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Small tremors rolled through my body as I considered the different paths and outcomes. As nightmares crippled my lungs and seized my throat.
Just as I finally managed to part my lips to respond with my decision, shouting rose through the giant house, echoing through the floors and down the halls. Sending Dare rushing from my room without another glance in my direction.
DIGGS
“I just don’t understand why—how could you?” Jess yelled, shoving Kieran away as she pointed at where Jentry stood, just inside the great room of the Holloway mansion. “My brother? I’ve told you I don’t want him in this!”
“I can explain,” Kieran grated, repeating the phrase he’d been saying ever since our argument over what to do with Willow had been interrupted by Jentry’s unwelcome knock on the front door.
“There is nothing to explain,” Jess cried out, once again shoving her husband back when he tried pulling her into his arms. “You know what this means. You know what this world will do to him. And you.” She whirled on Jentry, her jaw trembling through her fierce expression. “Why couldn’t you let it go?”
“Let it go that this is your life?” A scoff bled from Jentry. “That you willingly walked into this and live this?”
“How is that any different from what you’re currently doing?” she shot back before a sob burst from her. Her betrayed gaze drifted between her brother and her husband before she muttered, “Fuck you both,” and stormed away with Kieran on her heels.
Jentry blew out an aggravated breath before focusing on me as if he blamed me for the entire interaction.
I lifted a shoulder defensively. “Tried keeping you out of it, five-oh.”
“Whatever,” he breathed before jogging off in the direction Jess and Kieran had gone, taking him past where Dare waited at the base of the stairs.
My gaze automatically swept up them, looking for the girl who wasn’t there. Whose pain I could still feel echoing in the hollows of my heart.
“Told Kieran she wouldn’t take it well,” Dare said as if he didn’t know I was dying to know why he’d been up there so long. “He should’ve told Jess as soon as we got back.”
My head bobbed in quick jerks as I made another quick sweep of the stairs. “What did—”
“Gear up.”
My jaw clenched as I fought the urge to ask anyway—to beg him to tell me what he and Willow had talked about. Swallowing every plea, I started toward the hall to do what I needed to, only to come to an abrupt stop when Maverick came barreling out of the conference room.
His mouth opened to say or ask something, but a hissed curse left instead. Slapping his hand against the wall, he demanded, “Where’s Dare?”
I started gesturing behind me just before Dare’s harried “What?” sounded from around the corner.
“Shit ton of KSG outside,” Maverick quickly answered.
“The gate?” Dare asked, at once sounding like he was confirming and worried about what the next words from my brother would be.
“Inside the estate,” Maverick corrected. “Started pouring out of the goddamn trees like they’ve been camped in them this entire time. Jesus, Lily said not to leave the house—that it was a trap. Because they’ve been right here waiting for us to do exactly that.”
Dare’s response was little more than inaudible background noise as my gaze darted behind me, to the end of the hall...to the path my heart was begging me to take...to her.
“Diggs,” Dare snapped as if he’d already called my name a few times. Once I focused on him, he seethed, “Clear head or fuck off.”
“I’m here.”
“And so are they,” he reminded me unnecessarily.
I knew that. It was all I could think of because they wanted Willow and had come for her.
Dare grabbed my shoulder and pulled me close, his entire body vibrating from the day’s traumatic events and the adrenaline this new incident incited. “She’s safe. She’ll be safer once this is taken care of, and there’s no one I trust more than the two of you.”
I gave a sharp nod even as that draw to her pulled stronger.
“Clear head.”
“I’m good,” I assured him, even though I couldn’t actually be positive of that.
