“And if I did join you,” she purrs. “Would there be any objections?”
“Not a fucking one.”
I grab her, kiss her hard, then throw her over my shoulder, smacking her ass as she squeals and laughs.
After I’ve properly worshiped her body, we’re downstairs again. We settle by the fire and order food. I rub her arms gently, warming her skin.
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “Whatever it is, you don’t have to be afraid to tell me.”
“What if it’s not, though? Okay, I mean,” she whispers.
“Itmight not be. Butwealways will be.”
I close my eyes. “I saw Laurel.”
My hands still. I take in her three words and let them settle, then I keep rubbing her arms, grounding her while she tells me everything.
Hawk. The drugs he stole from The Octopus. What he made Laurel do. The information at the lake-house. Why Laurel ran.
Relief hits first, then anger.
The drugs were never Elliot’s. He had nothing to do with them. He was clean until the accident. And Laurel? She was a pawn manipulated by Hawk. She followed instructions to protect Elliot.
Erin turns in my arms, eyes glassy and afraid. “There’s more.”
I kiss her. “Tell me.”
She reaches for her pencil case and pulls out a thumb drive. “She gave me this, but I haven’t looked at it yet. I wanted to wait for you. But…after Laurel gave it to me…” Erin pauses. “She said we can’t trust Brax.”
Everything inside of me turns to stone.
“I’ve known him my whole life, baby,” I say quietly. “Aside from you, there’s nobody I trust more.”
“I know,” she says softly. “I’m not saying I believe her. I’m sorry, I know how hard this is. I wish I could make it better. Give you answers. Make this go away.”
“You do make it better, Erin. You’re my everything.”
She holds the thumb drive out in her tiny palm.
“What do you want to do?” she asks.
Before I can answer, my phone rings.
Brax’s landline.
My gut doesn’t hesitate. I swipe to answer.
“Uncle Chasey.” Roman’s small, terrified voice punches every bone in my body.
“Roman?” Erin and I are already moving. We grab our keys, put our shoes on, and are out the front door.
It’s all a blur.
“You gots to come quick, Uncle Chasey. Someone hurt my dad. He’s bleeding, really fast. You gots to come. He said not to call the doctor.”
“Stay there, buddy. We’re coming.”
Erin takes the phone, keeping him calm while I drive like my truck’s on fire.
