CHAPTER NINETEEN #2
I smirk at the disapproving look my sister gives me. I take Summer’s hand, and surprisingly, she doesn’t brush me off as I tug her over to where Malia, Milly and my mum are.
“Milly, I have to pop out, but if you’re okay with hanging out with my mum until I get back, I will take you out on Shyla then.”
Her eyebrows pinch down, a look of warning flashing across her face. “Why can’t I stay with my Summer?”
“She’s coming with me,” I tell her.
“I am?” Summer questions, arching that beautifully sculpted eyebrow at me again.
“Yes, I need your help with something important.” I wiggle my eyebrows. I can’t help it. I just do.
“You do?” she bites out. “I thought we already had this conversation today. Me, um...” her gaze briefly flickers to Mum and her cheeks flush, “helping you, isn’t going to happen again.”
Ah, her mind really did go to the gutter. Malia snorts under her breath, my mum glances down at her shoes, hiding her smirk, and Milly looks adorably confused.
If I mention a dog, Milly might badger us to come, and as cool as the kid is, I want time alone with Summer. Just us.
Fucking hell, I’m turning into a vagina.
“Not that kind of help. But I’m glad you’re still thinking about it. It means I have a bigger chance of changing your mind.”
“This conversation is so confusing.” Milly pouts, looking up at me. “You won’t forget to take me?”
“Of course not, kid. Mum knows now too, so she’ll keep reminding me,” I promise.
“Good. Remember, I know how to hide a body,” she warns me, then runs off with Rex hot on her heels.
My eyebrows furrow as I turn to Malia. “Are you sure she’s six?”
She can barely contain her amusement, but something behind me wipes it from her expression as her jaw goes slack.
I glance over my shoulder, chuckling when I see Liam, bare-chested, tugging out his earphones.
Bro is crazy for going out for a run in this weather.
If I was into dudes, he’d be my go-to guy for sure.
The guy is ripped. And whilst he lost a lot of muscle after his attack, he didn’t lose all of it, and it’s slowly coming back.
I have a feeling he’ll be more ripped than he was before they kidnapped him.
Sweat glistens off his chest. He tips his head back, squirting the bottle of water into his mouth, his lips never once touching the bottle.
“Fuck me!” Malia breathes, drool practically dripping down her chin.
Tyres screech, and I hear the distinct ping of gravel hitting a car. My gaze is still on Liam, who drops the bottle and races off to the road.
I turn, and my breath catches in my throat. The car... it’s going to...
Fuck!
Milly.
I’m already moving, racing in her direction, because the car is heading right for her. Malia screams her name. “Milly!”
Milly doesn’t move. She stands frozen, watching the car heading right for her.
“Oh no,” Paisley cries behind me.
I run as fast as I can, grateful Liam is ahead of me because I know I’ll never make it. I won’t even get close, and Milly still hasn’t moved from the spot, her entire body shaking.
Rex, sensing the danger, or maybe already knowing, gets up on his hind legs and pushes her away from the car seconds before it can hit her.
A guttural sound works its way up my throat when I hear the thud and a high-pitched yelp.
It’s filled with pain and anguish. The following whimpers have my stomach threatening to bring up the food I ate this morning.
Liam slides across the bonnet of the car, which is still moving. I hold my breath, hoping he has the kid.
The car spins out, barely missing me as it comes to a stop. Liam has the kid in his arms, glaring at the car.
“Rex,” Paisley cries between a sob. “Rex!”
What the fuck is happening?
My heart stutters, panic crawling at the back of my throat. I had been right here, right here, and a little girl nearly got hit and Rex, a fucking dog, has been hit by a car. My sister’s expression is filled with devastation as she rests his head on her knees.
Bile rises in my throat as I take in the scene. I slowly lift my phone, dialling my brother, when I see a woman come barrelling out of the red BMW.
“Get to the bed and breakfast now, and call Landon. Rex has been hit by a car.”
I put the phone down as I angrily stalk toward the woman who has played a part in making our life a living hell.
“You!” she screeches at Liam, stopping my own words from coming out. “What did you do?”
Liam, still clutching Milly, glares at the woman with so much hatred. “You nearly killed a fucking child.”
“I’m going to kill you all. All of you. You have no idea what you have done. You will all pay for this. Do you think I won’t be out by the end of the week?”
She’s too busy paying attention to Liam. She doesn’t realise the real danger is storming toward her.
A car that entered at a much more reasonable pace comes to a stop behind Katherine, a big bald guy stepping out. “Miss Black, please return to your vehicle,” he orders.
Malia is already swinging, her fist flying toward Katherine. Katherine immediately falls to the ground, crying out. “Dead bitches can’t do a fucking thing,” Malia screams.
“Oh my god, stop her,” Summer pleads.
Get it together, Reid.
I move quickly when I see the big guy reach for Malia. She twists around, biting the area above his junk, and I immediately wince as he falls to the ground, clutching his groin.
I pull her off Katherine—or make it seem like I am for the cameras. She continues to claw at Katherine, who decides to finally fight back.
“You don’t know who you are messing with,” Katherine screams.
Malia leans forward, getting in her face. “I don’t care who the fuck you are. You don’t scare me, you stupid cunt.”
Flashing lights and sirens fill the air. “Miss Black, we need to go,” the bald guy warns, finally getting to his knees.
“She’s not going anywhere,” I warn. He gets to his feet, and I let go of Malia and quickly grab him as he reaches for Malia once more.
He’s on his back with my knee against his throat before he can blink.
“Don’t fucking move.” I check my pressure so I don’t purposely kill him.
As much as I want to kill the prick, I can’t.
How did I wake up on such a high, yet now I’m dealing with this?
The roaring in my ears only intensifies as everyone begins to yell.
It’s like a blur of commotion just happened and I was witnessing it through a hazy lens.
I’ve never been this slow to react before. Fear fucking ate at me. Eats at me.
“Malia, police,” Liam snaps. “As much as I hate this, you need to pull back. I don’t think she’s breathing.”
“That’s the fucking point, handsome.”
“Mally,” Milly whispers, and it’s her words that have Malia loosening her hold on Katherine.
Jaxon arrives with Wyatt and Eli at the same time as the police do. And it couldn’t have happened at a better time.
I’m clearly not dealing with this.
It’s happened, and yet I feel like I coped better with the house explosion.
This... this feels different. I just can’t pinpoint why.