swear, the next time I see Dean Wesley, he’s walking away a soprano.”
    “Whoa. Slow down there, killer.” Gage glanced at Kyla to see how she was taking the again comment. If she’d noticed, it didn’t seem to upset her. “It’s a long story, and—”
    “I wanted to tell you earlier,” Kyla said in a rush. “I tried, but people kept coming in, and then the officer—I mean, the deputy showed up. It’s about last night. I met Gage, and he’s your brother, so I thought I should tell you before you heard it somewhere else.”
    Gage cleared his throat loudly. “Ladies, please,” he said. “Can’t a guy get a word in here? I’m the one who owes an explanation.”
    Luka folded her