11
Fox
Augustleanedbackinthe chair at the head of the conference table, arms crossed over his chest as he looked at all of us.
I stood near the wall closest to the door of the conference room, trying my best to hide my anxiety. It was late in the evening, the only time we could call a meeting where all our brothers could make it to the Hearthstone Security and Investigation building. Emersyn and Skye were back at the cabin. Alone. But August and I had set up the basics of the security system and had the live camera feed from the perimeter of the cabin going directly to my phone. If anyone came near the property, I would be notified.
Graham, the second oldest, ran a hand through his dark-brown curls. “Skye has been here for almost two weeks already working on this documentary.” He looked at August, like he knew there was more to this meeting. “Why all of a sudden is it so important for all of us to discuss it now?”
August and I had called the meeting on the guise of discussing the implications of the documentary on our family. When really, I wanted to discuss what else was going on with Skye.
August’s face didn’t betray anything, but I felt the looks my brothers were sneaking my way when they thought I wasn’t paying attention.
“I truly have been meaning to get us all together to talk about how we felt about this doc coming out. Our sister’s story—our family’s story—is so closely entwined with it.” He let out a heavy breath. “But there’s something else.”
“Something else?” Roman grumbled. He was the oldest and the only one who no longer worked for the security business.
August and I exchanged the briefest of glances. I wasn’t in the mood to explain things.
“There’ve been some developments with Skye,” August continued. He quickly described the Jane Doe, how it could be her mother, and the computer tampering. “Fox is going to be working overtime on finding whoever is targeting her, so we’ll need all hands on deck while he’s occupied with this.”
My brothers nodded in almost perfect unison.
Reid, the youngest of us and our private investigator for the company, leaned his elbow on the table. He looked directly at me when he spoke. “What can I help with?”
I shifted my shoulders against the hard wall. Reid had recently gotten married, and his wife was very pregnant with their first baby. I hated to ask him to take on even more work right now.
“You can start with gathering as much information as you can find on Skye’s mother and what might have happened to her when she left the family.” It was August who spoke, gaining Reid’s attention. Augustpicked up the file that had been sitting in front of him, and handed it to our youngest brother. “Here’s the information we have on the Jane Doe. If there’s any connection you can find, it would be helpful.”
“I also want you to look into Charles Adler, see what he’s been doing.”
August glanced at me. “You think her father could be involved?”
My expression hardened. “I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
Reid took the folder, nodding. “I can do that.” He paused, his eyes flicking to me again. “How’s Skye handling all this?”
I didn’t want to talk about Skye.
I couldn’t believe what I’d gotten myself into. I didn’t want to talk about her, but I was going to be living with her? It was a lot to take in. But even after everything she had done, I couldn’t let something happen.
Reid watched me, expectant.
I cleared my throat. “Skye is…Skye,” I muttered.
Reid furrowed his brow, but nodded. “She’s always been a fighter, I guess.”
There was a pause before Roman spoke up, straightening in his chair and looking directly at me. “You gonna be okay?”
His expression was steady, as always. Where August was the natural leader, Roman was the natural protector. He was always busy, working as a firefighter—he’d been promoted to chief, which was why he no longer worked for Hearthstone part-time—and raising his little girl. He’d lost his wife shortly after my niece, Hailey, was born and he’d been doing it all ever since.
But he never stopped looking out for us.
“I’m good.” I nodded. “I’ll feel better when all this is over and she’s back where she belongs.”
Something twisted in my chest, a feeling I didn’t want to acknowledge. I had always known Skye was meant for bigger things than Ember Hollow, but I had thought I’d be with her wherever she ended up.
Not left behind like an unwanted pet, wondering what I’d done wrong.
