Oh, he didn’t like that at all. He started his truck and drove away from those assholes.
Addie leaned forward, her hand out as though searching for something. Her toy?
“Are you searching for this, Addie?” Ralen held up the saber-toothed tiger.
She took hold of him and leaned briefly against Ralen. “Thank you.”
Cash knew it was ridiculous, but for some reason, he didn’t want her touching Ralen. Talking to him.
You’re being a dick. She can talk to whoever she likes.
“Do you know why you’re in trouble?”
She nodded.
Okay, that surprised him. He thought she would say that she had no idea.
“Do you know what you did wrong?”
She nodded again, her shoulders slumping. He glanced over at Ralen, who looked just as puzzled as he felt.
“What did you do wrong?” he asked more gently. “Why don’t you explain it to me?”
“Dude, maybe she doesn’t want to say anything,” Ralen suggested.
“You can write it out on your phone if you want.”
“I r-rely too much on m-my phone. And my s-sisters.” She coughed. She still sounded like her throat was hurting her.
Her voice was filled with sadness and dejection. Where the hell were her sisters? God, he hoped they were all right.
“Watched him instead of leaving.”
“That’s right. You should have stayed hidden . . . wait a minute, what did you just say?”
That wasn’t what he was expecting her to say. She watched who instead of leaving?
“You watched me fight instead of leaving and hiding?” he said. “Is that what you mean?”
She shook her head. “No.”
So, what was she talking about?
Cash scratched his head. “I’m just tired of only knowing half the story. Addie, I need you to be straight with me. There’s some reason you’re in trouble?”
“I s-saw him. With the b-body.” She cleared her throat again.
Okay, he was about to lose his everloving mind. If she didn’t tell him what was going on right away, his head was going to explode.
Ralen shot him a warning look.
Yeah, he knew that getting angry wasn’t going to help. Cash had a bit of a temper. There was no denying it. And Addie was the sort of girl who would clam up if someone was angry at her.
Plus, it would make him feel like a jerk to get angry at someone like her.
“Who did you see with a body, Addie?” Ralen asked.
“Man with the mean eyes.”
