AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Still haven’t shown up, Stratford.”
“I know, I’m sorry. It’s been a nutty few days.”
“Still on this murder thing?”
“Yeah, and I’m making progress, I—”
A horrified scream on the road brought her attention around just as the sickening thud of metal on a human body ended the sound. Mila. Mila! On the road, she was, they had…
Taking off, the car spun its wheels with an urgent squeal. Horns blared, people called out, but she ran to her friend. Ran into the road. Over to the woman sprawled at all the wrong angles.
“Mila,” she whispered, stroking her hair from her face. “Mila!” She swallowed, ignoring those gathering around her. Her friend was… She was… “Call 911!”
Others echoed her plea. Cars stopped; people held a makeshift cordon that crowded way too close. Her friend had… They were… The danger had known exactly where to look.
SEVENTEEN
“…FOR A FEW DAYS.”
Lachlan had been at her side for… She didn’t even know how long. With no idea of the time and no inclination to check, numbness clawed at her insides.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” he said, tucking her hair from her face, which was turned down toward the floor. “You need to look after yourself. You had a close call today.”
“I didn’t.” They weren’t after her. They got their target. “I’m fine.”
“If not me, stay with your brother.”
“No,” she said, closing her eyes. “He doesn’t need to… He has enough going on.”
“He might have something to say about that.”
Blinking around at him, she exhaled. “You called him, didn’t you?”
Lachlan nodded past her, signaling to the other end of the corridor. Ford. Sealing her lips, she inhaled. Damnit. Now that he was there… Her eyes watered, so she closed them again, begging the tears to stay at bay.
“I am a Stratford.”
Whispering the reminder as Lachlan stood up, she hoped he didn’t hear it. Except when she opened her eyes to face her brother, the situation only got worse. Jagg. There, behind her brother. Double damnit. Blowing out a quick breath, she stood up, her back to the men, pulling on every ounce of resolve, swiping at the ridiculous tears staining her cheeks.
When she turned to see her brother and Lachlan shaking hands, she almost lost it. “Stop it,” she said, lunging over to pull their hands apart. “You don’t even like each other.”
“Tragedy brings people together, Squirt,” Ford said. “What the hell do you think you’re getting into without calling me?”
“I didn’t get into anything,” she said, pleased for the anger; it was so much easier to express. “This was an accident…” Except, even as she said the words, they poisoned her tongue. It wasn’t true. It wasn’t an accident. She didn’t believe that. “It just… happened.”
“You know this shit she’s into?” Lachlan asked.
“Yeah, and I thought you were smarter than to let her into it.”
“I told her to stay out of it.”
“So did I.”
“She doesn’t listen to anyone,” Lachlan said. “Always thinks she knows best.”
“Stop agreeing with each other,” she said, glaring at one man then the other. Jagg got nothing, not so much as a sniff. “Sheis all grown up and makes her own choices. Not everyone has to agree with them.”
