“I saw it. Was sent after we… I pulled it off Hope’s phone,” I don’t need to bring up sex in front of the guys. Not now. “While you guys were out with my brother.”
“What the fuck?” Knox breathes.
Hope stares at me and gives me a look I recognize.
Something hopeless, lost, but frustrated too. She wants to be done with this. We buried the past. Perhaps not six feet deep, but buried it all the same and we deserve to move on from it.
“I can do another dive,” Dimitri finally says.
“Your online buddies,” Knox agrees. “They could probably track down a thing or two.”
“They’ve been trying; the site is off the grid,” Dimitri says.
I nod. “It seems they’re ready to step into the light again.”
Something twists on Hope’s face. I’m still trying to figure out why whoever did this waited until now. Waited until we seemed fine. It would have been better the day after. When the evidence was still ripe, when no one could say it was tampered with.
Dmitri stares at me and I see the same thought echoed. “I wonder why they waited until now.”
“We took down the videos we could find. We killed the bastard. He’s been missing for weeks. What’s changed in that time?” Knox asks.
Hope nibbles her bottom lip. “I went to therapy.”
“Jaxon broke in there easily. Someone might have gotten access to her files,” I mutter.
She nods once and Knox leans into her. He and Dimitri each kiss her cheeks and she gives them equal attention while watching me. We all know we don’t have long to figure this out. This is a warning. Shit is really about to hit the fan. We either have to duck for cover or decide how to handle the fallout.
HOPE
I hate doing nothing. We have evidence in our apartment and nothing is happening. If the police raid us, we’re fucked. So fucked. Is that the point of sending it to me?
If I turned it in immediately, would there have been useable fingerprints? Is me not turning it in a mistake? My breathing shortens, but I grip the table.
“I’m at work. I’m safe. I’m here. I’m safe. I’m in control,” I repeat as if I’m weaving a lifeline out of the sentences.
“Sweetheart,” Knox says gently.
I gaze up at him and realize he has Ben by his side. Ben’s eyes shift between us. “Oh, so this is official now?”
“Ben, do you need a checkup? I’m so sorry. I spaced out and—” I cut myself off when Knox shakes his head and pats Ben’s shoulder before shutting the door behind them. “What is this?”
“We all know something’s up with you, Hope,” Ben says slowly. “Not just about your dad being missing, but with that long absence and before then when you were nervous. We’re all worried and we all want to help. I’m the spokesperson and Knox… I guess he’s the bodyguard.”
Knox snorts but meets my eyes. “He’s safe, baby. All the guys on the team are.”
“Hell yeah, we are. We’d pummel anyone who hurt you. We’d show them why only dummies can handle us regularly,” Ben says as he steps closer to me. “Is someone threatening you? Are they hurting you?”
“I… I mean…”
“Hey, if you can’t talk to me, that’s okay,” Ben says, glancing at Knox. “You have three guys that willkillfor you. If you don’t want that… Coach Carpenter has expressed some things that are either good or bad, you know?”
“Bring him, Ben. Please,” Knox says, barely curbing his fury.
When Ben leaves, Knox walks to me and slips a paper into my hand. “From Dimitri. Jax says he’ll be your last appointment today.”
“That’s nice,” I whisper.
Knox lifts my chin roughly and kisses me hard. It’s hungry, sizzling, scorches all the way through my body just like his effortless dominance. He bites my bottom lip and tugs slightly before letting me go.
