He rolls his eyes, skirting around us before he says, “I’d like to see you try.”
I lunge for him again but this time both Pop and Dad hold me back as he walks out, his back straight and his cell held against his ear.
Once he’s out of sight, they let me go and Pop says, “You have some explaining to do, but first I need to find out what’s going on and then we’ll be talking.”
My nostrils flare as my eyes stay on the same spot where that fucker walked out before I turn to face Dad as he pulls me over to the seats.
I’ve never been an impatient kind of person. I can wait for hours on end, not caring and it not bothering me in the slightest. I became accustomed to having to wait from a young age: the days that I would be locked in that room, nothing to do to pass the time but my own thoughts.
But this is different, I don’t have any patience, I need to know that Lexi is okay—more importantly, I need to see her.
My leg bobs up and down uncontrollably as we wait for Pop who has been gone for what feels like hours now. Dad has been busy on his cell, calling people and letting them know what has happened. The people who have become Lexi’s family.
My eyes stay in the same position, not moving from the spot on the wall that I’ve been staring at for the last hour. I don’t want to talk to anyone, I don’t want to be comforted because it’s not me that needs it.
It’s the woman who I love more than life itself that needs that. So when Livvy arrives with Seb and West, Luke not far behind them, I don’t say a word.
“The rest of the guys wanted to come, but I was in the area anyway,” Luke says.
I slowly turn my head, my eyes not wanting to move from the spot that they’ve become consumed with. “What?” I ask.
“I said.” He shuffles on his chair next to me. “I was visiting my mom, so I was in the area. I told the guys to stay put.” He leans closer. “I know you don’t want to be surrounded by people, that you need your space.”
I nod, glad that he understands before he leans back, talking to Dad and Livvy.
“I knew something was going to happen to her in that place,” Livvy sniffles. “I can’t bear the thought of—”
“Fuck’s sake,” I grind out, whipping my head toward her and narrowing my eyes. “This is your fault.”
Her hand flies to her chest, her face paling. “What—how—I.”
“You.” I point at her. “Didn’t have to let the police inside your house.” I stand up. “You could have said no and she wouldn’t be in here right now.” My teeth are clenched, my jaw ticking.
“I didn’t know that I could say no,” she whispers, her eyes filling with tears.
“You better back down, Evan, I’m warning you,” West grits out, his eyes full of fire but I don’t give a shit.
“How can you not know that they needed a warrant?” I throw my hands up in the air.
West stands up and then Seb follows, moving forward and effectively cutting my eye contact with Livvy.
“You want to blame someone? Then blame me.” Seb slams his hand down on his chest. “Gran tried to call me beforehand and I ignored it because we were on a job.”
My chest heaves as I step toward him, going nose to nose and feeling like I need to get all of my anger out. This is the best way possible. I know on some level that it isn’t really Livvy’s fault, but I’m not thinking rationally at the moment.
“Come on,” Luke says, standing up and pulling me back. “Let’s take a walk.”
“No!” I shake his grip off me, spinning around. “I’m not going anywhere until I know she’s—”
My words are cut off as Pop walks into the room, his face pale and his eyes bloodshot.
We all seem to move toward him as one, needing to know what he knows.
“Cal?” Dad says after several minutes of silence.
Pop looks up at him. “She’s in a bad way,” he says, his voice a mere croak.
My mind conjures up images of what he means by bad way and I start to panic. This can’t be it, this can’t be happening. I can’t lose her for good.