“Yeah… I guess so.”
“Who’s yourfriend?” she asks, her voice cold.
I clear my throat, not sure how much to divulge. “Ah, I don’t know if?—”
“Look, if this is you checking in on me for Sparrow, tell him I haven’t said a goddamn word about what he did to me. I’ve kept my mouth shut. Now he has to keep his end of the bargain!”
Sparrow? I frown, not sure who she’s referring to.
“His end of the bargain?” I repeat.
“That he would leave me alone for the rest of my damned life!” she barks, losing her composure. “I figured that included his cronies too! Don’t ever call me again!”
Before I can tell her to hold on, the line clicks dead. Immediately, I try to call back but I’m sent to voicemail. I guess I had my one shot to ask questions and I choked. Damn it. With a frustrated sigh, I drop my phone to the bed and stand up. That conversation really didn’t get me anywhere. I’m even more confused now.
Who’s Sparrow? Why would he have Ashleigh in our basement? And does her looking like Blair mean anything?
Again, I can’t figure out why this is bothering me.
Ashleigh is alive. It doesn’t matter that she was here or that Ledger had pictures of her on his laptop. Still, unease creeps down my spine.
Maybe I should just run this whole thing past Rhett to see if I’m making something out of nothing. Immediately, I toss that idea out.
With a huff, I yank on my boxers then grab my clothes, phone, and head for the door.
We already have a shit ton of things to worry about. When everything with Blair has finally blown over, I’ll resume looking into this. It should only be a few more days until I crack the encryptions in the backroom Ledger asked me to take a look at. So, until then, there’s no point riling everyone up when it could very well be nothing at all.
Stomping toward the door, I leave my worries behind and look forward to my date night with Rhett.
By the time I make it downstairs, I find Ledger and Rhett talking in low voices in the kitchen. They don’t see me yet so I linger in the hallway, afraid I’m interrupting something. Rhett looks grim, and Ledger… well, his face is red with fury.
“Like I said, I’m sorry,” Rhett says, his eyes locked onto Ledger’s face. “I told Wes earlier, and I mean it, I’m done drinking and I’m done weighing you all down. I’m going to be better, I promise.”
Ledger’s hands curl into fists and veins bulge in his neck. There’s a second where I think he’s going to strike Rhett. Ledger’s never hit one of us before but judging by his stiff posture and murderous glare, this might be the day it happens.
Except, it doesn’t.
Instead, Ledger lets out a heavy sigh and places a hand on Rhett’s shoulders.
“If you need help, we can get you help,” he tells Rhett.
Rhett lets out a shaky laugh. “I think Blair’s intervention really did the trick. She’s no joke.”
“No,” Ledger agrees. “She’s not.”
Chapter 31
Ledger
Each step I take as I move from building to building, zone to zone, is deliberate.
With each one, I'm hopingthat'sthe step that finally breaks this edgy feeling brewing inside me. Ever since I saw that first notification last night on my phone, where Rhett had left the house I’ve been less man, and more beast. This churning ball of wrath and rage brewing inside of me hasn’t lessened even though I know Blair and Rhett are safe.
He put himself in danger. He putBlairin danger.
There aren’t many rules here at Gnarly Pines. But keeping your head on straight and keeping your head down are two of them. Rhett has broken both.
I’m a reasonable man, though. I know what time of the year it is, and I know Rhett will indulge in more than a few beers than normal to drown his sorrows. Most of the time, I let it slide. But last night? Last night was unacceptable.
