AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My head is spinning already, and the news that Casper is carrying my kid sends me into overdrive. I have to get to her, to make sure she’s okay and ensure that they both never leave my side again.
“So are we gonna turn him in or bury his body in my yard?” Linc pipes up, breaking through the tension in Remy’s truck. “Joel, I mean. How are we gonna handle this? I’m about twenty seconds out, by the way.”
We are driving through town, and Remy snorts. “I caught up to you. I’m only about a minute out now. And I’m thinking a few knives and some fire. I have a future to think of, and so do you. Our families have already lost enough.”
“Hey, Remy.” Linc slams on his brakes. I can hear the screech through the phone. “There’s a kid covered in blood standing in front of Casper’s house.”
What the hell is going on?
21
COLE
I’m trying to call Emmett again as Linc’s talking in the background, but nothing.
“Emmett,” I snap into his voicemail. “Shit hit the fan. Get to me. Track my phone.”
Remy makes a sharp turn, and I see a truck parked in the middle of the road in front of us. Linc is saying something on the other end of the call, but I can’t hear him.
My attention is on Laurence.
The blood covering his body.
He’s alone in the road.
Where’s Casper?
She would never leave Laurence alone.
She’d never let him go, especially not covered in blood.
She would never let a child out of her sight who was hurt.
Not if she were alive to protect him.
I can see him from where we are, but I can’t get to him. I’ve never been helpless like this, eyes and focus where they need to be, but no physical way to do what needs to be done. As soon as Remy stops, I’m out of the truck, running faster than I ever have before.
I get to him, pushing Linc out of the way so that I can put my hands on my family, and scoop him into my arms, checking for injuries.
“Uncle Cole.” Laurence is crying, tears streaking through the blood on his face. “Auntie Caspie hurt.”
Those three words burn themselves into every piece of my being.
It’s not him.
Laurence is safe.
But Casper.
The blood is Casper’s.
I clutch him to my chest, unable to let go even when Remy tries to take him from me. Instead, Laurence holds on tighter and refuses to let me out of his grip. Nothing could take him from me right now.
Shards of broken glass have taken up residence in my throat, making it impossible to take a complete breath. Even when I swallow, it burns. And when I can get my throat to work, the words are barely audible. “Where is she, buddy?”
Laurence points to the open front door and then buries his face in my chest, heavy sobs bouncing between us as both of our bodies are heaving.
His with tears and cries, and mine with panic.
