Page 141 of Split You Open

“You know, on your phone,” I tell him, perplexed by the way his face grows pale. “Oh, right, we didn’t give you your phone back…”

Even Blair looks a little apprehensive right now. She reaches out to touch Ledger’s arm. “That’s how I knew he was alive. He texted you. I totally forgot about that.”

“Okay, so you missed a few text messages?” Rhett snaps. “So what? Why are you⁠—”

“A few?!” Ledger’s eyes nearly bulge out of his head.

Blair winces. “Oh, shit, you’re in a lot of trouble.”

Ledger glares at her. “You should’ve told me!”

“I forgot!” She throws her hands up. “I had more pressing issues. Like my godfather possibly trying to kill me. I was just happy to see he was still alive!”

Ledger’s face turns red as he glares at her. He opens his mouth but Rhett holds up a hand.

“Can someone explain what the fuck is happening?” he demands, glaring at the two of them. “Why are you two freaking out?”

Ledger shifts his attention to Rhett.

He opens his mouth but only a croak comes out. My blood runs cold again at the fear that flickers across Ledger’s face as he shuts his mouth. Ledger shakes his head and lets out a long, pained sigh.

“It’s a rule,” Blair answers for him after a minute, her voice quiet—solemn even. “You have twenty-four hours to respond. If you don’t, Dad gets pissed.”

I roll my eyes. “Seems dramatic, cariño”

“You don’t know my dad.” Blair glances at Ledger anxiously. “Maybe it’s time you get your phone back?”

“Where is it?” he growls.

“Upstairs in Wes’s room. Top drawer to the left,” she replies.

Without another word, Ledger takes off toward the house. The three of us watch him go until he slams the back door behind him.

I pull Blair down into my lap. Instantly, her arms come around my neck, and her worried brown eyes meet mine.

“Cariño? Should I, ah, warn Wes we might have a problem?” I ask her.

She hesitates. Her bottom lip gets trapped between her teeth as her gaze drifts off toward the woods.

Rhett lets out an annoyed huff and rakes his fingers through his hair, attempting to get it out of his face. It doesn’t work. Those dark strands fall right back into place.

“Blair, your silence is freaking me the fuck out,” Rhett says. “Say something!”

“I don’t know what we should do!” she says at last. She looks at him. “Like I said, Dad is unpredictable.”

“He’s a psycho, that’s why you're scared right now, isn’t it?” he counters. “I fucking called it!”

“Mi amado.” I shoot him a dark look. “Be nice.”

Rhett scoffs. “Be nice? Be nice? Ledger, who didn’t even freak out when we had him tied up downstairs, is now panicking. Blair is panicking.” He points to her. “This badass woman doesn’t panic, Santi!”

Blair laughs weakly. With a shake of her head, she says, “Look, everything is going to be… ah, alright. I’ll make sure of it.”

Before I can point out that her lack of confidence is really not helping Rhett’s anxiety, or mine, Ledger storms back out of the house. We all whip our heads around and watch him stomp towards us.

When he stops before us, I hold my breath. With his mouth pinched and brows knitted together, Ledger doesn’t look like he’s bringing any good or comforting news. He looks at me, then Rhett, but it’s when he gives his complete attention to Blair that I realize how serious a situation we’re facing.

“I responded back and he answered immediately,” he tells us while still staring at her.