THREE
With the essentialswe’d grabbed sitting in bags on the back seat between me and Echo, we pile into Wilder’s truck and head for the Madden home. My head is pounding from the damage I tried to do to myself earlier—nothing quite like experiencing the effects of a hangover in the middle of the night. And the reminder of why I’d felt the need to fuck myself up like that in the first place has me wanting to hide in a goddamn hole now that I’m coherent enough.
I study Echo in the dim light as Wilder swiftly drives us past campus. Every so often, a streetlamp illuminates her face and the strain she’s under shows itself. She’s distraught, and I’m partially at fault because of my careless words. I can’t fix what we’ve seen tonight, but maybe I should make sure she knows I’m sorry for hurting her like that. The look she’d had in her eyes gutted me. She’d called me a drunk dick, and I’d totally deserved it. I let out a strangled exhale that has her swinging her head in my direction. Her brows raise in question.
“Come here, Calamity Jane,” I murmur. “Please?” I need her closer. Always closer to me.
She frowns but unbuckles her seat belt at the same time I shift the bags to the floorboard. Honoring my request, she slides toward me and cautiously looks into my eyes. Searching. She’s always searching for something, like she’s trying to understand me. Or maybe it’s deeper than that. She recognizes the unusual bond we have, the all-consuming need inside me that tethers me to her. I blink at my wild ruminations. Fuck.
How do I do this? I rub a few fingers over my mouth as she waits expectantly. Wilder and Royal are going to hear anything I say even if I keep my voice down. I don’t really mind, but I feel like an asshole at the moment, and I don’t like feeling that way. I’m the charmer who makes her smile, not the one who puts a frown on her face and tears in her eyes. Finally, I exhale heavily. “I’m definitely not intoxicated anymore, and I wanted to tell you again that I’m really sorry for what I said when I was shit-faced. It was stupid and careless. I hurt you and have no excuse for my behavior.”
She sighs, then lifts my arm to scoot under it before curling into my side and placing a hand on my chest. “But you did have an excuse. You went through something that upset you. You got drunk. You weren’t thinking about what you were saying. To 99.9 percent of people, that comment would have been funny, and they’d have laughed. But then there are those of us who have experienced seeing a crime scene like that—hell, now all four of us have—but anyway… Bottom line is that you didn’t say it to be cruel to me. You were just out of your head. Upset. I hope you’ll eventually let me help you with that. But even if you don’t, I forgive you for the departure from your usual irresistible self. I’m not going to hold some drunken words against you forever. It was upsetting at the time, but with the reminder of how fucking fleeting life can be, I’d rather we just set it aside.”
My heart kicks inside my chest, and I carefully bring a hand up, sweeping hair back from Echo’s face. I dip my head down, brushing my lips over hers. It’s soft and sensual at first, and I take my time, sampling the sweet taste of her, and thank my lucky fucking stars that she’s the person she is. I shift, threading my fingers into her hair, and cradle her head as she parts her lips for me. A small moan escapes her, and before I realize what she’s about to do, she’s straddled my lap. Our lips connect again, and I groan as I stroke into her mouth. This wasn’t what I was expecting when I apologized, but I’ll sure as fuck take it. The kisses are sexy and delicious, and our tongues dance, making my insides ache for more.
There’s so much twisting in my head, but if Echo allows me to be with her like this, I’ll ignore all of it and let it fall away. I just hope I’m giving her at least the tiniest bit of an escape, too.
“You two done making up back there?” Wilder shuts off the truck, and I reluctantly ease away from Echo’s kiss-swollen lips to find we’ve pulled up the Madden driveway. Wilder watches us in the rearview, his dark eyes glittering with interest. The corner of his lip catches between his teeth. “That was hot, by the way. Next time warn me, though. I almost ran off the fucking road.”
“You can fuckin’ say that again,” Royal grits out, and I can’t quite see it from here, but if I’m not mistaken, he’s got a hand on his dick, rearranging a boner.
Echo stifles a laugh, grinning as she grips my jaw in her hand and stamps a final kiss to my lips before shifting off my lap to sit at my side. “Yes. To answer your question, we’re good.”
Clearing his throat, Royal mumbles, “Why do you suppose the lights are on in the kitchen? And I don’t just mean the one over the sink.” He’s fully facing front now, leaning forward in the seat to eye the house.
