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“Not my ex, although he could be mad at Sydney for helping me and the kids hide from him.” I watch her as worry fills her eyes. “Oh shoot.” She lifts her cell and places a call. “Krystal, where are you?” She pauses as the other person responds. “Sydney’s car was vandalized. I’m going to be late.” I hear a muffled shout from the other end of the line. “No, I don’t need you to send anyone. Please don’t call Darrell. Police are here. I’m okay. I just needed to check on the kids.” She pauses longer this time. “Thank you. Okay, I’ll text when I’m on the way.”
Lydia mentioning Darrell doesn’t bother me as I know he’s her brother. I got info on him and her parents when I researched her. Some things I found are worrying, like her parents’ accident. There’s something about it that doesn’t look right.
I turn back to Sydney. “Well, are you going to answer me?” I’m referring to my question about her having any enemies.
“I don’t know,” she says, but I can tell she’s hiding something.
“You don’t know if you have enemies?” I tip my head to the side.
She looks me up and down, contemplating her answer. I move to make sure Lydia is covered from all angles now that she’s off the phone.
“I don’t know if it’s them,” she says as she looks around the area.
“Who are your enemies?” I ask her again. Lydia is trying to push past me, but I hold her back.
“I can’t tell you.” Sydney moves toward her car.
I turn back to Lydia. “Don’t fucking move that sexy ass. You hear me?” Her eyes flare wide at my words. I can’t believe I said that, but it’s true.
I join Sydney as she stops and reaches for the blade. “Don’t touch that,” I order her. “I don’t understand why they’d use a machete. It’s a bit overkill.” I observe her as I make the comment, trying to see if she’ll give me more.
“It’s—” She stops as more police flood the area. She shuts completely down and won’t answer any more of my questions.
* * *
Lydia
I look around at all the flashing lights as I sit in Maverick’s truck. The more I sit here, the more upset I get. This had to be Colton. I don’t know why I think that, but I do. He’s always been weird about Sydney.
Speaking of which, why am I just sitting here when my friend needs me? Oh, that’s right, because Maverick told me to.
Wait one bleeping moment. Did he order me to sit, and I stayed? I shake my head and jump down from the truck. He may have called my ass sexy, but that’s no reason to do as he says. Ugh!
I move across the parking lot toward Maverick. “I’m not a dog.” I slam my hand onto my hip.
He shakes his head in response and mumbles something that sounds like, “A dog would listen.”
I ignore it and together we approach Sydney, who is now wrapped around her boyfriend. Tucker arrived not too long after the rest of the police. He has his other arm protectively around Sydney’s mother and daughter.
“I think this was Colton,” I voice my thoughts as I take in the destruction of her car. It wasn’t just vandalized, but utterly destroyed. The interior has been slashed, and the baby seat hacked apart. Colton’s behavior has become so erratic. Deep down I’m scared of him. I told Syd he was getting better, but I lied. I didn’t want her to worry about how bad it’s really gotten.
“Why do you think that?” Maverick looks down at me.
I may have joked with Syd about my reasonings for calling Maverick today, but honestly he was the first person I thought of when she told me to call the police. I was scared, and he makes me feel safe. For the last three weeks, I’ve thought of him a lot. If my life weren’t so crazy, I’d ask him out. I shake my head and focus on Maverick’s question.
“Who else could it be? He’s mad because he knows Sydney and Sharon are helping me. He was at her house last month and threatened her and Tucker. Right?” I look over at them and then up to Maverick. I watch from the corner of my eye as Tucker nods in agreement.
* * *
By the time everyone is released from the scene it’s almost midnight. I have a half-hour drive home. Exhausted, I lean my forehead against the steering wheel and take a deep breath. I have to figure this all out before someone gets hurt. The rapping on my window causes me to jump. I turn and see Maverick standing there.
I roll down the window. “Yeah?”
“It’s late. How about I give you a ride home?” As always, his gravelly voice makes goose bumps pop along my skin and makes my heart pound faster.
“No, I’m okay.” I shake my head.
“Then text me when you get home. Which way are you heading?”
