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“Elise…I can’t.” Panic creeps in from the edges of my mind, and my hand shakes, the lines turning into uncontrolled strokes. I toss the drawing into the overflowing trash receptacle three feet away.
“You haven’t talked about it since you came home,” she says, wielding more persistence than she’s ever dared.
“I said I can’t.” Reaching for a fresh piece of paper, I shake my head. “Not yet. I just...I need to focus on work right now.”
“Okay.” Her tone softens, relents. “You’re not ready, but when you are, I’m here for you, just like you were for me.” She picks up her book, and I pull in a breath as I bury my head in my work again.
The outline of a mermaid gown materializes on the page, making me think of the sea and beach cottages and intense ocean eyes.
He’s my rock, and he’s not here.
The door bursts open, startling me, and I find Liam standing in the doorway. Spotting the cellphone in his hand, I jump to my feet and make it halfway across the room when the tightness of his mouth registers.
My footsteps falter. “Is Sebastian on the phone?”
He looks at the cell in his hand and blinks, his lips moving as if he wants to say something, but no words come out. That’s when I glance over his shoulder and notice the rest of the Brotherhood crowding behind him in the hall. Landon, Vance, Ford, Mr. Bordeaux, Hugo, Pax, Miles…
All of them but two.
“What’s going on?”
With a gulp, Liam enters my studio, and the rest of the men file in after him. Elise pushes up from the chair, and Liam shakes his head.
“You both…you need to sit down.”
Nausea rises.
Elise plops back down as Landon crosses the room to his wife’s side.
I stumble back a step. “What is it? Did they find Axel?”
“They found him, but…” Another shake of his head, and I don’t realize I’m trembling until he pulls me into his arms. “Novalee—” His voice cracks, and the floor breaks open at my feet.
“Are they coming home? Tell me,” I choke, clutching his suit.
“Their plane went down.” He sucks in a deep breath, and his arms squeeze the air from my lungs. “I’m so sorry, my sweet girl.”
