He motions me inside, closes the garage, then unlocks the door that leads into the house.
“Dais. Hols. Jax. We’re home.”
He nods at me, and I walk inside before him. We enter into a really nice mudroom, where Phantom kicks off his boots. I toe off my shoes and follow him barefoot into a massive living room with sliding glass doors that overlook a large lawn and a dock out back. The three kids are sprawled out on blankets and sleeping bags on the floor, watching a very loud action movie on a huge flat-screen television.
“Yo!” Phantom shouts over the noise.
Holly jumps up and reaches for the remote, then cranks the volume down a few notches. “Hey, Dad. Savage is in the kitchen.”
Daisy scrambles up from her bright-purple sleeping bag and crashes into her dad for a hug. “Can we finish the movie, Dad, please? It’s like twenty more minutes.”
Jax comes over to me and gives me a hug. I have no words. I just hold him close and breathe in the familiar scent of his hair. “Hey, baby.” It’s all I can manage. Thankfully, Jax fills in the silence for me.
“Mom, this movie is the one we were going to watch together, but I didn’t think you’d mind.” He looks up at me apologetically. “Is it okay?”
I nod. “Of course, honey. It’s fine. Are you having fun?”
“Yeah,” he says, and he does sound happy. His shoes are off, but he’s still wearing his dress pants and shirt. I didn’t even think to grab him a toothbrush or pajamas. My stomach sinks at what a shitty mom I am, but then Holly is at my elbow.
“We don’t have any boy clothes, but I pulled out some basketball shorts with laces and a T-shirt from my dad’s closet.” She motions to Phantom. “Dad, you had like three new toothbrushes in the bathroom vanity, so I set two out for Jax and Poppy.”
Phantom nods. “You mind finding Poppy something to change into? I want to talk to Savage.”
Holly jumps up and is about to head upstairs, but I stop her. “It’s all right. Finish your movie, honey. I’m just going to sit a minute.”
Holly looks to her dad, who nods, and then she gives me a smile. “Okay, we moved all the furniture around when Daisy and I moved in, so there’s a guest bedroom upstairs with twin beds. I’ll grab you some clothes before we go to sleep.”
I nod, and Phantom comes beside me.
While the kids turn the volume back up on their movie, Phantom leans close to my ear. “I’ll be right back. You want a drink or something? Water?”
“Water would be great.” I turn to follow him, and he holds up his hand as if to stop me, but then he seems to think better of it.
We head into the kitchen, where the blare of the movie masks Savage’s low voice. He nods at me.
“Who responded?” Savage asks.
“Callahan.” Phantom’s eyes never leave his phone.
“Good,” Savage says. “I got King and two other prospects over at the house now. Viper’s supervising.”
“King,” I mumble to myself. “Prospects?”
Savage smirks. “Phantom will fill you in later.”
They talk about contacts, and then they trade looks. Phantom fills a glass of cold, filtered water from a pitcher in the fridge, and then he hands it to me.
“Poppy.” His voice is edged in something I can’t identify. “Do you have any idea who’d want to do this to you? Do you have any enemies?”
I feel my knees wobble again, and I lean back against the cool granite countertop. I take a long sip of water, then shake my head. I rub my forehead, pinching my eyebrows together. Between the drinks and the stress of tonight, I’ve got a killer headache taking shape.
“Do you mind if I sit?” I motion toward a wooden kitchen table with four chairs around it.
Phantom is at my elbow in a heartbeat, taking my glass and leading me to a chair. He leans forward, his eyes dark as midnight. “It’s all right,” he says. “Take your time.”
I swallow back more cold water and grip the glass to keep my hands from shaking. “My mother is Lori Davis,” I explain.
“County Commissioner Davis?” Phantom asks, as though he’s heard of her.
