CHAPTER TWENTY
Reid
Summer races over to Milly, checking her over as soon as the police have Katherine in cuffs. Her accomplice—and perhaps boyfriend—is next to her in the same position. Mum drops down next to Paisley and Rex.
“I’ve called Faith. She’s coming over.”
“It’s all my fault,” Milly whispers, tears streaming down her cheeks.
It’s the first time I’ve ever witnessed her act her age.
She looks so vulnerable, so innocent and my heart breaks for the pain in her voice.
“He wouldn’t have gotten hurt if he hadn’t saved me.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t move. It was like the dream with the bad man and I can’t run like you asked me to.
I couldn’t move. Just like before. And Rex got hurt. Like you got hurt.”
A choked whimper escapes Malia as she reaches for the little girl. “Shush, shush, baby. You’re okay. You were brave, and so was Rex.”
I have a suspicion that Malia wants to say more, but her expression shutters down and she just clutches Malia tighter.
Something happened, something that gave that little girl nightmares.
That wasn’t a dream where you are dreaming about being a superhero, only you can’t fucking run or move to fight the aliens.
This is real shit. They were in a situation where Malia had to beg this little girl to run, but she had been too scared to.
Paisley shakily reaches for the little girl, taking her hand. “I’m glad he saved you, Milly. Really glad. This isn’t your fault.”
“Can someone stop her fucking screaming,” I roar, spinning to the policeman. “Gag the silly bitch.”
Hatred fills her eyes as she glares at me.
“Fuck you! Fuck all of you,” she screams and turns to the policeman.
“They killed my father. I know they did. You should be looking into them. Not us. We’ve done nothing wrong.
You’ll see. They did this. They framed us.
They killed my dad. I know they did. He would have called me. ”
The lies are clear as they come out of her mouth. Any doubts we had about him being alive or dead are cleared up by her statement. He’s alive. And the fucking bitch knows where he is.
Jaxon shares a brief look with me, then with the police officer to make sure he’s listening when he makes his remark. “So that’s the story they’re going with,” he snorts.
Eli grunts. “Fucker will be found. There’s no way, with all the attention he’s getting, he won’t be.”
Her screech echoes in the air. “He’s innocent. I’m innocent. You guys are going to pay for this.”
“Bitch, shut the fuck up before I shut you up. You nearly killed my baby sister. If the dog hadn’t got her out of the way, she would be under your fucking wheels,” Malia points out, her teeth clenched. “And believe me, bitch, I am going to make sure you get life.”
“You liar,” Katherine roars, her voice hoarse. “The dog ran out. The kid was nowhere near me. They’re framing me.”
“There are cameras,” Summer helpfully adds. “If Paisley gives me permission, I can get the footage sent to you.”
“You bitch,” Katherine hisses, hatred still pouring out of her.
“Paisley?” Milly calls out. “Are you okay?”
My gaze moves from the woman who looks a minute away from snapping, she’s that skinny, to my sister.
Her face is still pale and wet from tears, but it’s her eyes that have me tensing. “I... I need...”
I rush to the ground next to her when she collapses. “Mum, get her bag,” I yell, lifting Paisley’s head. “Paisley, did you eat today?” I ask, tapping her cheek to wake her up.
Rex begins to growl, the sound weak as he licks Paisley’s hand.
“Is she diabetic?” Summer asks, not getting too close because of the dog.
“Yes,” I choke out. “Paisley, did you eat?”
“Yes...”
Mum comes back with Paisley’s medical bag. “No, baby girl, you didn’t. The new girl just asked what you wanted her to do about the breakfast you left.”
I quickly grab what is needed, taking her levels. “Shit, they’re low,” I growl. “I thought they rise with stress?”
“She hasn’t eaten. It’s not a good combination,” Mum explains as I grab two glucose sachets.
“Was she hit too?” Faith cries, rushing over with a bag.
“No. It’s her blood sugars. She’ll be okay in a minute,” I promise.
“Check Rex,” Paisley pleads. “He got hit.”
“Sir, is this bird aggressive?” I hear.
Jaxon rubs the back of his neck. “It’s a duck, and it’s protecting his family.”
