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“He said he didn’t want to discuss anything over the phone. Do you know why?”
Zayne tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. “No. Pierce is usually pretty cautious when he’s discussing important shit. Phones are easily hacked. They’re super convenient, but not always the safest.”
“Yeah. I agree.” I looked out of the passenger window, my brain throwing a million possible scenarios at me faster than I could process them. “I hope it’s about River.”
“Me too. Although I realize that Pierce is playing it safe, it’s hard to wait when you know shit is going on.” Zayne cleared his throat. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“Okay, sure.”
“I understand that a lot is happening, but is Brynn all right?” Zayne’s dark eyebrow rose with his question.
I looked at him. “You’ve noticed too?”
“Yeah. I haven’t been around long, but long enough to know something is definitely off. Is this her normal response to a lot of stress?”
Had I talked myself into believing she was worried about River and not anything else?
“That’s a hard one to answer. I can tell you that Brynn is usually level-headed, even when shit’s going down, but it’s been a while since we’ve dealt with anything this serious.”
“Just thought I’d check. I’m pretty good at reading people and Brynn is hiding something.”
My mouth hung open as I scrambled for the right words to say. Jesus, was she pregnant too?
Chapter Fourteen
I wanted to be that insensitive fucker and ask Brynn over text if she was pregnant, but I couldn’t. I would ask her when we were face-to-face. If she said no, I would insist that she take a test. Zayne was right. My plate was too full to be able to sift through the facts rationally. Brynn was exhausted, she was barely eating, and she was pale.
“I’ll talk to her tonight.” I shifted uneasily in my seat. If Brynn had a little one and the father wasn’t interested, then her baby would have three daddies. We’d sworn years ago that we’d always take care of each other regardless, even if we were in a serious relationship with someone. Our bond was nearly impenetrable. As soon as Brynn, Jace, and Chance had accepted River, she’d been included in our pact. More than ever, I needed to find the love of my life. Not only did I need her, but her best friend did as well. Having River with us would help heal our broken hearts. She would know how to deal with the situation with Brynn. Maybe it was women’s intuition, but whatever was going down, River would be able to handle it.
After what seemed like an eternity, Zayne pulled through the gates of Pierce and Sutton’s property. He parked in front of the garage, and we hopped out. I’d seen a lot of beautiful places, but this one was special. Since the penthouse was most likely destroyed. I wondered if River would want a house like this or something else entirely.
“Do you need some coffee? Sutton always has a fresh pot going. I’m amazed she even sleeps.” Zayne stretched, then cracked his neck and grinned at me.
“Sounds good.” I could see two staircases, one on either side of the living room. The layout was pretty sweet.
Zayne led us into a chef’s dream kitchen. River would flip her shit and never leave if she saw it. Stainless-steel appliances, black granite counters, a large island with drawers, a breakfast nook, and windows offering a stunning view of rolling hills.
We grabbed a fresh cup before we went upstairs.
“We’re here, boss.” Zayne said, poking his head into a room, then strolling in. He placed the thumb drive Tim had given me on Pierce’s desk before he sat down in a black leather chair.
“Excellent. Holden, it’s good to see you again. Please, have a seat.” Pierce motioned for me to sit down.
My palms grew sweaty as I settled into the identical seat next to Zayne. Bookcases lined the wall with photos of Pierce and Sutton’s wedding. I spotted Zayne, Vaughn, and what looked like Hendrix and Gemma from August Clover. I squinted and peered at the photo. River would lose her shit when I told her. She was a huge fan.
Rays of golden sunshine streamed through the large window directly behind Pierce’s executive desk. Maple and aspen trees lined the edge of the woods, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance sparkled in the light.
I could envision River drinking her coffee in the morning and happily staring out over the acreage. Her hair would still be messy from making love the night before. Her toned legs would peek out of an oversized sleep shirt. Fuck. I inhaled slowly, willing my hard dick to calm down, along with my fantasies about my girlfriend who wasn’t here.
“Sorry I’m late.” Sutton rushed in and waved at us. “Hey, Holden. How are you holding up after the fire?” Her blonde hair was swept up into a hurried ponytail, and she smoothed her pink polo shirt with the palm of her hand. Dark circles nestled beneath her blue eyes. Sutton was most likely wired on coffee and exhausted.
I rubbed my chin, wanting to cut the chit-chat and get down to business. “Overwhelmed,” I answered honestly. “Not to mention I’m about to go out of my mind over what you and Pierce have learned.”
“Shit. Of course, I wasn’t trying to be insensitive with the small talk. I’ll let Pierce explain what we’ve found.” She offered me a kind smile, and I immediately felt like an ass. But I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to know if they’d found River.
“I’ll get right to it,” Pierce began. “Tim was in his car when he called you and admitted to starting the fire at 4 Play.”
“Yes! We can put the bastard away, now.” A grin eased across my face.
