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Lincoln
I watched Daniels leave me and head toward the hall bathroom. Her hips moved in a rhythm that was so hypnotic, I couldn’t ignore it. I glanced toward Kayden and saw him looking at her as well. The gaze on his face made me chuckle, because I was sure my face had mirrored his just a few seconds ago. When Daniels was out of sight, Kayden searched the room until his gaze met mine. As he came my way, he smirked, tilting his head toward the hallway she’d walked down.
He slid up beside me, with the countertop at our backs, and leaned on his elbow. “You know you were doing the same thing,” he stated, still staring down the hallway. “It’s those damn hips...”
I nodded, knowing exactly what he was thinking. “And the way she moves,” I added.
“The three of us need to keep a watch out for Tucker,” Kayden went on, and I agreed. Tucker had never gone this far before. Why obsess over that car? Why did he put Roxie up for the bet when she was so hard to let go of? Maybe there were things we were all missing. “Tyler talked to dad and Officer Brady about it, but they said there wasn’t much we could do without proof.”
My body tensed. “Shit.”
“He hasn’t really hurt her,” Kayden went on. “If anything, she’s the one hurting him.”
“Yeah... but she wouldn’t have had to if she hadn’t felt threatened.”
“You have a point. I still wish I could have seen it, though.” Kayden grinned. “Having her all riled up like that. The three of us could give her an outlet for all that pent-up energy.”
I turned quickly and punched Kayden in the arm. “Get your mind out of the gutter.” Then I settled back where I had been.
“Hey! It’s not like you weren’t thinking the same thing.”
I folded my arms and grunted as I looked over to Kane and Raina. Maybe Arizona wasn’t a bad idea. We could start over. Leave Tucker behind.
“You’re quiet,” Tyler said as he leaned against the counter beside Kayden and me. “Any news on the college yet?”
I glanced his way. “Dad just gave me the letter.”
Kayden was now quiet, listening. I’m sure both of them wanted to know. They couldn’t make plans unless they knew mine.
“And? Are we going?” Kayden finally asked.
“Haven’t opened it yet.”
“I’m with you, with whatever you decide,” Tyler spoke up, “and so is she. But just because she’s willing, Linc, doesn't mean it’s in her best interest. Look at all of the options before you decide. Either way, we’ll follow.”
I grunted, swiping the letter from behind me and tearing it open, holding my breath. My insides squeezed and my heart hammered when I read the first line; the breath I'd been holding whooshed out loudly.
“Well?” Tyler asked as I tucked the letter back inside. Unsure of how I felt at the moment. I looked down the hallway to where my heart and future had gone, realizing that she had yet to come back. It’d been too long.
“I think we should check on Daniels. Something’s wrong.”
I walked to the bathroom, with my brothers not far behind, and knocked. “Sweetheart?” I called out to her.
A deliberate ”go away” was the response I got. She was crying or, soon would be..
“No way in hell, Sweetheart. Not with you sounding like that. Open up the damn door, before I break it down and we really have a problem.
“Tone it down, Linc,” Tyler said beside me. “Baby?”
“Yeah?” She sounded so broken.
“Open the door please.”
Kayden put his hand on the door as if he was trying to reach out to her on the other side of the door.
“I don’t—” Hiccup “I don’t want you to see me cry.” She was breaking, and I was wasn’t in there with her. My gut clenched.
“Let us in, Sweetness,” Kayden finally spoke. “Let us hold you. We not afraid of a few tears.”
The lock clicked, and I grabbed the knob, turning it before she could change her mind. All of us piled inside, and Kayden was the first to get to her, followed by Tyler. I paused when I saw her phone lying by the bathroom sink. The text messages were open.
“Shh...” Tyler whispered to her. “Baby, it’s okay.”
I picked up the phone looking at the text message that was showing, and my heart clenched at what I saw. I never looked up her family when she told me about her parents. Never even thought of searching the internet. Didn’t believe it was that big of news, but there in the photo, I knew what was making my sweetheart cry. It was an old news article with a picture of Daniels. Black lettering at the top of it read, “Did Faith Daniels Murder Her Father?”
Rage filled me as I read. This was what she went through? My body vibrated with anger as I looked over the picture of a younger version of Daniels. There was so much pain and confusion in her eyes.
When I was done looking at the photo on the news report, I glanced up to see who had sent it, and I sucked in a breath. I knew it. I knew that number. I grabbed my phone from out of my pocket and looked at the latest crank callers, finding their number. It was the same.
“What going on, Linc?” Tyler asked as both he and Kayden held a now sleeping Daniels.
“It's the same number that has been harassing me. The one Dad has been trying to trace.”
“How in the hell did they get her number?” Kayden growled.
“I don’t know, but it’s someone who knows us. Someone who knows all of us.”
“Tucker,” Tyler stated, his eyes going dark, and things clicked for me too.
I glanced to Daniels who was softly asleep, washed out from her panic attack, and I muttered, “I’m going to kill him.”
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