Sure enough, the damn duck is flapping its wings at any officer who attempts to get close to us.
Rex growls again, and Faith quickly pulls back. “I think he’s waiting for you to be okay,” Faith whispers, tears forming in her eyes. “Where is Landon?”
“Here,” he barks out. Landon looks stricken when he sees Paisley on the ground with Rex near. I’m waiting for him to fly off the handle, to attack the woman who caused this, but he surprises me when his only concern is Paisley. I shuffle back so he can take my place. “Baby, did you eat?”
Tears gather in her eyes. “I was too distracted, and then Rex... You need to help Rex,” she rasps, clutching at his arms. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I froze. I should have run faster to try and help. Now, he won’t let Faith near him and it’s because of me. Because I didn’t eat.”
I place my head in my hands, watching how gentle he is with her.
I can also see the tears he’s holding back, and the anger, but I see it’s not at her.
Fuck! “No, baby. None of this is because of you. From what I hear, if he hadn’t of stepped in, a little girl would be badly hurt right now.
I’m glad you froze. If you had been hit.
..” he pauses, gulping. “Nothing can happen to you.”
“I love you,” she whispers.
My chest hurts and I feel like I can’t breathe.
It’s not the first time my sister has needed medical help.
Hell, it’s not the first time I’ve seen them act all loved up.
But this... I get it now. I get what she fought for.
And the guilt I feel for trying to tear them apart suddenly eats at me.
I thought I was protecting her. I’ve made his life hell pretty much every day since he moved in.
Sometimes she hasn’t been all that amused by it. But they are it for each other.
He runs his hand over the dog’s head. “You did good, boy. But you need to let Faith check you over.”
The dog licks Landon’s fingertips and then bizarrely, turns to Faith, like he understood the entire conversation.
Faith gives him a small smile and quickly feels his back legs, earning another whimper.
“I’m going to give him some pain meds, and then we need to get him over to the farm.
I have an x-ray machine. His leg is definitely broken, but I want to check his pelvis is okay. ”
“Let me get Paisley inside, and I’ll be right over. You hear that, boy? I won’t be long,” he assures the dog.
“No, I’m coming,” Paisley whispers. “Please. I need to be with him.”
“Can I come?” Milly chokes out. “Please.”
“I can take her,” Mum offers. “But I understand if you don’t want her out of your sight just yet.”
Malia, who has barely paid attention to anything but the woman now in the back of a police car, moves her gaze over to Mum. “I’ll wait here.”
With help from Wyatt, Faith gets Rex into the back of the car. Everyone is moving around me whilst I’m still on the floor.
Summer kneels in front of me, taking my wrists, pulling them away from my face. “Are you okay?” she asks softly.
I splutter out a laugh. “Am I okay?”
“I wasn’t being sarcastic,” she whispers, her face downcast.
“I’m sorry,” I hoarsely reply. “I can’t do this. I can’t.”
I get up, ignoring her on the floor. Perceptive as ever, Jaxon walks over, a crease between his eyebrows.
Summer slowly gets back up, warily taking a step closer. “Don’t,” I grit out. I’m afraid of what will happen if she touches me. If I let her get closer. There’s this sick feeling swirling in the pit of my stomach.
She freezes, pulling her hands back. Jaxon reaches for me next but I slap his hand away.
“Reid, what is going on?” he demands.
I place my hands on my knees, breathing heavily. So heavy—I feel like it’s getting harder and harder with each gulp of air.
“Shit!” he hisses.
I fall to my knees on the gravel, and it takes me a minute to realise Summer is back on the ground in front of me.
The roaring is back in my ears, blocking out all sound. She grasps my face, her lips moving rapidly, but I don’t hear a single word.
Her eyes, so light they’re almost translucent, flash with sympathy. I try to fixate on her hands, on her eyes, but my sight begins to grow hazy.
Lips slam on mine. There’s nothing soft about them, and for a moment, I forget the panic clawing at my chest and begin to kiss her back.
Her hand lowers to my chest, right above my heart, as I begin to calm.
I pull back, taking a breath. She goes to move away, but I clutch her hips, keeping her in place.
“I’m sorry,” I rasp.
“What happened?”
“I... I don’t know. I just...”
