I hate seeing her like this. I wish I could take away all of her pain, all of her fear. I wish I could give her normalcy.
Chapter Nineteen: Tigerlily
I stare into the void of his garage, imagining what my dad will do when he finds out where I am.
There’s a slight chance he doesn’t check my location. On a normal night, he’d go to his room and not come back out until morning. It’s early—past midnight, pushing into the dead hours where normal people sleep.
I bet he’s already in bed.
But the fear in me knows better.
He’s not normal. He’s been watching me like a hawk lately. I bet he has cameras everywhere. And I need to stay one step ahead of the inevitable.
I exhale, hoping that Jax is right, hoping that my dad won’t check my location within the next few hours.
My passenger door opens, bringing me back to reality.
“Tiger,” he says.
I turn my head and wonder why he’s using the same nickname as Callum.
“Come inside and we’ll talk,” he says, eyes locked on mine.
I nod automatically like I have no control over my own body anymore.
I step out of the car and follow him into the house.
The door opens. I hear Zephyr say something from inside, but he falls silent the moment he sees me.
“Tiger?”
Great. The nickname’s rubbed off on all of them.
He walks toward me, concern written all over his face. “Are you hurt?”
I shake my head. Jax closes the door behind me with a soft click.
Zephyr doesn’t wait for more explanation. He just pulls me into his chest.
God, he’s so tall.
I hear his heartbeat through his shirt. Steady. Strong. It grounds me in a way I didn’t know I needed.
I step back, catching Jax’s eyes.
“Are you staying?” Zephyr asks. “We have a game in Minnesota, but we’ll be back tomorrow night.”
I shake my head, taking in Zephyr’s tired face—pale skin, thick eyebrows, brown eyes that look almost black in the dim light. He has this European look to him. Sharp features. Strong jaw.
“Stay,” he says quietly. “You’re safe here.”
“Thank you,” I mumble, a bit embarrassed to be here.
He hugs me again briefly, then pulls back. “I’m heading to bed.”
“Good night.”
“Good night, Tiger.” He disappears down the hall.
