I have to agree with him on that. Tobias is not going to be happy. At all.
I’m not happy either, but I’m not as upset as I expected. So many times I’ve cowered when Matt acted like this. I did whatever I could to calm him down, and that was usually giving him exactly what he wanted. I was afraid all the time, and it was exhausting. Weakening me just as much as his constant manipulations and put downs.
I’m not cowering today.
Part of the reason for that is because I’m not on my own in this fight. I have backup. Lots of it.
Even without Tobias here.
“Has he called you back?” Maren leans my way, peering at the cell phone in my lap. “I expected him to be blowing you up by now.”
“I haven’t called him yet.” Just like my family has my back, I have theirs. Walker only gets a limited amount of time today to look through those records. It’s a chance he might not get again. I know if I call and tell Tobias about Matt’s threats, both men will leave, and I’m not going to let that happen.
There’s not really anything they can do for me anyway. I’vegot Trevor and Maren ready and willing to make all sorts of messes if the need arises.
Plus, I’m sure I could also easily convince Tucker to throw hands. He was a little too excited over the possibility of a brawl last night, and I don’t think it would take much to have him completely invested again.
Except, if Matt shows up here, my security guard friend Ray will probably just taze him the minute he walks through the doors, ruining everyone’s fun before it begins.
“You haven’t called him?” Maren shakes her head, eyes wide. “Brooke, you have to call him. He’s going to go bananapants if you don’t.”
“How is he going to go bananapants if I don’t call him? He won’t even know what’s happening.” I glance down at my phone, checking just in case. “He’ll call me as soon as he’s on his way back, and I’ll tell him then. It’s fine.”
“I don’t think he’s gonna see it that way.” Maren reaches out, poking my arm with one finger. “And I want to go on the record that I told you to call him. No way do I want him mad at me over this.”
“At the risk of agreeing with Maren twice in one day, I have to concede she is probably correct in saying you should call Tobias.” Trevor says the words like they taste bitter. “And I would also like to go on the record as having said that.”
“I’m not calling him.” I stand. “Walker needs to find out what happened to his mother, and I’m not going to be the reason that doesn’t happen.”
I turn, intending to go tell Ray he should only taze Matt a little bit, and then call Tucker so he can get a couple good swings in, but my phone starts to ring in my hand. My belly flips like it always does when I look at the screen and see Tobias’s name displayed there.
I lift my cell, wiggling it around to show Maren and Trevor who’s calling. “See? It’s going to be fine.” I swipe across the screen, pressing the device to my air. “Hey. How did it go?”
“Is this Brooke Carrington?” The official-sounding voice coming through the line does not belong to Tobias. It’s entirely unfamiliar, and has the flutter in my belly turning to lead.
I curl inward, arm wrapping around my middle. “How do you have this number?”
“This is Officer Banning. There’s been an accident.”
I try to focus on what the police officer’s telling me, but my ears are ringing so loud I can’t hear anything.
Maren must be able to tell, because she’s quickly at my side, one hand taking the phone as the other grips me in a tight hug.
I thought Matt’s message was just him trying to manipulate me again. Believed his threats and awful words were yet another attempt to coerce me into making myself small enough I wouldn’t have power against him.
And I was so proud it didn’t work. That instead of shrinking in fear, I was standing up to him. I was being brave.
I was going to show him—and myself—who I really am.
But maybe who I really am, is stupid.
“Can you repeat that?” Maren’s voice is all business as she takes over what I couldn’t handle.
I don’t want to shut down, because shutting down is what got me where I was. I need to get it together. If not for myself, then for Tobias.
Sucking in a deep breath, I lean back, giving her a nod. “I’m okay.”
It’s a stretch. A big one. And entirely dependent on whether or not Tobias is okay.
