19. Nat
Nat
Climbing into the backseat of my ride share, I lean back and breathe a sigh of relief. My plane out of Atlanta was delayed and after spending most of the morning dealing with the latest Johnathon debacle, I’m more than happy to be home.
They say home is where the heart is, and I have to agree. My heart is definitely here. And I don’t mean Baton Rouge. I mean the Hawkins siblings. I smile and close my eyes. I can’t wait to see them.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I debate ignoring it. Except I can’t. It’s been in flight mode for the last couple of hours and there’s bound to be something—or someone—needing my attention.
When I tap the screen and see the message, I jolt upright, the seatbelt digging into my shoulder.
Amos Powell
Cami and Whitney Higgison accosted by a reporter at school
Amos’s text is light on details but the fact he’s messaged at all tells me he thinks the situation is serious. He has no reason to contact me otherwise.
I’ve barely left the airport pickup zone. I still have to drive all the way across town. Unlocking my phone, I pull up Chase’s contact and hit call.
It rings three times and when it connects, I don’t wait for him to speak before talking. “Are the twins home from school?”
“Yeah, they just got here, they’re telling me something happened to Whit—” I can hear the girls talking in the background. “And Cami?”
“Can you leave them at home with Candace? I just left the airport, and I don’t know if anyone is with them.”
“With Whit and Cami? The twins said Bex is supposed to pick Whit up today.”
“I know. And Beckett is probably on his way from training but can you?—.”
“I can run down there. I left training early because Candace was fussy. She’s asleep now. If you come straight home, I can go to the school now and see what’s going on.”
“Yes. Do that. But tell the girls to stay inside, not to open the door for anyone. And arm the security system before you leave.” Fear is tightening my chest, making it hard to draw breath.
“Hang on a sec…” There’s some noise, a few muffled words, a loud thump, then a couple of clicks and Chase is back. “You’re on Bluetooth. The girls are safely locked inside and I’m heading down the street now. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”
“No. Just that there was an incident at the school, something about a reporter accosting Whitney and Cami.”
“Shi-oot!” His breathing grows sharper, faster.
“Are you running?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you take your car?”
“No. Time,” he pants.
“I’m about five minutes from home now.” I want to lean forward and tell the driver to hurry up but he’s already pushing the speed limit.
“On, school, street.”
“Don’t hurt yourself getting there,” I warn. The last thing I need—or want—is Chase sustaining an injury.
“All. Good.”
“Can you?—”
“Bex is here.” His breathing evens out. “EMTs and the cops too.”
“Oh, okay, that’s good.” I breathe easier knowing Cami and Whitney aren’t on their own. “I’ll stay at the house with the girls if you can find out what’s happening.”
“Give me five and I’ll call you back.”
“No!” I reach for the door handle as the car turns into our driveway. “Keep me on the line.”
“Gem, let me call you back.”
He hangs up before I can argue, and I can’t hold in a growl of frustration. Which isn’t like me. I rarely show my emotions. Then again, I’ve been doing a lot of things I don’t normally do since Chase and his sisters came into my life.
Like now.
Instead of heading to the office after flying in from Atlanta, I’m going home. To spend time with Chase and the girls.
I miss them.
It’s only been forty-eight hours, and I miss them so deeply I can’t think about anything except seeing their smiling faces.
And now I need to figure out what the hell is happening with Whitney and Cami.
I waste no time getting out of the Uber, don’t even throw a thank you over my shoulder before slamming the door. Lugging my carry-on behind me, I race toward the front door, smile when I see Cassidy’s and Crystal’s faces pressed to the window either side of it.
Hopefully Candace is still asleep. If she was fussy today, she probably didn’t have a morning nap. Or she’s teething again. I wish those damn teeth would just cut through already. The poor little thing has been plagued by them for weeks now.
Pleased the girls don’t open the door for me, I pull out my keys and slide the right one in the lock. They might not have opened the door, but the second I do, they’re disarming the security system.
“Is Cami okay?”
I stop, turn my head to look at the girls. “Cami?”
“Yeah, she fell down the stairs when a man tried to grab Whitney,” Crystal explains. “We raced straight home to tell Chase.”
“You didn’t go back into school to tell someone?”
“No. We were already out the gate, and there were a few teachers and the principal in the parking lot. They all ran over,” Cassidy adds.
“And the guy ran.” Crystal’s eyes grow so big I worry they’ll fall out of her head until her next words stop my breath and flush away any relief I felt knowing Cami and Whitney aren’t alone. “At us!”
