“I always fuckin’ am.”
“Not true. There’s something going on with you. Whatever it is, sort it out because we need you here. None of this works without you.”
Scrubbing my hands down my face, I nod, knowing I haven’t been the best I could be. My body is here but my mind is elsewhere and there’s only one reason I’m like this. Four letters, one name. Lily.
I don’t answer him, staying silent as my thoughts run through my head.
After letting Monty run around the woods, we head back to the compound, Ty going to his house and me heading to the warehouse to get a workout in to relieve some of the tension building up inside me.
Nothing helps me think better than when my muscles are burning with exertion. And ninety minutes later, that’s exactly what they’re doing: burning. But not just my muscles, also my rage. Someone is trying to cross us, and there’s no way I’ll not be on top form, not when my family’s safety is at risk.
Swallowing down half a bottle of water in one go, I take a breath, my hand on my hip as I start to relax. But as soon as the door is pushed open and Kitty and Kay come running inside, I’m back on alert.
“Kay? Kitty?”
“It’s Lexi…” Kay gasps before Ty runs into the warehouse behind them. “She’s been arrested.”
“Arrested?” I frown, my head reeling back. However much I don’t know her, I can’t help but wonder what the hell is going on.
Ty pulls Kay over to his seat at the meeting table as I walk toward them, listening as they talk a mile a minute about what happened when they took her back to the house she’s been staying at.
I open my mouth, about to ask if Charlie could provide us with any intel on what happened when the warehouse door bangs open again, only this time it’s Evan with Seb and West on his tail. His hands are clenched at his sides, his face red and nostrils flaring.
“I can’t believe it.”
Ty stands up to his full height, flicking his gaze to me before stepping toward Evan.
“We’ll sort it, Evan, it’s not the end of the world.”
“I know it’s not,” he huffs. “But today of all days?”
“There’s no way we could have known,” Seb says, leaning against the meeting table and crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes full of fire. “He’s a sneaky fucker.”
“Excuse me?” Kitty barks, stepping forward. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking about?”
Oh shit.
Evan’s head reels back. “What the hell?”
Kitty pushes her shoulders back. “I don’t know who you think you are, and yeah, it sucks big time, but we don’t know everything at the moment. We need to wait it out and—”
“Wait it out?” Seb throws his head back. “What is there to wait out? He knew who we were from the fucking beginning!”
The warehouse goes silent and Evan stares at each of us in turn. The atmosphere changes, becoming so thick that it’s almost unbearable.
“Ty?” Evan pauses a beat. “We’re talking about the job and Darrell…”
Ty looks at Kay then back at Evan, cursing under his breath. “Sit down, Evan.”
He widens his stance. “What do I need to sit down for?”
“It’s Lexi.”
Everyone seems to stop breathing until Evan practically shouts, “What happened?”
“We…” Kay clears her throat, stepping forward and taking Ty’s hand in hers. “We went shopping and then took her home, but…” Her gaze flicks up to Ty’s, looking for something, and when she finds what she’s searching for, she continues, “When we pulled up, Charlie was there. Along with several other police cars.”
“And?” Evan grits out.