Abrupt Changes: A Second Chance Romance (O-Town Book 3) by Karen Renee (comprehension books .TXT) 📕

I fought rolling my eyes. “Be better if you’d just share everything you know. I’m certain you’re keeping something from me.”

He sighed, but when he spoke his voice was earnest. “Believe me, Ramsey. You know everything that I know.”

Reagan

WHEN CLINT TOLD ME Debenedetti’s man would be spending the day with Mom, it didn’t sit well with me and Clint read that from my facial expression.

He grinned. “I don’t like the idea much either, Rae. But, since you need to get a nap, how about you hang at the house to make sure Jason can handle your Mom.”

I burst with laughter. “Please. I’m not sure she can handle him. He’s a little freaky to me.”

His eyebrow went up and down. “Good to know you can spot at least one snake in the grass.”

My head reared back. “Excuse me?”

He shook his head. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, but your ex-husband should have had red flags flying for you from the beginning, honey.”

“Yeah, well, I think that’s an exception, don’t you?”

He laughed, and I didn’t know if he’d been given a fresh dose of drugs, but it sounded almost boyish. “I don’t think so, Raegan. But I suppose love can be blind.”

“Okay, let’s talk about something else. Were you able to get any rest last night with all the noise and stuff?”

He shook his head.

I stood, but leaned over him. “Since I didn’t give you a ‘hello kiss’ I guess I’ll double it up with a good-bye kiss too, so you can rest.”

What I thought would be a perfunctory peck turned into a much longer, lingering kiss and didn’t end until Clint’s doctor cleared his throat from the doorway. I felt my cheeks heat, but Clint wrapped a hand around my neck and angled my ear toward his mouth.

“You still have the gun, right?” He whispered his question.

I nodded.

“Hang on to it,” he muttered.

I grinned. “Brock already stressed the importance of that. Get your rest.”

I skedaddled from the room and hoped I could catch a ride with Brock before he left.

THIRTY MINUTES LATER, I stood in Mom’s foyer with Brock and Mom.

“Well, I never did care much for that carpet runner anyway,” Mom said, looking down at the blood-stained rug.

At least Mom had a positive outlook.

In a somber voice, Brock said, “Tell me where your garbage cans are, and I’ll take that outside.”

While he did that, I brewed a pot of coffee and Mom settled in the recliner with a paperback and the remote.

Brock tapped on the kitchen door, and I let him in.

Wiping his feet, he said, “Your newest buddy is here.

“You’re our buddy. This guy’s just a bodyguard,” Mom hollered from the living room.

Brock’s lips tipped up and he lowered his voice. “You keep that gun with you. Jason Lightner might be here to protect you, but I don’t trust him, and I doubt Clint does, either.”

I nodded and pointed at my purse on the counter.

Brock smiled. “Good but keep it close. Now, I’ll let him in the front, okay?”

I smiled back. “Thank you, Brock. You’re truly a lifesaver.”

“I’m no lifesaver, but you’re welcome.”

I stood at the mouth of the hallway. Brock let Jason inside and tipped his head to me. “Catch ya later, ladies.”

“Later!” Mom called, and I chuckled. Maybe the Sullivan brothers were keeping her young.

I smiled at Jason, but he didn’t acknowledge it. “Can I get you a cup of coffee or anything?”

“Sure. I take it black.”

He settled on the couch. “Don’t mind me, Mrs. Connelly. I got my orders from Tommy. You have nothing to worry about.”

I put his coffee on the table while stifling a yawn, but Mom caught it.

“You should hit the hay, Raegan,” Mom said. She turned to Jason. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take a nap, too. Tanya’s youngest is teething and was up at all hours last night.”

He nodded. “It’s all good. Leave me the remote, and I’ll watch ESPN.”

I felt like it was rude for us to hit the sack while this guy was here, but then again, what could he do to us? He’d already saved my life.

After I grabbed my purse from the kitchen, I said, “All right, well, I’m in the front room. If you need anything, just let me know.”

I WOKE UP FEELING LIKE I hadn’t slept a wink, but the dryness in my mouth indicated I must have been snoring. Curling up to a sitting position I debated taking my purse with me to the bathroom. It felt like overkill, but I knew not to ignore Clint and Brock’s warnings.

After I took care of business, I opened the bathroom door only to find my ex-husband, Trey, standing in front of me. My eyes widened and I felt the blood drain from my face.

His lips curled as he grabbed me by the bicep. “I’d take a picture of your face right now, but there’s no time for that.”

He yanked me out of the bathroom and shoved me down the hall to the living room. Fortunately, he hadn’t noticed me carrying my purse. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to get the gun out.

In the living room, Jason sat on the couch, counting stacks of cash from inside a small duffel bag.

“Did you really let this asshole into the house?” I hissed.

Jason’s shrug annoyed me, but his words made my blood run cold. “Your stupid boyfriend was right for once. Tommy’s too fuckin’ old to do what needs to be done. He thinks the gangs and shit want to push him out, but I’m gonna push him out.”

While I didn’t care about street crime politics, I needed to figure out if Jason or Trey had hurt Mom.

“That’s all fine and great, but what do me and Mom have to do with any of this?”

Trey emitted a humorless laugh. “If there’s no honor among thieves, there’s even less among thugs, Raegan. When I heard you had protection from someone here, I found the weak link and paid