I can’t form words. I’m too busy conjuring up all sorts of horrible images in my head. A cold sweat snakes its way down my spine. Shaking myself to erase the distressing thoughts from my mind, I slam the door and reach for them.
If they’re shocked by my actions they don’t show it, and if the way they cling to me is an indication, they need this hug as much as I do.
“You’re both okay, right?” I swallow, fear thick in my throat, constricting my chest. “Other than being scared, you’re not hurt, are you?”
“No.” Cassidy leans back, tears in her eyes. “But I think Cami is.”
“Maybe, maybe not. We have to wait until your brother calls me back.” I ease up my grip. “Let’s go to the kitchen. Get a snack and a drink.”
“He ran to school.”
I smooth a hand over Crystal’s hair. “I know. I was on the phone with him.”
“Should we go there?” Cassidy asks.
“No. Best if we wait until we know what happened, what we need to do. Plus, Candace is asleep and your brother said she was fussy today.”
“She was fussy last night too. Pa gave her some of that stuff for her gums.”
Crystal’s words confirm my thoughts. Candace is teething again. I make a mental note to check our supply of gel and pain reliever.
“Come on. I need a drink.” Wine would be good, but I’ll stick with water in case I need to drive once I find out the situation. “Do you know if your brother planned anything for dinner?”
“No. We just got home.”
Entering the kitchen, I check my phone. The screen is dark, and the damn thing is quieter than a church mouse. I don’t like not knowing what’s happening. I’m not used to letting others take control of difficult situations. It’s usually me who takes care of things, fixes what needs to be fixed.
Except I’m here, watching the girls. Trusting Chase to find out what’s happening.
It’s a strange sensation. I’ve only ever put my faith in Eli, Oakley, Blake, and Cami. Eli more than the girls, but only because he’s been in my life longer. It’s why he was the first person I thought of to take charge—with Chase’s approval—of Limitless.
And just this morning Eli reminded me we still haven’t found anyone to take over some of our tasks within Rogue sportswear and the Rogues’ org. And right now, with this latest Rogues’ issue and the work that waits for me, I’m feeling the stretch of too many roles more than ever.
I really need to stop finding fault with every candidate Trevor presents us with.
“Can we have some figs, are they ripe yet?” Cassidy asks, a fig in her hand.
“They should be. What do you want with them? Yogurt? Cream? Melted chocolate?”
The sound of the front door opening, followed by several beeps from the alarm, has us all turning around. And when Chase ushers Whitney into the kitchen I take the first deep breath I have since the message from Amos popped up on my screen.
Except no one follows them. I turn to Chase, an eyebrow raised in question. He tips his head toward the butler’s pantry, and when I nod, he heads that way.
Grabbing three glasses from the cupboard I shove them, one after the other under the cold-water dispenser in the fridge door then place them on the counter. “Here. I need to talk to your brother, can you get yourselves something to eat while I do?”
The twins eye me like I’m stupid and I laugh.
“Of course you can. Why don’t you decide what to have for dinner while you snack?”
“Take out?” Crystal asks, as she comes around to open the cupboard where we keep the chocolate.
“Probably the best option tonight.”
She grins at me, and I turn to go only to swing back again. “And if Candace wakes, can one of you go up and get her if I’m not back, please.”
“Sure.” Cassidy is already busy cutting up the figs.
“Thanks.”
Leaving them to organize their snack, I head in the direction Chase went only to find the butler’s pantry empty. But the door at the other end is open which only ramps up my concern.
Whatever he has to tell me can’t be good. He’s obviously taking no chances on the twins or Whit overhearing it.
Stepping into the wine cellar, I don’t wait for the door to close or my eyes to adjust to the dimness before demanding, “Tell me.”
“A reporter tried to grab Whit. Cami defended her by getting between them and throwing her laptop at him. Unfortunately, she lost her footing and tumbled down the stairs.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yes. I think so. Bruised, mad as hell, but from what I could tell, and no, I didn’t ask, she hasn’t broken anything. Bex is staying with her while she talks to the detectives, then he’ll bring her here.”
“Okay.” I let out a breath, the tension in my shoulders easing, Cami can’t be hurt too badly if they’re not taking her to the hospital. “We should organize dinner. Something they can take with them if they don’t want to eat here.”
Chase grins at me. “I told Bex we would. Did you call Oakley and Blake? Cami’s parents?”
