AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You mean, like fuckin’ pigs?” Trig shook his head. “Sometimes I get the feeling I’m being punished for my sins by having to parent a teenage girl who’s pretty enough to make all the boys around her lose their damn minds. I swear I can see every thought in their heads like they’re thought balloons when they look at her. Just like the thoughts I used to have about pretty girls when I was their age.”
“We’ve been lucky with Kendall so far,” I said. “She ain’t interested in boys at all. I doubt she will be for a while, either. She’s all about the sports and about helping me out in the garage. She told me the other day she wants to get a motorcycle of her own when she’s older.”
Cal snickered. “Oh yeah, right. I bet See will go for that, no problem.”
“Yeah, unlikely. But Kendall asked me to help her butter her mom up, to get her slowly used to the idea, so that when Ken turns sixteen Seton will be open to it.”
“Are you gonna do it, Prez?”
“I value my marriage.” I took a swig of my beer. “I also value my balls, and I’m not interested in having ‘em twisted off and handed to me.”
Zoe came out of the other room over to us, looking worried, trailing her little brother Lincoln behind her.
“Abigail and Chloe aren’t here,” she said.
“What?” Cal rose up halfway out of his chair. “What do you mean? Where are they?”
She looked down at her brother seriously. “Lincoln, tell Uncle Cal and the others what you just told me. Where did Abigail and Chloe go?”
“They left with Santa Claus,” Lincoln said.
5
SETON
Zoe was in tears. “It’s all my fault! I was supposed to be watching them!” she sobbed.
“Stop it, Zoe,” Trig said, cutting her short and putting an arm around her. “You need to stay calm. It’s not your fault. We’ll get them back.”
“We need call Andi,” I said urgently, reaching for my phone. But Cal stopped me before I could make the call.
“No, See. Not yet.” He was grim-faced but resolute. “There’s nothing she can do from the arena, and if we tell her right now, she’s going to fall apart. It won’t help anything.”
“Oh my God, we just can’t keep from her that her children are missing, Cal! She’s their mother!” I insisted.
“And I am their goddamn father!” he snapped back. “And I am Andi’s husband. You need to back it the fuck up and put your fucking phone away, Seton, right the fuck now.”
“But —”
“Babe.” Grey’s hand was on my shoulder. “He’s right. Put it away.”
I gaped at them both. Not telling Andi that her babies were in danger felt like betraying her. But the set, determined look on both Cal and Grey’s faces brooked no argument. Silently, helplessly, I slipped my phone back into my pocket. I said a silent apology to Andi in my head, and a prayer for the girls’ safety.Please Lord, let us get them back before anything bad happens.
Cal turned to my husband and Zoe, suddenly all business. “How long ago did you see the Santa guy?”
“Maybe fifteen minutes ago,” Grey answered.
“I came back downstairs with Kendall about ten minutes ago,” Zoe hiccupped, rubbing a wet eye with the heel of her hand.
“And Lincoln said he saw the girls leave with him out that door,” Eva murmured, pointing. “He said they looked happy. So they must not have been struggling.”
“Fuck, of course not,” Cal muttered, raking a hand through his hair. “Who better to kidnap some fucking kids than Santa himself?”
“But why? Why would he kidnap them?” I cried.
“Who knows?” Grey said. “Money, maybe, if he knew they’re Andi’s kids. That’s the most likely answer. Or…”
He trailed off. Whatever else he was thinking, it was clear he decided it was better not to say it.