Wilder’s brows furrow. “Echo, I thought you said your sister hasn’t seen your texts.”
“She hadn’t when we left Greek Row. Hang on.” Reaching into the pocket of the joggers she’d borrowed from Royal, she comes up with her phone, then quickly double-checks her texts. “Nope. Nothing. I assumed she was asleep.”
“Well, there’s no sense in waiting, if there’s anything else we have to deal with tonight, I’d like to meet it head-on,” I groan.
Royal shakes his head, holding up a hand. “Don’t jump to conclusions. But… let’s be cautious.”
We gather our bags and let ourselves out of the truck.
“No Davis yet,” Echo murmurs as we walk up to the front door of the house.
“I have a feeling his little stunt trying to bolt toward the crime scene got him sent to the end of the get-me-the-fuck-outta-here line.” Wilder grimaces, then shrugs. “I’m sure he’ll be sent on his way soon, too.”
“Ugh. Shit. I don’t have my keys.” Echo turns around with her teeth clenched, bringing her hands to her cheeks as her gaze bounces to each of us. “I don’t wanna ring the doorbell and wake Chase. I guess we knock. Crap. Sorry. I’m?—”
I shoot her a bemused smile, glancing at Royal and Wilder. Royal has an I told you so set to his lips. “You’re understandably off your game, CJ, but Royal actually thought that might be the case.”
“That I did.” Royal smirks as he gestures with a finger for us to hang on a sec. He reaches into his pocket and comes up with her lanyard. She accepts them with her head cocked to the side. “I thought of it while you were being questioned. No big deal.” Her gaze flicks to each of us, but she doesn’t say anything, and I can practically see the thoughts churning in her head. Royal’s eyes narrow as he studies her. “I would’ve told you we had them, but we were just trying to get the fuck out of Dodge after talking to the detective.”
My heart thumps unsteadily, watching their interaction. She squints at him, then finally mumbles, “Wow. You know me too well.” The second she says it, her brows crash together. “I didn’t mean it like it’s a bad thing. I mean—” She scrubs a hand over her tired face, then smiles sheepishly. “What I mean is that I’m glad you do. And I’m not quite used to having anyone but Kara looking out for me.” Going up on tiptoes, she brushes her lips over Royal’s jaw. “Thank you for anticipating that I’d be a nutcase.”
Faster than she sees coming, he turns his head, smashing his lips to hers, his tongue delving inside for a teasing lick. She clearly wasn’t anticipating this, and she grabs his shoulders to steady herself, and when she does, he takes the kiss deeper. Fuck is it ever hot, like all his pent-up emotion over what happened tonight is spilling out into their kiss. I see the reluctance on his face when he pulls away from her. He kisses her nose before he grumbles out, “You bet your sweet ass I know you. Now, let’s see why your sister’s roaming around the house after one in the morning.”
Echo slips the key into the lock, the sound of it disengaging is a quiet click, then she pushes the door open. The alarm system begins to beep a second later, and Echo whirls around to disarm it, but at the same time, Kara comes flying down the hall, eyes wide, then skids to a halt.
What the fuck?
“Whoa, Jesus.” Wilder turns around stepping outside, and Royal does the same.
I hadn’t even gotten to enter the house, but I have a clear view of Kara in a silky tank and short set. I blink, then avert my stare. I would bet that sexy little number was intended for someone’s eyes other than ours, which totally explains why she’s up. She’s waiting for her lover to arrive.
“Shit!” She turns around, dashing into the living room and grabbing a blanket, which she hurriedly drapes over her shoulders, holding the edges together in front of her. “What the hell are you all doing here?”
Echo shakes her head and turns back around to finish jabbing the code in as the beeps keep coming. They’re getting closer and closer together like the way they do right before the alarm is about to trip. She hits the final number and exhales. “Phew. Okay. Um, I knew you didn’t see my text, but—” Her forehead pinches. “Sorry. Like I said in the message, something happened tonight, and we need a place to crash. I tried to let you know we were on our way.” Echo waves us in, and quickly shuts the door, rearming the alarm.
Kara gestures to the stairs. “I’m just going to throw something else on. Help yourselves to the fridge or whatever. Be right back.”
