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Sam let out laugh that sounded forced. “Nothing’s happening.” He tossed his cell phone to Blake. “Put your number in mine. I’ll contact you in the morning.”
Blake put in the number and then tossed the phone back. “Sounds good. Take care of her, will you?”
“I will.”
Good, maybe that meant he was staying.
Blake shut the door behind him.
“I’m going to go out in the hall for a few minutes and call Rod,” Sam said.
“Stay here. You can put him on speaker.” No, she didn’t want to talk to Rod. She’d rather be hung by her toenails on a clothesline, but she had to know if he knew anything.
“Let me handle this,” Sam said. “You relax. I promise I’ll tell you everything.”
She relented. Relaxing was out of the question, of course, but not dealing with Rod sounded like heaven on Earth at the moment.
Sam left the room.
Sydney lay on the bed. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cry for her parents whom she didn’t know at all, it turned out. She wanted to cry for her big brother, who’d had a reason for leaving after all. She wanted to cry for Sam, from whom she’d kept such a terrible secret for so many years. How would he be able to trust her? And mostly she wanted to cry for her beautiful little boy whom she might never see again. Might never hear his bubbly laughter, might never hear his sweet little voice call her “Sassy.”
Was she truly all cried out? Had she become numb?
Sam entered about ten minutes later. “He says he has no clue where they are. But get this, he’s offered to help us locate them.”
“Don’t trust him,” Sydney said.
“Don’t worry. You want to know his price for his help?”
“What?”
“You.”
Sydney’s tummy tumbled. What was it with this guy? Couldn’t he take no for an answer?
But she sighed. “Take his help if you need it, Sam. I will go back with him if it means Duke comes home safely.”
“No, you will not. Besides, I don’t believe for a minute that he knows anything. He let something slip that made me figure out why he and his father are so anxious for this marriage. Evidently his father got involved in some bad business deals with bad people. Mob, Syd. That’s why Rod’s father wants this marriage. He figures with you in the family, he can keep them off his back.”
“Still, if he can help us find Duke—”
Sam shook his head. “I won’t put you in that position. You are not a piece of property he can own. You are no one’s price.”
Warmth coursed through her. He was right, of course. But to hear the words and see the fierce look of possession on his face made her think he might be able to forgive her. Perhaps their love had a chance.
She yawned. “I’m so sleepy.”
“I know, baby. I’m gonna get out of here and let you rest.”
Her body quivered. Being alone scared the hell out of her. “Please don’t. I mean, please stay with me.”
“Syd…”
“I won’t come on to you. I promise. You can sleep in the other bed if you want. I just can’t be alone.”
He nodded. “I don’t relish being alone tonight ether, truth be told.” He stalked toward her. “And I don’t relish sleeping in the other bed.”
* * *
