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“I love you too, Nana.” I try to smile through my flood of tears, but it’s hopeless. I’m now officially a marshmallow.
35
“Ican’t believe he didn’t tell us.” I mumble for about the billionth time as I readjust the placemat in front of me once more. My nerves are fried, my brain on overload, and I can’t fucking wait for Alan to get here for dinner. He should have been here like, an hour ago.
Flashes of guilt and regret ping around me and I know the guys are all feeling much the same as me. If there’s anyone in the world that worked to deserve our respect and loyalty, it was Alan. And this twisted game of cat and mouse had us all turning our backs on him. Not that we weren’t slightly justified in our suspicions, but…
Now we know he had a damn good reason to be absent and frazzled, and even more overprotective towards me than usual.
Fuck.I’m such an ass.
I’ll be spending a hell of a lot of time making it up to him. Being there for him. Whatever the fuck he needs, he’ll get it.
My leg rapidly taps beneath the table where I’m sitting as I bite at the side of my thumb. I’ve ordered all of Alan’s favorites for dinner and it’s all spread out before us, waiting for his arrival. Gizmo and Snitch are pretty pissed at me right now because I won’t let them on the table to dig in.
A strong hand grips my knee, bringing its movements to a stop and I sigh. “Relax,mi vida. Alan is not angry with you and he won’t hold it against you. Now that we all understand each other, it’ll go back to normal,” Nic reassures me softly as he rubs his thumb in soothing circles.
“What he said. It’ll probably be even better than before too!” Kai interjects across from me. “Relationships are always stronger and better once you’ve endured trauma or bad shit together.”
“Is that true?” My brows crinkle as I turn my head in Ezra’s direction.
“The greatest bonds are forged in fire and pain,” our man of few words so eloquently responds.
“Maybe you should reconsider a career as a poet.” I grin when he grunts.
“No, he’d probably be better as a therapist.” Kai matches my energy and provides his own joke.
“Definitely a phone sex operator.” When Nic speaks, my eyebrows shoot to my hairline before I burst out laughing. “What? We all know he has the voice for it!”
A knock on the door interrupts our antics and I immediately jump up and move to answer it, but I’m promptly shoved back to my seat. “No. Just because we’re expecting someone, doesn’t negate that there’s still a threat out there somewhere. Plus…you tend to attract the most unusual visitors.” Nic’s grip on my shoulder tightens until I stop trying to stand back up.
“Ugh. Fine! But I resent that. It’s not my fault.” I cross my arms over my chest and lean back.
The guys leave the dining room and head out to the entry to answer the door. I turn my head and hear the sound of dozens of locks and chains sliding open. My heart rate picks up as I hear the low murmurs of voices speaking, but it doesn’t sound like it’s Alan.
“Um, Wicked.” A familiar aura enters the room and I stand, hesitating to step out from behind the table now.
“Bass? What are you doing here?” I tighten my hands into fists as Gizmo and Snitch jump onto the chair behind me and grab at the bottom of my flannel shirt.
“Listen…” He hesitates for a moment before clearing his throat, the guys entering the room and moving around me. The back of my neck starts to tingle, unease slicing down my spine in arcs that have goosebumps peppering my skin. “I did what you asked and ran that license plate, it took a while because it was from so long ago, but I did find the owner. I was going to call you when Alan intercepted me and asked about it. You have to understand…he’s my boss. I had to tell him.”
“Get to the point.” Impatience has me wringing my hands, but that’s not all it is. This isn’t something that warrants a house visit.
“I told him who it belonged to and he rushed off, telling me to wait until I heard from him to tell you.” Bass seems as uneasy as I do at the moment, like he doesn’t want to be the bearer of whatever news he has to give.
“So what’s the problem?”
“The problem is…” He clears his throat again. “I haven’t heard from him since. And that was only like an hour after you left the station. I tried calling, but his phone is going straight to voicemail and Alan’s phone isneveroff.” No, it’s not. Even on his days off, his phone is right next to him with the volume full blast. A man like Alan never actually leaves his workatwork.
My stomach feels as if it caved in on itself. I press a hand to my chest and swallow past the burning in my throat. “Who did the car belong to?”
“A woman called Abigail Young.” I blink rapidly as I try to remember where I’ve heard that name before, but I come up short. It’s Kai who supplies the answer.
“Young? Like Andrea Young?” His voice and aura are bubbling with disbelief. But I still don’t get it.
“Who is Andrea Young? Who is Abigail? Can someonepleaseclue me in?!” I rake a hand through my hair, pushing it out of my face.
“Andrea Young as in Andy…the girl at the office.”