As she races up the stairs, Echo meets our gazes, the concerned mom in her coming out in full force. “I really need to check on Chase. Will you all be okay if I do that?”
Wilder tugs her close to his side, pressing his lips against the side of her head. “You don’t have to ask. Just go take care of things. We’ll figure out coffee or whatever. Your sister is going to have questions.”
Echo’s face visibly pales. “I don’t want to be the one to tell her. I can’t. I?—”
Stepping close to her, Royal catches her chin. “One thing at a time. Go check on Chase.”
With a sharp exhale, she nods, then turns and races up the stairs.
I clench my teeth together, watching as the second Madden sister jogs up the stairs. “I’m a little worried about how Echo will handle this.”
Royal’s eyes flick to mine, then Wilder’s. “Echo will be fine because we’ve got her. Agreed?”
Wilder’s jaw twitches in response. He’s been in protective mode since way earlier this evening. “Yes.”
“Yeah. Always.”
“’Kay. I knew you were with me, but I needed to reinforce it for my own fuckin’ peace of mind, you know?”
Wilder and I both nod our understanding.
“Come on. Kitchen.” Wilder takes the initiative, leading us through the house. “What do we think? Water? Coffee?”
“Coffee,” I grunt out, settling in at the table. When we’ll actually get to sleep is anyone’s guess. I prop my chin on my elbow. “I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”
Cracking a small smile, Royal grits out, “Definitely coffee. Kinda wishing we had something stronger,” as he pulls out a chair and sits down at the table with me. His eyes find mine as his jaw works to the side. “So, Kara. That was something.”
Wilder chuckles as he starts the coffee maker. “I’ve only got two words for that.” He pauses, pulling down coffee mugs from the cabinet, then shrugs, his eyes twinkling. “Booty. Call.”
All three of us snicker, then mine goes from laughter to a groan, and I shake my head. “Thank fuck we can still find something to laugh about after the day we’ve had.”
Royal rubs his hands over his face, exhaustion clearly close to overtaking him. “Right. What is it they say? If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry? That’s where I’m at. Or I’ll fuckin’ shout. Punch a wall. Something. You know?”
“What’s this about punching a wall?” Our attention shifts to Kara as she walks in, now clad in leggings and an oversize T-shirt, her phone in hand. There’s a definite, uncomfortable tension in the room as she eyes the three of us. “Someone tell me what’s going on.”
I suck in a breath, wondering which of us will cave first, but in the end, we don’t have to choose, because Kara does it for us. “Royal?”
“Shit,” he mutters under his breath, then clears his throat, running a hand through his hair. “Okay, so you might have heard tonight was the annual SIN-TZE mixer. Echo’s big sister, Freya…” Blowing out a hard breath, he shakes his head.
All humor has fled the room, and I get why it has to be that way, but it makes me feel like I’m drowning in misery.
Royal points at the seat Kara’s standing behind. “Please sit down.”
Instead, she tosses the phone onto the table, where it vibrates with a notification a second later. Kara ignores it, clutching the back of the chair like it’s a lifeline. “No. Just tell me.”
Royal presses his lips tightly together, as if he doesn’t want to let the words out. “She’s dead. Her boyfriend, Zane, too. We found them in Beckham’s bed.”
Kara’s grip on the chair tightens. “Are you fucking kidding me? This was at SIN.” It’s not posed as a question, more like she’s trying to get the facts straight in her head. I don’t blame her one bit. The poor woman stands there, gape-mouthed, trying to assimilate this information into her head, and it’s not quite processing. She blinks hard, shaking her head.
I don’t know if I’m the only one to notice it, but her phone buzzes again. I frown, wondering who the hell is messaging her at this hour. Then again, she was awake when we got here… and clearly ready for a visitor.
