All the Missing Pieces

by Catherine Cowles

“It wasn’t that light-your-soul-on-fire love. It was comfortable love,” I admitted. “You deserve that burn-everything-to-the-ground love.”

She wore shorts that exposed long, tanned legs, and flip-flops revealing toes painted in an array of sparkly colors. Rainbow fucking toes and even they were cute.

“Law Man,” Ridley greeted. “Chaos,” I returned. Those eyes sparked. “Chaos?” “Can’t say you don’t bring that in your wake.”

Fuck. I did not need to know that this woman who smelled like smoky sunshine and looked like a walking temptation had a taste for my whiskey.

No matter how many interfering sheriffs got in my way. No matter what accusations they threw at me. I would find my sister, my twin. Whatever it took.

“You know what I mean. I can’t be bothered to keep up with what they call all this stuff. From the Ticker Tocker to the graham cracker. It’s all too much for these old bones.”

Celia is a funny old hoot i love her

“It’s easy to do when you’ve seen the evil out there,” I told Celia. “It just means we have to hold onto the good that much more. The only thing that can cast out darkness is light.”

Three full names in thirty minutes? Sam would have a field day with that.

“Law Man,” she started cautiously. “You okay?” “Who. The. Hell. Did. This. To. You?”

“Could you stay? Just until I fall asleep?” Ridley suddenly looked like she wanted to take back those words. “Sorry. That was stupid—”

“Not stupid,” I ground out, crossing to the chair and lowering myself into it. “Sleep, Chaos. No one’s going to hurt you here.” I’d make damned sure of it.

“Be safe, Chaos. It’s going to piss me the hell off if you end up dead.” She grinned up at me. “You say the sweetest things, Law Man.”

“I’ll help, Chaos. But you are going to stay safe. No more putting your ass on the line.” I opened my mouth to argue, but Colt shut me down with a single look. “We aren’t taking chances. Not with you. Not ever.”

Ridley took with wild abandon. There was no shy uncertainty with her. There was only need. A need I met with my own. And the moment her tongue stroked past my lips, I was gone.

“It’s a bad idea,” I rasped. “We’d be playing with fire.” Those ocean eyes sparked. “Then let’s watch it burn.”

Waited to see if he would burn the world down with me. If he would let some of that chaos reign.

“Fuck. Those sounds you make, Chaos. Need to hear what you sound like when I’m inside you.”

“God, you’re pretty when you beg. Think that deserves a reward.”

Storm eyes. Ones I could get lost at sea in, never to be found again. But I’d happily go down with that ship.

It wasn’t violent, but it wasn’t gentle either. It was Colt. Powerful and just a little rough around the edges. And it was everything I needed.

But there she was. Storming toward me like true chaos in human form. And the moment her hand slid into mine, I could breathe again. It shouldn’t have been possible for chaos to be so calming, but it was. She was. Ridley.

“Chaos,” he growled, but there was an amber heat in his eyes. “Careful. You’re playing with fire.”

My breath hitched. “You should know by now, Law Man, I’m not afraid of getting burned.”

“Should’ve told you before now. You look beautiful. A kind of beauty that would make any man stop in his tracks. But it’s only matched by your fierceness.” Those brown eyes sparked gold. “Show no mercy, Chaos.”

“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Chaos? You’ve had me breaking all the rules since the day I met you.”

I’d made countless promises to Avery that I would live. And no one made me feel more alive than Colter Brooks.

“My greedy girl,” he growled against my breast.

And I was. For him.

“Eyes on me,” he ground out, his hand gripping mine tighter. “Let me in, Chaos.”

People who were spreading the word and sharing Avery’s story—and Ridley’s too. Because they cared. I didn’t realize Ridley was crying until I felt the drops hit my arm. Curving around her, I saw the tracks of silent tears left on her cheeks.

“It’s Emerson. She wants you to interview her. She wants to tell her story.”

And as those shadowed eyes met mine, I gave him the last piece of me. “I love you, Colt.” His body jerked. “Chaos.” “I love you.” My own cheeks were wet now, the overload of emotions only having one way out.

Colt’s throat worked as he swallowed. “Think I loved you from the moment you told me the cat had fucking AC in that van.”

A laugh burst out of me, the last sound I was expecting. “Is it fitting that I’m laughing and crying w...

He pulled me into him. “Baby, you’re chaos. O...

And I knew, after years of searching, I’d found my home.

“Colt, you helped me find all the missing pieces. Even the ones I didn’t realize I needed.”