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And from how it sounded he knew he was talking to my mother, mentioning her friends and all that. I started to come forward, but Jax cut me off.
“No, kid,” he said, so serious. I wasn’t used to it. Not from him. He leaned in. “Just no. Let them handle it. Her handle it.”
But how could I just stand here, my mom talking to the man who, well, did something so terrible to her, her sister.
“I understand your distrust… especially yours with who I assume you to be,” Grandpa started, both my parents too still. “But history, at least for now, needs to be set aside.” More hushed tones broke the conversation, my grandfather and someone else. Several someone elses actually. They all spoke for a few moments before he returned this time. Grandpa forced a harsh breath into the phone. “The girl’s been missing for over an hour now.”
“What?” Dad took the phone now, my mom willingly giving it to him, and this time Jax didn’t make me stay. I was at my dad’s side now, my mom grabbing me.
“I mean, she’s gone. She and her brother,” Grandpa huffed. “They somehow escaped the hospital together.”
“What do you mean somehow?” My dad asked my question. “You’ve got that place locked down.”
“I do, with the exception of hospital staff. They come and go as they please. Noa was dressed in scrubs from her ordeal. Godfrey covered her in gas and tried to set her on fire this morning.”
“Oh, God.” Mom’s words were laced with a thickness that had her covering her mouth. An extreme and violent nausea hit me to the point where, if my mother and I weren’t virtually holding each other up, I would have fallen to my knees.
“Dad,” I said, my dad’s hand coming to me.
Dad’s throat jumped. “I advise you to speak quicker, father. You said she’s missing. Is she injured? Seriously hurt?”
He looked at me, the movement in the back of the call amplified.
“She’s experienced no serious injuries. Bruises here and there. She could be in the hospital, but with the way she’s dressed could have just as easily slipped out. Especially if they got Bru, her brother, scrubs as well.”
“Must have slipped out.” Dad pushed his fingers over dark blond. “Any idea why someone you saved and provided for, according to the kids, would want to run away from you?”
“Probably because I told her the truth.”
“What?”
“I told her the truth, son. I told her about me. Who I was and why I think Godfrey trusted me to keep his secrets.”
My mouth dried.
“I told her my history. With the town, yes, but also with her grandfather. Her biological one.”
My hand gripped my shirt, my legs fucking wavering. I rubbed at my chest, but no matter what I did, I still couldn’t breathe.
“And as it sounds like Dorian explained, she didn’t know my true identity. She didn’t, but she does now.”
She does now.
“That being a part of her transition back, back to Mallicks, wasn’t a part of the plan. I hoped to get her set up, tell her the truth about her identity, then remove myself from the equation. I believed that was the right thing for all involved, and I’m sure you understand why.”
The illness didn’t leave. Sloane knew the truth?
Leaning against the desk, I managed to remain standing, and I noticed my father held eye contact with me. Perhaps I looked as sick to my stomach as I felt. Sloane knew the truth, a truth I should have told her. I hadn’t told her about my connection to my grandfather.
You’re the liar. You.
“I planned to release a statement to the press after my people made contact with the Mallicks. I told her that too,” Grandpa continued. “She reacted as well as you could expect. All of this was a lot, and she was quite silent. In fact, she didn’t really speak at all, and after, she simply asked for some time alone. Her brother stayed, and my people and I left. We gave her time.”
Too much time, as it sounded.
“She was gone when we got back, and it’d be nice if we could work together to find her. Right now, my team is scouring the hospital and the surrounding areas, but it’d be nice if they didn’t have to worry about yours coming through the hospital with battering rams. We were going to attempt to talk to them, but I thought reaching out to you first was best. You could make a call and uncomplicate things in that regard.”
“I’m sure you have it all figured out, Dad,” my father said, but he was snapping his fingers. He did first to my god dad. “Get Ramses on the phone.”
