Free Maxie (Triple X) by Kimberly Dean

hardcore stuff. Still, the bourbon had loosened her up. As tense as she’d been, it had helped calm her down. She had to admit, all those weird coincidences had shaken her—and secretly excited her. It was strange to be part of something larger than herself, and not only a new family, but a more powerful, almost mystical connection. She was even beginning to pick up on the invisible language she’d noticed before, the innate communication.
    “I only had one or two,” she insisted.
    “Or three.” He ran his hand lightly over her hair.
    So she’d had three. She still had her wits about her. She was relaxed or, at best, not quite as panicked as she’d been during this long, crazy day.
    Roxie tilted her head back to look at the sky. The last streaks of color from the sunset were fading. The loss of the sun should have dropped the temperature, but instead the darkening sky felt like a lid closing over the simmering town. “I’m being poached,” she complained.
    Lexie clutched her vase of flowers with one hand and fanned herself with the other. “I don’t know if the air conditioning in our room will keep up with this. It was having trouble before we left.”
    “Where are you staying?” Zac asked.
    “A place called the Inndigo. It’s down the river a bit.”
    And right in the worst part of town.
    Maxie frowned. The Inndigo wasn’t quite a dive, but it wasn’t far from it. “Maybe you should upgrade. There’s a nice bed-and-breakfast not far from my shop.”
    “The Blue Morning? It’s booked full.” Lexie shrugged. “This place was all we could get with the art festival in town this weekend, but that’s all right. We didn’t want to wait to come find you.”
    Unease began working its way back into Maxie’s chest. These two didn’t belong in that place. The Inndigo might not look bad, but it wasn’t safe.
    Roxie groaned. “The bottoms of my shoes are getting gummy. Let’s get going.”
    Maxie knew how she felt. Heat was radiating up her legs as her dress tried to cling to them. It was an uncomfortable, icky feeling—almost as bad as the idea of the two of them sleeping at the Inndigo. “You can’t stay there,” she insisted. “It’s not a good part of town.”
    “We’ll be fine,” Lexie said.
    “But the air conditioning.”
    “I’ll have the manager come down to look at it.” She unlocked her car with her remote.
    “But…” Maxie looked at Zac. Having them stay at the tiny motel was wrong. The place was relatively clean and privately owned, but it was right along the interstate. Indigo Falls attracted a lot of tourists, but they tended to stay in town. The Inndigo served the kind of people who moved on through: long-range truckers, traveling salesmen and transients. It was a crowd that tended to stir up unrest. Only a month ago, someone had OD’d there.
    “Did you look in Freeman?” Zac was the sheriff. He knew better than anyone the kind of calls that came in from that place. “It’s another fifteen minutes down the road—not that we’re trying to get rid of you.”
    Roxie held her hair off the back of her neck. “I’m too tired to find another place. Besides, I’ve stayed in worse. Hell, I live in West Cobalt.”
    “No.” The word was out before Maxie realized she’d made a decision. Bourbon, she thought musingly. It put words in your mouth before your brain had a chance to review them. Still, it was out there and she wasn’t going to let the sisters stay in that rundown place. She’d never forgive herself if something happened to them.
    “You can stay with me.”
    Three heads turned towards her simultaneously. Lexie’s expression was cautious, while Roxie’s was happy. Zac’s was simply surprised.
    “Are you sure that’s not the alcohol talking?” he asked low enough that only she could hear.
    “I have plenty of room, and my air conditioning works fine.”
    “Hallelujah,” Roxie rejoiced.
    Lexie was a bit more hesitant. “But Cam should be here soon. Are you