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Taking control of the conversation before their bickering got out of hand, Nicoli said to me, “You look better since I last saw you.”
“It’s been almost a month. I—” The sound of my phone ringing in my pocket interrupted me. I reached into my pocket to see that it was Jamie calling. I sent him to voicemail. Before I could put my phone back in my pocket, he called me again. “Excuse me a moment,” I said to the table before getting up and walking out of hearing range.
Putting the phone to my ear, I answered, “I’m in the middle of an exchange.” I glanced back at the table. Nicoli and Dario were listening to something Brenna was saying, and whatever it was made Nicoli grin and Dario frown.
“Are you almost done?” Jamie’s voice was calm, but with the phone calls back-to-back, I knew something was wrong.
“Is everything alright?” I asked, getting straight to the point.
“You need to come home.” Something slipped into his voice then. It was subtle, but there was no mistaking the insistence spurred on by worry in his words.
I took in a calming breath to steel myself before I asked, “Is someone hurt or dead?”
He was quiet for too damn long.
“Answer the fucking question,” I ordered.
“It’s Stefan.”
Everything in me stilled. “Is he hurt or dead?”
“We don’t know.”
I hung up on him and squeezed my phone in my hand. I gave myself five seconds to get a grip, to stop my pounding heart, to push back the panic that was building inside of me, and I sank into my darkness, letting it take over completely.
“Is everything alright?”
I turned to find Dean behind me. “Is the exchange done?”
His eyes narrowed as he stared at me. “It’s done.”
“Good. Let’s get moving,” I said and walked around him back toward Nicoli and the others. As I approached the table, I plastered a polite smile on my face. “I have to cut our drink short. Something back at home requires my attention.”
Nicoli and Brenna stood at the same time. “That’s too bad,” Nicoli said. “I guess you’ll have to make it up to me with that dinner you owe me.”
“Of course,” I said. “Until then, Nicky.”
I could feel Brenna’s and my goons’ eyes on me, knowing something wasn’t right, as we left the club, loaded up our money, and climbed into our vehicles.
“What happened?” Brenna asked as soon as we got on the road back to Quinn Manor.
Asher’s phone rang as he drove. I watched as he answered it. Not even five seconds into the call, he locked wide eyes with me in the rearview mirror.
“Something happened to Stefan,” I finally answered her.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Brody was waiting in the foyer when we arrived home. The moment he saw me, he looked relieved, but that relief didn’t overshadow the fear in his eyes.
“They’re waiting for you in the chamber,” he said and walked with me as I headed that way.
“Where is Kieran?” I asked. Even though I knew he was with his nanny, whose name was Caroline, I still wanted to know that he was safe.
“I just checked on him,” Brody said. “He and Caroline are in the nursery upstairs.” The nursery that he only used during the day. At night, he was always with me, which was now in either Jamie’s or Louie’s room. We alternated each night. I hadn’t slept in the guest house in over a week. Dean and Asher had moved back to their homes a few days ago. Brenna was the only one who remained living there.
Goons were already lined up outside as we approached the chamber. Brody stopped walking and watched us continue on. Asher took his post in the hall. Dean and Brenna followed me inside. Conor, Rourke, their enforcers, Jamie, and Louie were already inside. With stoic expressions, they all stood from their seats as I entered the room, which I found odd. They had never done that before. I noticed Sean was missing, not that I gave a shit at the moment. Seeing Stefan’s chair empty made my chest feel a little tight. The moment I took my seat, so did the others.
I looked to Jamie. “Start explaining.”
