“Fuck you.”
“Lane,” Mama admonished.
“Sorry,” I murmured. “The point is, Addie knows damn well where we stand.”
“And what about Sutton?” she pressed.
I sighed. Leave it to Mama to press right onthatbruise. “I’m…working on it.”
My brothers snorted but let the conversation drop. I was genuinely surprised Aspen and Reagan hadn’t offered their two cents.
I returned my attention to the field, where the Dusk Valley pep band was putting on a halftime show for the gathered crowd.
But I couldn’t really focus with this sense of unease prickling the back of my neck. My eyes scanned my surroundings, searching for the source, landing on the empty space at my side.
“Has anyone seen Sutton?” I asked, standing for a better vantage point.
“Not since she got up to go get hot chocolate,” Mama answered.
“That was a while ago. She should be back by now.”
Each of my brothers stood, spinning in slow circles, looking for Sutton as well.
But she was nowhere to be found, and anxiety-soaked adrenaline spiked my blood.
Kickoff for the second half was imminent, but Trey and his football team were currently the least of my worries. I raced to the end of the row, climbing the metal steps to the concourse two at a time. The closest concession stand that sold hot chocolate was straight ahead, but only a few people were at the counter, and none of them were Sutton.
My anxiety rose, like a beast clawing at the bars of its enclosure, desperate to escape. But I had to keep my cool. I’d been in situations like this before, with people I loved missing. We’d found them safe and sound, and we’d find Sutton too.
She couldn’t have gone far, right?
But…Addie.
What if Addie had done something to her?
As a man of the law, as someone who had oncebroken the lawin the worst way possible and had since spent every day being the best deputy then sheriff I could be in order to repent for my past mistakes, I didn’t abide by people who abused their badge. And if Addie had harmed Sutton in any way, I would ensure that her career ended.
I couldn’t imagine Addie doing that, but considering her recent behavior, I couldn’t entirely rule it out.
Unsurprisingly, my brothers appeared behind me in short order.
“Spread out,” I directed. “Finn, West, that way.” I indicated to the right. “Crew, with me.”
We broke apart, steps sure and unhurried as we headed in opposite directions.
“You think Addie did this,” Crew said, reading my mind perfectly.
“I think it’s a possibility. The timing is too suspicious to be coincidence.”
“How are you so sure Sutton isn’t just hiding out in the bathroom or something until she’s sure Addie is gone?”
I snorted. “If you think Sutton is going to cower like that, you don’t know her very well.”
I’d never known Sutton to be one to back down from a fight,especiallynot after that fucker Ryan Boyd had stolen her ability to fight back and used his upper hand to violate her in the worst possible way. But what if she’d purposely made herself scarce to avoid causing a scene?Thatwould definitely be something she’d do.
Crew sighed. “Nah, you’re right. She would’ve come right back. And Lane, I have to admit, there’s something…off about Addie.”
I shot him a questioning look. “You think so?”