She runs her fingers through my hair, giving me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “You were panicking.”
“I don’t panic,” I retort.
The corners of her eyes crinkle. “You panicked.”
“I’m pretty sure I didn’t. I’ve been stabbed, bombed, survived a haunted house whilst it was on fire. Pretty sure I would know.”
She shakes her head in amusement. “What you felt was panic for others. The adrenaline must have left your system.”
I’m about to deny the accusation, but Jaxon butts in. I had forgotten he was there. “You panicked, Reid. Tell us what happened. Maybe it will help.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. It happened fucking quickly.
I heard the tyres, saw the horror on Liam’s face, and I just knew something bad was going to happen.
I couldn’t move for a second. Liam didn’t hesitate.
He moved. But I fucking stood there for a second before I remembered my feet fucking worked.
I knew I wouldn’t get to her. I fucking knew it.
Yet I prayed Liam would get there. I guess in my mind, I feared she would run through both of them, and then.
..” I glance at Summer, trying to calm my breath. “They were all in danger too.”
She keeps my gaze trapped in hers. “It wasn’t even a second, Reid. I blinked and you were gone. Don’t you dare blame yourself for her actions.”
My nose scrunches up. “Of course it’s not my fucking fault. Why on earth would you think I’d blame myself?”
Her lips twitch. “My apologies. Of course you wouldn’t. My bad.”
“Damn right,” I snap, clutching her tighter. “I blame myself for not being on alert. For not seeing the car sooner. For not being able to prevent it.”
“It fucking sucks. We know this. But it ends now. One down, two to go—three if the wife wants to fuck with us too,” Jaxon promises, keeping his voice down. “But, Reid, that was panic. Panic for her. For them.”
I don’t miss the glance he gives Summer, who is still in front of me.
I know it’s not said as a dig, but it feels like it.
I once called him out, all of them out, for overreacting when it came to their missus’.
I get it now. Nothing, not even family, comes before them.
You step in front of a train if it means saving them.
“You are starting to freak me out. She’s gone,” Liam announces, pulling my attention away from Summer.
Malia is still staring at the space where the police car was parked. She suddenly lifts her head, her sharp gaze falling to Liam. “You have a room here, right?”
I inwardly snort at his confusion. “Um, yeah. Why?”
“We’re going,” she warns, then briefly glances at Summer. “I won’t be long.”
She drags him away, and Summer lowers her gaze, hiding her smile. “He’s so fucked.”
“Or going to get fucked,” I tease.
Her eyes sparkle. “Can we get off the ground now?”
We do, and I help her stand, grateful for this amazing woman. I turn to Jaxon when the thing that has been bothering me pushes to the front of my mind. “How did the police know she was here? Do you know?”
He glances at the policemen who are still lingering to get statements from other guests who were here.
When he sees the coast is clear, he replies, “Beau had a feeling when she wasn’t in the office.
He and another group on patrol were on their way over here when the call came in from one of the guests. ”
“What do we do now?” I question.
He shrugs, scrubbing a hand over his jaw. “I’m going home to check on Lily and Rose. She’ll be worried about Paisley, and Landon too.”
“Man, I never want to hear Paisley cry out like that again,” I mutter. “Fuck, bro! The dog yelped, and fuck... the grief in her voice.”
Summer scans the area. “Hey, where did the duck go?”
Wyatt answers. “Jumped in the back of Landon’s truck.”
“Miss, can you get the CCTV for us?” a policeman asks. Summer glances at me.
“Is that okay?” she whispers.
I freeze, unaware if Liam has removed the audio.
Jaxon steps up. “Hey, if you give me your email address, I can attach it in an email to you.”
Liam removed the audio. I relax. A lot of threats were made on that tape. Guaranteed. And with how Katherine stormed toward us, Malia can declare self-defence.
I turn to Summer, reaching for her hand. I expect her to tug her hand away but she doesn’t. “Want to come check on the dog and Milly?”
Her shoulders relax. “Yes.”
I turn to my brother. “I’ll be back later. Give me a bell if you need anything.”
With that, we head to Summer’s car. Before I get in, I race inside and grab some food for Paisley. Although Landon probably has that covered already. Still, someone might be hungry.