I tear my eyes away from the offending phone in time for Royal’s eyes to flick to mine, then Wilder’s as he does a quick check in with us. Royal rubs a hand over his stubble-covered cheek, and I can tell by the way he’s not coming right out with it that he’s unsure how much to say, how much she can handle. “Yeah. It was pretty gruesome. Quite a lot of stab wounds on each of them.” He pauses, studying her anxious features. “I want to make sure you understand the magnitude of the situation. Not to be gross about it, but it was like they were lying in a pool of blood and, I dunno, I’m almost certain they’d both vomited something up like they’d been given a dr?—”
“Echo saw this?” Kara’s face has turned ghost-white, and she lets go of the chairback to cover the lower half of her face. At the same time, a very uncomfortable noise is dragged from Wilder. I don’t fucking know who to focus on—our girl’s older sister, who’s about to go into meltdown mode, or this man I know so well, who’s not acting nearly like himself. After a split second, I narrow my eyes, aiming my stare at Wilder. I intend to figure out what the hell is going on with him. Sure, we discovered dead bodies tonight, which was a fucking awful shock, but I get the feeling witnessing the scene of the murder has triggered something. A memory, maybe. Whatever it is has some vicious claws, that’s for fucking sure.
Just as I’m about to ask him if he’d like to talk in private, Echo walks in, and there’s no doubt she’s heard her sister’s question. She strides directly to her. “I did see it. All four of us were right there. We turned on the light and—” Her voice catches as Kara swiftly pulls her sister into her arms.
“Oh, baby girl,” she whispers. “I’m so sorry you had to see that.”
Echo nods, her face tucked against Kara’s neck. “It was pretty bad. Not gonna lie.”
It’s agonizing to watch them huddled together and shaking, because it only makes me wonder what it was like when they discovered their parents.
“They don’t know who—?” Kara sputters to a stop. Her phone vibrates again, this time getting her attention. She drags in an unsteady breath as she rubs her hand over Echo’s back in a soothing gesture, but she simply stares at the phone where it lies at the center of the table, making no move to look at it. “Sorry.” Her eyes crash shut. “Okay. I don’t know what to ask.” She lets out a heavy breath, then her gaze connects with mine.
I dislike how this brave, levelheaded woman is so unnerved, so I offer up some information. “We’ve already spoken to one of the detectives, but we’ll need to go to the station later today after we’ve gotten some sleep.”
“Shit.” Kara makes an exasperated, yet anxious noise. “You don’t think it has anything to do with the other stuff?”
“We don’t honestly know.” Echo finally detaches herself from Kara and tugs her toward the table. “I’ve gotta sit down. I’m really exhausted, but there’s no way I’m going to be able to sleep anytime soon.”
“We figured we’d be up for a while,” Wilder grits out from where he’s pouring coffee. “Who needs caffeine?” At the raising of everyone’s hands, I get up to help him bring steaming mugs of coffee over, then he goes back for cream and sugar, plunking them in the middle of the table for everyone before sitting down himself. Good fucking thing he acclimated himself to their kitchen because I doubt Kara would be a capable hostess at the moment. Wilder takes a sip of the steaming-hot brew, then throws out a hand in an irritated gesture. “I want to think there’s no connection, but”—he pauses to grit his teeth—“I don’t trust it.”
We haven’t had a chance to lay everything out yet, but the fact that both Wilder and I were drawn into this mess in the last few days hasn’t come up yet. Is it a coincidence that the murder happened in my bed? I don’t have a fucking clue. I blink, realizing I missed Kara say something.
“We’ll be vigilant. Promise.” And then Wilder swallows, but he struggles with whatever lump is in his throat. Fuck. This isn’t good. He’s running swiftly toward a chasm, and I don’t have any fucking idea what it will take to keep him from going over the edge.
And speaking of going over the edge, Kara’s phone vibrates three times in rapid succession. All of us pointedly look at her, and finally she snatches it up and flips it over.
Echo nudges Kara, frowning. “Who’s blowing up your phone at this hour?”
“Um—” She grits her teeth, then rubs a hand over her face before shooting off a couple text messages. “It’s Todd. He was supposed to come over.” Her face flushes pink, and she shakes her head. “I texted him when I went upstairs to change. I figured it was best that he not come since something serious must have happened on campus for you all to show up here in the middle of the night. I didn’t have details yet, but…” She hesitates as she looks down when another text comes in. “Anyway, I guess he was worried, so he drove toward the college and could see the flashing lights from several streets over. He says it’s not obvious what’s happening, and he couldn’t find information about it anywhere yet. I don’t know if that’s helpful information or not.” She nibbles on her lip as she responds to his text, only to have one more come through. Tucking her phone into a pocket in her leggings, she gives us an awkward smile. “He says he’s glad you all are okay.”
