AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t know if I should tell you this, but I’m going to anyway. Smoke got a package delivered today.”
I lick my lips nervously. “What was in the package?” Crap, even I can hear the wobble in my voice.
Liam’s face falls before it hardens in anger. “A bloody finger.”
I stumble to my feet, my body shaking. “It was Mom’s, wasn’t it?”
“We think so. There was a tattoo on it. Scrollwork, a smoky edge—”
“And inside that scrollwork was the name ‘Jax’,” I finish for him.
At his reluctant nod, I run my hands through my hair nervously as I pace. I know he probably doesn’t need to know this, but I tell him anyway.
“My first memory of that tattoo was when I was around six or so. I asked her who Jax was. She just said it was someone from her past that she had hurt, but he would always have her heart. That was all she would say. Granted, I now know who it was about.” I pause, wrapping my arms around my waist.
“When I was eight, I wanted to get Mom something for her birthday. Grandma helped me pick out a ring with a rose birthstone on it since her birthday is in October. She put it on immediately and never took it off. Though, I do remember her changing which finger she wore it on after meeting Preston again. Since he’s been back in our lives, she wore my ring over her tattoo and never took it off. I’ve even seen her wear it in her sleep.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “He’s punishing her because I left, isn’t he?”
Liam gets up and wraps me in his arms. Laying my head against his chest, I exhale heavily. While I’m here, protected and having a fairly good time, my mom is being hurt because of my actions.
“Both Smoke and Python are trying to track them all down. They have alerts set that will notify them if any of them are spotted.”
I swallow thickly, noting that he didn’t refute what I said.
“Smoke also found out some other stuff that you should know about.”
Lifting my head, I look up at him, confused.
“Let’s sit down for this one.”
He leads me over to the couch but lifts me onto his lap so I’m straddling him. “Did you know your grandparents, Lillian’s parents, had a will?”
I shake my head. Wait. “Well, maybe. I know Mom got a little money each month from their estate. Though, the only reason I found out about that was because shortly after they both died, Preston started yelling at Mom about it. He said they should have got the full amount right away. I think my grandparents set it up that way because they knew Preston would blow through it faster than you could blink.”
“You’re right that her portion of it is small, but baby, almost everything went to you. Their house, a couple of cabins, the cars, and a trust fund. I don’t know how much is in the trust fund, but Smoke said it was pretty hefty.”
Rubbing my temples, I groan as my body slumps. This is so confusing. Why is Preston so insistent on getting his hands on me? Is it just because he promised to sell me to someone? Or did he somehow find out that everything from my grandparents went to me? Is that why he’s on such a tear to get to me?
Licking my lips, I sit up again, hoping Liam won’t be mad that I didn’t say anything at first.
“Um,” I pause, nibbling on my lip.
“What is it, Sunshine?”
Taking a deep breath, I decide to just blurt it out. “I know the other two men that were with Preston in the mall.”
Surprisingly, Liam just nods. “Smoke also recognized them, so he’s tracking them.”
Relief sags through me, and I close my eyes as I lean against Liam’s shoulder. “Good. Both Phillip and Michael always gave me the creeps whenever they were around.” Liam’s body tenses underneath me and I sit up, looking at him in confusion. “What?”
Nerves coil inside when I see him also looking at me in confusion. “Who’s Michael, baby?”
I frown. “He was one of the men at the mall. Phillip was to Preston’s right, he’s Preston’s brother. Michael was to his left. And by that, I mean if you were in the same position Preston is in in that photo, Michael’s on your left, Preston his right.”
This time, Liam frowns and he shifts me slightly, keeping one hand on my thigh, before digging his phone out of his pocket. He taps away and when he turns it toward me, it’s the three of them at the mall.
I point him out. “That’s Michael. Michael Sawyer.”
