I have no clue how long it takes before Cali actually starts to breathe with me.Instead of the few minutes it usually takes for her to get herself out of a panic attack once she starts listening to me, everything takes longer than normal.Even as she’s able to start breathing normally and her heart stops racing frantically, Cali doesn’t stop crying or trembling in my arms.Her entire body shakes so hard her teeth are rattling as if she’s freezing and won’t ever be warm again.
“Luca, grab me one of the blankets out of the SUV.She’s freezin’ and needs to warm up,” I order the young man as he rushes away to help Cali.
“This was a bad one, Caleb.We need to find out what the fuck happened to her.If it was anyone bein’ hateful to her in the diner, I’ll beat the shit out of them.If it’s a woman, I’ll get your mom and aunt on their asses.This is no fuckin’ joke and I’m done with her bein’ put in this state.The last time I saw her this bad was your senior year of high school.This is not fuckin’ okay,” Tank states, his voice hard and cold as I look at him with a knowing look because I’ll go after anyone trying to hurt Cali for any reason.
“We’ll figure it out, Tank.And you’ll have to get in line behind me.I’m done playin’ this game with Cali.She doesn’t deserve to be thrown into a panic attack this bad for any reason.This was a bad one and I almost thought about takin’ her to the hospital.I’ve only had to do that once and it ended up makin’ the situation worse when she realized where we were,” I remind my uncle of the time she felt as if she were having a heart attack and it was a panic attack.It was a bad day and one Darren wasn’t there for like he should have been.
Luca makes it back in less time than I thought with a blanket, a bottle of water, and a pack of crackers.I don’t move as he wraps the blanket around Cali’s back and me because I know how he’s feeling right now.He needs to do something to help her and there’s nothing he can do but cover her up and protect her from being seen by anyone else.The bottle of water will help when she’s fully coherent and I don’t know why he grabbed the crackers.It doesn’t matter because this is his first experience.Luca will learn what Cali needs and how he can help her in the future if this happens again.
“Can I go with you when you find out what happened to her?”Luca asks me, standing up taller than normal with a wild conviction in his eyes.He wants to hurt the person who did this to Cali.
“You can.If it were any other Prospect, the answer would be no.You and Cali have a bond and I can’t tell you no in this situation.You’ll be there with us and will get your hands dirty.Are you ready for that, Luca?”I ask him as Cali finally moves to get herself more comfortable in my arms without removing herself from being wrapped around me.
“For Cali, I’ll get my hands dirty and do anythin’ that’s needed.I told you I’d give my life for hers and that includes goin’ to prison for the rest of mine in order to ensure her safety.It wouldn’t be a sacrifice in my mind because she’s too good to be like this for any reason,” Luca states, his voice harder than I’ve ever heard him and I know without a doubt it’s his truth.
“Never go to prison for me,” Cali whispers brokenly as she buries her face deeper in my neck and I have to fight against the tremor she’s sending through me with the slight brush of her lips against my skin and her breath fanning over my neck and ear.
I remain leaning against the tree with Cali in my arms.Tank and Luca don’t leave us, even when Kreed shows up to check on her.I really don’t want to ask this question, but we need to know what happened when she was at work.
“’Lil Bit, need to know what happened.This was bad and we can’t help if we don’t know what’s wrong,” Kreed says, crouching down next to us and placing his hand on her back over top of the blanket surrounding us.
“I saw him,” she whimpers, her voice breaking even more.“I saw Darren.”
Shock fills me as I look at Kreed and see the same look on his face.His eyes are wide and his skin has gone pale as he stares down at Cali.If she’s saying she saw Darren, it’s not a lie.There is no way in hell she’d make something like this up because we’re all still mourning his death.This was the last thing I expected her to say and it’s not something we’ll be able to prove overnight.If Darren faked his death, he’s got all the training he needs to remain hidden from us.
“He’s here,” I whisper as the overwhelming feeling of being watched suddenly hits me and I subtly look around the area but don’t see anyone who hasn’t been here since before I got Tank’s call.Kreed and Tank also look around while Luca moves in closer to us and takes up a protective stance.“Darren’s alive and we need to find out what the fuck is goin’ on.Get Master to your house.I’m takin’ Cali there now.Have Mom and Aunt Maddie get the kids out of the house for a while.They don’t need to see Cali like this.Bryce will understand more than Rory and he gets really upset when Cali has a panic attack.”
“On it.Luca, you’re with me.We need to continue bein’ there for Cali.You’re not leavin’ my house tonight for any reason.You’ll be inside with us and I’ll have more people outside,” Kreed says, getting up and pulling his phone from his pocket.
Standing with Cali in my arms, I make my way toward the waiting SUV.Before I slide in the backseat with her, I pull out my keys and hand them over to Tank.Luca will drive us back to the compound while Tank rides my bike.I don’t trust anyone but a select few people to touch my bike.Tank is one of those people.Luca closes the door behind us before jumping in the driver’s seat and taking us back to the compound.Tonight is gonna be a long night and I won’t be leaving Cali’s side after the day she’s had.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Caliana
THREE FUCKING DAYS.That’s how many days have passed since our world was turned on its side and I blew everyone away with my shocking revelation.Darren is alive.He’s changed, but I’d know the man I married anywhere.He doesn’t have any siblings I could confuse him with, so there’s no way it’s not the man we all thought we knew.Master, Caleb, and Kreed have been working like crazy trying to figure out what the hell is going on and Luca hasn’t left my side at all.I called out of work and Simon understood what was going on and why I couldn’t be there for a few days.I’ve literally done nothing but remain in Kreed’s house with my kids.Sam, Maddie, and Shy have been with me as I frantically clean the house to distract myself from reliving seeing him.If I don’t remain busy, my thoughts spiral out of control and I feel myself starting to go back into another panic attack.I do have medicine for them, and I’ve had to take it the last three days.I hate taking this medicine because more often than not, it knocks me out for a while.That’s something I can’t stand and why I don’t normally take it.Caleb and Kreed talked me into it because they don’t want to see me that bad ever again.
