Beckett (Robinson Destruction #4) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,11

up badly as well. Someone actually stitched up one of the kids and never notified us about his injuries.”

“It was the nurse, wasn’t it?” Houston told her it was her and the principal. “Figures. You said you weren’t notified. I’m assuming you’re involved in this to your neck. Not that it matters, I guess. If the nurse is in on it, you can bet that the other teachers have signed off on keeping their mouths shut about anything that happens there.”

“What do you mean?” Instead of answering his brother, Allie got up and went to her room again. When she returned, she had a file that had the name of the school on it, as well as the logo emblazoned over it. When she handed it to Houston, she looked at Beckett.

“You’re here for a reason other than your stupid car breaking down, aren’t you?” He nodded. “Whatever it is, I don’t want anything to do with it. I’m sorry, but I’ve enough shit on my plate as it is, and I cannot balance another thing. You’ll just have to do whatever it is elsewhere.”

“You’re my mate.” She cursed, long and violently. Each word that wasn’t a curse word was something to do with his anatomy. It wouldn’t bode well for him if he was to get closer to her. Beckett was sure too that she would do just what she said she would if he were to push her. “If it makes you feel any better, I can help you out with some of your plate balancing.”

“No, it doesn’t.” She turned to her brother. “You knew this when you told me to come out here and have a conversation with them. Any reason you didn’t tell me? Or at least warn me of this?”

“I’m hurt badly enough, thanks.” She snorted at him, and Beckett laughed. “He’s odd like that, so you know. He laughs at the strangest things. Allie, just listen to them both for now. You can work out the rest later. This is important to a great many people.”

“This is a nondisclosure contract that states you will never testify against your fellow workers, nor will you bring up any charges against them. Did you sign this?” She said she’d not gotten around to it. “Good for you. This might be just what we need to make sure they all serve jail time.”

“I don’t know why, in your addled mind, you’d think I’d testify against them. I need a job. Badly. I also need someplace to live. Snitching on them will blackball me for the rest of my life. I might as well become a flipping attorney for all the love I’ll get from any place that I might apply to from now on.” Houston asked her if she hated attorneys. “I don’t know any. I do know they’re not well-liked, and that right there will put me in with them in the friendly department. I can’t afford this.”

Houston looked at Beckett. When he nodded at his brother, he thought that telling her some things he’d be able to help her with would be a terrible idea. But it also might make it so they’d get this taken care of before more things befell her and her brother.

“I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but you don’t have to worry about money. Neither of you do.” She snorted at him. “You do that very well, but it’s the truth. Right now, I can put you in a position that you’d not ever have to worry about money again. That goes for your brother too.”

“So, you’re going to blackmail me into being your mate. That’s a low blow, bringing my brother into this too.” Beckett said she had a very suspicious mind, and that wasn’t what he was saying at all. “Look. I’ll help you with the kitchen shit. That’s all I know for sure. But as far as being a mate to you, I’m sorry, but you know nothing about me that makes me feel like this would work. I’m sure you’re a very nice man, but you’ve no idea what— I’m not the sort of person people want to date a second time. I’m mouthy, bitchy, and I don’t beat around the bush. You’d better not either if you think any woman would want to be with you. You have no idea of the shit that I have in my life right now.”

“You’re not giving me anything that makes me think we’re not perfectly