Emily elbows Jeremy. “That’s not why she doesn’t talk. Her voice is still hoarse from the tracheostomy. The initial cut damaged her vocal cords. She’s been working with a speech therapist to strengthen her voice.”
Bile rises in my throat. The hole in her throat makes her unable to speak?
Jeremy adamantly shakes his head. “She won’t eat in front of others or talk because of her teeth.”
I snort. “A little vain, don’t you think?”
Justin retorts, “It’s more than that. You weren’t here when she finally saw what she looked like, after she woke up from being in a coma. That beating she took damaged her teeth. When she looks in the mirror, she thinks… she thinks she’s ugly,” he admits with a blush.
I have to admit that when I first saw her with the large glasses and the baseball cap hiding her face. I didn’t see past the camouflage, but when she removed her glasses and glared at me with those pale blue eyes, striking dark brows, and thick dark lashes. I nearly forgot what I was saying, which made me angrier. I assumed she deliberately used her looks to manipulate me.
The staff brings in the main course, removing our soup bowls. Jessica is among them. For the first time since being home, I study her. She doesn’t fully smile, careful not to show teeth. She gestures a lot with her head or hands, like she’s mute.She covers her mouth when she laughs. Silver glints in the light. She wears braces. Big deal. The glasses cover up most of her face, partially hiding the long scar down the left side of her face. If I look carefully, I notice bald spots where hair hasn’t fully grown in yet.
She seems comfortable with everyone here, but she still hesitates, keeping her distance. Charlie flirts with her, and I roll my eyes. He flirts with everyone. But she doesn’t blush or drop the plate she holds, as some women do around Charlie when he cranks up the charm. She murmurs something that makes Ean roar with laughter and Liam chuckle. Then, she just walks away without looking back.
Emily reaches for her arm and whispers into her ear. Jessica presses her lips together. Why? To stop a smile? Emily wraps her arms around Jessica’s waist in a hug before releasing her. Jessica kisses the top of Emily’s head before leaving the room.
Elias leans forward to speak to my parents. “Those two are inseparable. I hope Emily’s not being a pest. She never comes home anymore.”
My mother scoffs. “Elias, you know your kids are more than welcome here any time.”
“Yeah, except Emily’s a bit of a—well, for a girl, she’s not the tidiest person.”
“Hey, I heard that!” Emily grumbles. Ean, Elijah, and Liam laugh. Emily throws a roll at Liam, but he catches it and takes a big bite. My parents chuckle as well.
“Yeah, well, after Jessica cleaned the twins’ rooms, I’m pretty sure she can survive anything,” Aunt Tater chimes in.
“I had to pay her double and give her a bonus after she finished,” my father adds.
I personally wouldn’t clean the twins’ rooms, even if they paid me a million bucks. That doesn’t mean anything. She’s just hard up for money.
Jessica returns to set the main course in front of me. Offering a tight-lipped smile, she whispers, “I heard this was your favorite. I hope you like it.” She moves away before I can reply.
Emily raises a brow at me. “Go on. Try it. She worked her ass off, putting together this five-course meal with all of your favorites. She even paid the staff tonight with her own money, so everyone can enjoy dinner and spend time with you. Just thought you should know.” Emily stares while I cut into my meal and watches me take my first bite.
This is the best roast beef I ever tasted, better than some five-star restaurants I have been to. Emily isn’t done with me, not yet anyway. She starts talking about Jessica and all the little things she has been through during her short time here. Hearing all that Jessica has experienced, how everyone around me knows her so well, makes me feel worse for assuming the worst of her. She should have struck me down with lightning earlier today. I would have deserved it.
As dinner continues, enjoying my meal becomes more difficult. Guilt sits heavy in my gut. By the time dessert comes, I notice Jessica is absent. I want her to be at this table, to be with her family. I prepare to stand, to apologize for being such an asshole, and ask her to join us.
Emily barges into the dining room from the kitchen. “Hey!” she shouts. “Where’s Jessica? I can’t find her anywhere.”
Justin and Jeremy both frown, looking at each other with concern.
“She’s not in the house. I can’t hear her thoughts,” Jeremy states. He can’t hear her what?
Justin turns to our father. “Before dinner started, I told Jessica she should have her wound assessed. She might need stitches—it was bleeding so badly. I totally forgot about it and meant to check in with her.”
Anders stands from his chair, pulls his cell from his pocket, and leaves the room. Liam retrieves his own phone, retreating to the farthest corner of the room. Anders returns, glowering. “She hasn’t been to the clinic. The doctor will call if she shows up.”
Liam ends his call. “Sodie’s been keeping an eye on Dustin and Marcus. They’re currently in the rec room. He assumed Boris was in his room since he last spotted him a little over an hour ago. He’s checking now and will text—” His phone buzzes. “He’s not there.”
Anders immediately barks orders to Ean, Charlie, and Liam. Duck calls all guard pack members within the territory to begin a search. I run out the door, following them.
Liam turns to say, “Sodie is gathering the rest of the recruits to secure Dustin and Marcus, and then they’ll join us to look for Boris.”
“Aren’t we kind of jumping the gun, just a little?” I ask.
Liam sighs. As we join the other recruits, he explains about his fight with Marcus, Dustin, and Boris, as well as Marcus’s threat. One of the recruits overheard the three of them talking, making plans to kidnap the VIP, and informed the leads.