A moment later, a key in the lock at the front door disturbs all thoughts and conversation, especially when the rapid punch of numbers tells us Davis is home. We shoot out of the kitchen chairs, loosely circling Echo, and Kara by extension. Davis isn’t even trying to be quiet as he storms down the hallway. He stops as soon as he enters the room, his eyes narrowing as he lets them roam.
“I fuckin’ knew you’d be here,” he growls. “Couldn’t you go to a goddamn hotel like they suggested?”
He looks like he’s been through it tonight, which, I do get it—he was scared for Echo’s well-being. We all heard the panic in his voice as he shouted for her and caused a general ruckus downstairs while the cops held him back. But fuck. Shut up, man. Don’t be a dick.
Wilder’s dark stare is lethal, as if his eyes are lasers aimed at Davis’s skull. “We’re here for your sister, so maybe shut your fucking mouth.”
Davis throws back his head, a rather unstable laugh tripping from his lips. “Oh yeah. I bet you are.” He eyes the three of us before his gaze falls on Echo.
She inhales deeply through her nose, as if she’s trying to control an outburst. In a low voice, she mutters, “You could at least be quiet, Davis. Chase is asleep. Or he was until your belligerent ass stomped in here.” She rolls her eyes. “I don’t fucking get you. You’re so concerned about me one minute, and the next, you’re a nasty, snarling beast. Frankly, you’re starting to really piss me off.”
I gently put my hand on Echo’s shoulder, squeezing my reassurance because I hate to see her riled up like this. Davis takes one look at where my hand is and gives Echo a rude-as-fuck sneer. “Find somewhere else for your orgy.”
I’ll be damned if I’m moving my hand, so I simply smile calmly at him. “No need to be an ass-faced dickwad,” I say in a moderately cheerful tone. His lip curls as we lock eyes. I give him a shrug that I mean to antagonize him, even though I know he’s already like a raging bull. I can’t help myself. The fucker needs someone to put him in his place.
“Davis. That’s e-fucking-nough.” Kara’s expression as she stares at her brother is one of pure astonishment. “I would have thought you’d be more understanding. They witnessed something awful tonight. You know what that’s like and how hard it can be.” She shakes her head, decisively ending the matter when she bites out, “They’ll be staying here. Period.”
Davis’s face morphs, giving him the appearance of a petulant child, and he grumbles something I can’t make out under his breath before speaking up. “Whatever. Do whatever the fuck you want, Echo. Or whoever the fuck you want. I’m going to bed. I want no part in this.”
“Davis, just fuck off for now, please. Your shitty attitude is not helping.”
He opens his mouth to say something more but sees the anger simmering in Kara’s eyes, so he snaps it shut again, then turns on his heel and stalks away.
The verbal slap at her brother has me internally huffing with laughter. Who knew it’d be Kara to make Davis shut his piehole. I fuckin’ knew I liked her. She’s a badass disguised as an elementary school teacher.
Echo lets out a loud sigh and stands up. I step aside so she can do whatever she needs to, but all she ends up doing is pacing. I catch her as she turns and makes it back to me. “Calamity Jane. Everything is going to be okay.” I plant a kiss on her cheek at the same time Royal dips down, whispering softly with his lips to her ear.
Wilder puts an arm around her, rasping an audible, “We’re here for you.” Echo nods and drags in a deep breath. We’ll be fine. We just have to stick together.
While we’ve been offering Echo comfort, I’ve also been paying attention to Kara’s reaction. She eyes the four of us, probably considering some of Davis’s remarks and wondering whether there is a grain of truth to them. But I don’t let that stop me from doing what I would any other time. Don’t give a flying fuck what Davis thinks, and I’m really hoping their sister isn’t about to totally freak, but I wrap an arm around Wilder, pressing my lips to his temple. Royal joins from the other side, his hand slipping up Wilder’s back until it loosely catches the base of his neck. Kara gives a soft gasp as we huddle together with Echo in the middle. I don’t doubt that it’s very obvious we’re more than friends. All of us. It’s almost comical to me because this is a little like coming out all over again.
So soft her voice is almost inaudible, Kara murmurs, “I don’t think I want to know details. But damn.”