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One of the many reasons she’d fallen so hard for him.
He’d helped her over and over.Helped clear out old boxes from the house she shared with her brother.Helped to organize items in the basement.He’d even befriended her brother, and Lane was notoriously difficult to approach.
They didn’t speak again until they were in Oliver’s sleek ride and heading down the wet streets.The rainstorm from earlier had passed, but the dark roads seemed to gleam with a shine from the water.
She tried reaching her brother again.He didn’t answer.She fired off a text.What is happening?Are you hurt?
Her greatest fear.That her brother would be hurt.He was her only family.They’d looked out for each other for so long.
“I…I didn’t get to tell you…” Oliver’s voice came slowly.“Ineedto tell you…”
Her left hand curled around his fingers as he gripped the steering wheel.
He braked at a light, and his head turned her way.“I didn’t expect you.”
Her phone dinged.She’d kept it gripped in her right hand.Automatically, she looked down.
Being arrested.Get to the house.Hurry.
What?What?Her breath choked out.“My brother is being arrested!We have to get to the house, now!”
The light changed.
But Oliver didn’t move.
He kept staring right at her.
“Oliver?”Lark prompted.“I need to get to my house.Hurry!”
He looked down at her hand as her fingers covered his.“I’m sorry.”Low.
So low that maybe she hadn’t heard him correctly.“What?”
“I’m so fucking sorry.”Then he focused on the road, and he drove them forward.
***
Chaos.
That was what she found when Oliver braked in front of her home on the normally quiet suburban street.Police lights flashed.There was even a big, black SWAT van to the right.Cops were running everywhere.
And…was that a news crew?Stationed at her neighbor’s house and filming everything?
She shoved open her door and tried to lunge out of Oliver’s vehicle.
But Oliver grabbed her hand.“You don’t want to go in there.Just…stay here.They’ll be bringing your brother out soon.”
She twisted her hand and jerked free of his hold.“What are you talking about?”Hehadn’ttalked on the ride over.Not since he’d gritted out that he was “so fucking sorry.”Her stomach twisted and heaved, and terror clawed at her.“Who will be bringing him out?”
“My team.”
Ice seemed to coat her skin, starting with her face and working to encase her entire body.
Without another word, she jumped out.Then, frantic, she ran for her house.
Only to find uniformed cops blocking her path.One blasted, “This is a crime scene!Stay back!Go with the others!”He pointed to the right.
To the right…where her neighbors stood.Gaping.Recording with their phones.Watching her.