“I’ll message the girls, call Fenton. I expect to see them all here if Bex brings Cami and they stay for dinner.”
“He has to for her car. I drove it here.”
“Cami’s car?”
“Yeah. Whit has her handbag too.”
“Which means we probably have Cami’s phone.”
Chase shrugs. “I guess.”
“All right. Let me make sure the girls have a decent snack and get them to do their homework now. If everyone descends on us, and I’ll lay money on that happening, they won’t want to do it later.”
“Definitely not.”
“So, pizza?”
“That would be easiest.”
“Although I told the girls to decide what they wanted. They might pick something else.”
“Not likely. Pizza is their favorite.”
“Anything else I need to know before I start making calls?” I ask, referring to the reason we’re hiding in the cellar.
“No.”
“Good. Let’s see what happens when Beckett and Cami get here.”
“Should we offer to have Whit overnight?”
“Only if he’s comfortable leaving her. He might not be after what happened.”
“True. But it would be a good distraction for her to spend time with the twins.”
“Also true. Let’s wait and see.”
A faint cry from Candace filters into the room.
“That’s my cue.” Chase goes to step by me but stops when our shoulders are aligned. He turns his head my way and says, “We need to keep a closer eye on all the kids associated with the team.”
It isn’t until now, with our faces inches apart, that I see the worry in his eyes. And even though that was on my list of things to talk to the head of Rogues’ security about, I know Chase needs me to ease his mind now, even if I don’t have any solid plans.
“We will. I just need to speak with Ray and his security team.”
“Good.” He nods once. “And thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Depending on what Cami tells me about today, we may need to overhaul all our security measures.”
“You don’t think the interviews she’s doing are putting everyone in the spotlight? Drawing unwanted attention?”
“No.” I shake my head. “This thing with Beckett and Whitney seems to be from her being kept from the public eye so long.”
“I haven’t done my interview yet.”
It takes a moment, but I quickly work out what Chase is really worried about.
“I will protect those girls with my life. I’ll tell Cami to hold off on interviewing you until last. That way we can make sure we protect the girls from unwanted attention and hopefully, this thing with Beckett and Whitney will have died down and the only interest the media shows is for the team and the games we’re winning.”
“Okay.” Candace’s cry is louder. “Sounds like someone got grumpy pants up for me.”
“I asked the girls to do it before I came in here.”
“Thanks.” He turns to go but I stop him with a hand on his arm.
“Chase.” I wait until his gaze returns to mine. “Stop thanking me. I told you I would be your partner in caring for the girls and I meant it.”
“I know. But it still seems like you’re doing me a favor, that I’m taking advantage of you.”
“I’m not and you’re not. I wanted you on the team. I wanted you and the girls to have the lives your parents wanted for you. I could easily have thrown money around to make it all happen.”
“To be honest, I’m kind of surprised you haven’t.”
“I don’t want to.” I swallow over the lump in my throat. “I don’t have any family. They’re all dead and I never counted my ex as family. The women of KAW and their families are the closest relationships I have besides Eli. And none of them are blood related to me.”
“I—”
“No, let me finish. I know I’m not family to you or the girls, but I want to be there for you like family would be. Well, not my family, there was no love in my family or my marriage, and maybe that’s why I’m so determined to make sure the four of you stay together. And I want to be part of that if you’ll let me.”
“You mean the marriage of convenience you talked about when you first came to St. Paul?”
“Yes. If that’s what you want to do. But there are alternatives. I could adopt the girls, you would still be their guardian,” I rush out. “But I’d be a second parent without you having to tie yourself to me.”
“Why wouldn’t I tie myself to you if I’m willing to tie the girls to you?”
“Well, you’re twenty-one and I’m thirty-four for a start.”
“So what? Isn’t Coach younger than Oakley? And I know Coach Watts is older than Bran.”
“You would consider a marriage of convenience?”
“It’s the only option I’d consider to protect the girls.”
“Oh.” I’m not sure why I thought he would prefer the other option.
I’ll admit I’m shocked he’s open to it. We’ve been taking care of the girls together for weeks and he’s never mentioned getting married. Of course, I was still married to Johnathon for half of that time.
“You work out the details and I’ll do what I have to to make it legal and secure the girls.”
“They’re secure now. I promise you. A marriage between us won’t change the way I treat them.”
“I know. But it might change the way you treat me.”
I don’t get a chance to process his words, never mind question them, because he leaves me alone in the cold cellar.
He wants me to change the way I treat him?
What’s wrong with the way I treat him now?