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“They’ve been happening more lately, but this …” The bitter and sour taste of bile burned the back of my throat as pieces of the dream flickered through my mind like an old black and white movie with lousy reception.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Jace sat on the edge of the chair and looked at me.
I sank back into my seat and stared at the floor. Maybe talking about it would minimize the horrible feelings that were coursing through me. “There’s always someone with me. We’re young. Even though I’m just a boy, I have the mind of an adult, so I understand what’s happening.” I slammed my eyes closed, then back open. “I’m just a little kid, but whoever is with me is always faceless. It’s eerie as fuck.”
“What else can you remember?”
“There was sex. We were watching.” I gulped as my head started to spin.
“Um, that’s not a bad dream. I think you’re simply stressed to the fucking max.” Jace took my glass from me and set it on the coffee table.
“It wasn’t like that. There was a young man, and he was being forced against his will.” I shook my head in disbelief, and my hand flew up in front of my chest, indicating that I couldn’t talk about it anymore. “Forget it. Obviously, my subconscious is messing with me.” Even though the words came out of my mouth, I couldn’t shake the horrible feeling that clung to me.
“Who was forcing him?” Jace pressed.
I glared at him. “A couple. A man and a woman, but no one I recognized.”
“Are you writing all of this down?” Jace asked.
I snarled at him. “What are you, my fucking shrink?” Guilt washed over me the second the words left my lips. “Shit, I’m sorry. I’m stressed.”
Jace shrugged it off. “I was simply trying to help. It’s hard not to ask questions when you’ve been raised by a psychiatrist. I didn’t mean to get all up in your business.”
I glanced at Jace, his expression masking his real feelings. He’d learned at a young age to never show what he was thinking. Ever. It wasn’t worth being analyzed and dissected.
“I know.” Desperately needing to change the subject, I let Jace know that Zayne was off duty tonight, and Tad was with us.
“Zayne works all the time. He probably needs to get his brains fucked out. Relax a little.” Jace grinned at me.
“I set him up at the Davenport with a few of the girls that entertain clients when they’re in town.”
Jace’s laugh filled the living room. “You’re a good man, Holden. If he’s still with you during the holidays, that would be a damned good Christmas bonus too.”
He had a point. “Hopefully, I won’t need a bodyguard by then, but that’s probably wishful thinking.”
My cell rang, and I searched around for it. I snatched it off the floor and answered Sutton’s call.
“This is Holden.”
“You were right. The lady with the little girl is important.” Sutton had nipped the polite chit chat in the bud this time.
I scooted to the edge of my seat. “Who are they?”
“To protect you, I’m going to leave some names out of our conversation,” Sutton explained.
Jace sank into a chair, his gaze connecting with mine. I mouthed that it was Sutton, and he nodded.
“The woman’s name is Autumn Foster. She kept her married name, but she’s divorced. She and Tim don’t try to hide their relationship either.”
“Okay?” I wasn’t sure why this was important information.
“Her father is the one that brought Tim into the weapons business. Autumn and Tim have had an off-and-on relationship for the last three years,” Sutton said.
“So, the little girl ...?” I clenched my jaw together, adding the years to try to determine if I had a half-sister.
“She’s Tim’s daughter, Holden.”
I closed my eyes and massaged my temple. The nightmare was still lingering around the edges of my mind. “What’s her name?”
