I pulled up Dad on my contact list and pressed his number. The line rang and went to voicemail. “He’s not answering.” Quickly I chose my mom’s contact and called her. I waited and waited, my heart trying to climb out of my throat. Rowen passed another car on the right, muttering about cops and cursing under his breath.
“Hello? Vail, honey, how are you?” My heart started pumping blood again. I let out a hysterical little laugh. “What’s going on? I’m just having drinks with a good friend—”
“You can’t come home.”
“What? Why?” Concern laced her tone, and I knew she thought I was manic or something, based on the parental sound of it.
“You were scheduled to come home next weekend, right? Like usual?”
“Why yes—”
“You can’t. I’ll call back soon.”
“Vail, wha—”
I hung up on her and tried Dad again. Rowen jerked the wheel and my stomach lurched as he passed someone yet again. For the second time I had Dad’s voicemail in my ear. I called over and over again and was shocked when Rowen pulled into the garage rather than stopping in the driveway. I hadn’t realized enough time had passed to allow us to get back to his house, but then again, he’d been driving like a bat out of hell. He hit a button on his visor and the door closed behind us as the car went silent.
Everything was too quiet. Panic had me tapping his arm, and he snagged my hand in his. “He’s still not answering. No, we have to go check on him. Rowen, turn the car back on.”
Rowen scowled and got out.
“No, we have to go. Please, please, we have to go!”
He came around to my side. I shook my head and locked the door, but he simply unlocked it with the key fob and yanked it open.
“Rowen, you have to listen to me, we have to go check!” I shouted.
He leaned in to unbuckle me without a word.
I grabbed the seat with one hand to anchor myself in place. “We have to check on him, don’t you hear me?”
There was a grim set to his mouth as he gripped my arms and physically moved me out of the car with a shocking amount of strength. I stumbled and fell on my ass because my legs weren’t working.
“Hell, come on,” he said and helped me up.
I shook my head the whole way inside.
Some of my numbness was wearing off, and he growled at me as I tried to lunge back toward the garage door. Strong arms closed in around me from the back, and I fought as hard as I could, but between Rowen and, I realized, Cillian, I didn’t go anywhere. They hugged me between them so hard it hurt. I growled and yelled, then felt hot tears on my cheeks. “My dad’s not answering,” I gasped out. “I have to go check on him.”
Strong hands turned me, and I let Cillian wrap his arms around me and hold me to his chest. “Rowen,” he said quietly, “take Aspen with ye. Be careful. Take care of ye and Aspen first, ye hear? Nothin’ stupid.”
I thumped a fist to Cillian’s chest, and he only shushed me as if it didn’t hurt. I shook my head. “He’s not answering his phone. You have to let me go.”
Cillian shook me. My teeth chattered together, and he shoved his nose against mine. “No, I don’t. I won’t. If the Giordanos are trying to send a message and ye’re out today, it’s yer feckin’ last one on this earth. I refuse to lose ye because ye won’t listen to good sense. Ye’re staying here. No one’s lookin’ for Rowen and Aspen, ye beautiful feckin’ muppet.”
“Don’t call him that,” Rowen grumped.
“Well, do stupid shite, get stupid names....” Cillian shook me again, and my tears wouldn’t stop. I snorted, but my nose was clogged.
“Why would a Chicago crime family be in New York?”
“Feckin’ fuck, ye do know who they are,” he said and dragged me in tight against his chest again. My body hurt and I couldn’t make myself relax.
Aspen ruffled my hair on his way past and gave me a small nod. “I’ll take care of it.”
Rowen checked his watch, cursed, and ran to change. I was still clinging to Cillian when he came back dressed in a blue suit and pressed a kiss to my cheek. He followed Aspen out to the garage and I heard the door go up. A vehicle started. They were clearly off, and I wasn’t fucking with them. I sagged against Cillian, and he didn’t say a word.
Oddly, I felt better knowing Aspen was with Rowen. He seemed very capable of protecting my father if it came to that. I leaned against Cillian and burrowed my face against his neck. He made a positive sound.
