“Crew’s parents,” she began. “They called me at the restaurant.”
“What? Why would they do that? Why did you answer?” I didn’t mean to berate her.
She lowered her voice. “Because Crew was supposed to be at his mom’s birthday dinner tonight and he didn’t show.”
“Fuck.” I hit the steering wheel. “You didn’t mention that detail.” I was angry. I had asked for every piece of information. This was a loose end that could cause problems.
“I didn’t tell you because I forgot all about it until they called me tonight,” she explained. “Knight, they went to his apartment.”
“Shit,” I muttered. “What did you tell them?” I asked.
“I didn’t know what to say,” she answered. “I tried to stall, but they didn’t listen. I said I’d go check on him, but they were going to go no matter what I said.”
“How do you know that?” It felt as if the wheels were coming off with every part of this conversation.
“That’s how they are. They are good parents. Good people.” She paused. “And I’m lying to them about their son.”
“You have to.”
“I know, but they know. They know something isn’t right.”
“Why would they think that?” Seraphina was quiet for too long. “Answer me,” I growled.
“It’s possible they might know something about our families,” she admitted. “And who Crew works for.” I didn’t like the way Kennedy was casually dropped into this.
I hung my head, realizing how things had become more complicated.
“What are they going to do when they go to his apartment and he’s not there?” I asked.
“They are giving it until the morning for him to get in touch with them.”
“And then what?”
“And then they are going to the police.”
“The police.” I said it, but I almost didn’t believe it.
“We’ll find him by then, right?” I couldn’t tell if the hope had drained from her voice or if she was the only one who had any left.
I shook my head.
Our family lived in the shadows, that’s where it belonged. We didn’t have the right to walk in the sun or to live the same lives as Crew’s parents. But by falling in love with him, Seraphina had chipped at the crack in the wall between our two worlds. I had no idea how I was going to seal it back up if I didn’t find him before daylight.
The underbelly of our world had never been so exposed. Family business good bad or ugly was family business. Things were settled between families. Justice. Punishment. Revenge. Our laws and codes had been handed down for generations. Bringing in Crew’s parents changed the game. And I wondered if his kidnappers knew what could happen to all of us if the game was exposed.
“I can’t promise that,” I told my sister. “But I’m trying.”
“I know you are, I just…how do I sleep next to Brandon tonight?”
I couldn’t answer that question for her. “You better go. I’m almost out of cell reception.” I was closing in on the farm.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“I’ll tell you later. I’ll check on you in the morning.” I couldn’t risk anyone knowing where I had hidden Kennedy, not even the person I trusted the most. There was too much at risk.
“But call me. As soon as you hear something.” The words were rushing together again.
“I will. I will. Goodnight.” I pressed the button to disconnect our call.