Chapter Twenty-Eight
TREY
Adeline hasn’t looked me in the eye since I got home yesterday from out of town.
Not at breakfast, not in the car, not when I asked about ballet practice. Just one-word answers here and there and the sound of her bedroom door kicking closed behind her. At least she’s not slamming them anymore.
I told myself to give her space. She’s a kid, not a soldier in my unit. She doesn’t need me pushing her to talk before she’s ready.
But the truth? I hate it.
Hate the silent treatment from her more than any injury I’ve ever played through.
I’m mid-set at the gym, the clang of weights from the other guys in here with me and the smell of sweat sharp in the air, when my phone buzzes with Isla’s name. I don’t think, just answer.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Trey…” her voice is tight, almost shaky. “It’s not me. It’s Kaenan’s mom. She went to pick up Adeline from school…”
Something cold threads through my veins. “What about her?”
“She… she’s not there.”
The dumbbell in my hand drops to the mat with a dull thud. “What do you mean she’s not there?”
“They called her out for early dismissal, but she never came out. The principal, Berkeley, and Kaenan’s mom have been looking for her for twenty minutes. She’s not on the grounds.”
My vision narrows. My heart’s in my throat.
“What do you mean she’s not there?”
“Her teacher said she was in class the entire day. She left with all the other students out to the sidewalk for pick-up, but no one else has seen her.”
“Fuck,” I curse.
“I’m on my way to the ballet studio to see if she went there. Kaenan is headed to your house to see if she got a ride home.” I can hear Isla’s voice getting shaky. “Can you check the stadium? Maybe she went there?”
“Jesus…” I say, a fear I’ve never known radiates through me. “Yeah, I’m here, I'll check and then I’ll meet you wherever you are. Just keep me in the loop, okay? We’re going to find her, Isla.”
I tell her to keep my cool, but I have no idea if we will.
“What’s going on?” Slade asks, the rest of the guys starting to circle.
“Kaenan’s mom went to pick up Adeline. She wasn’t at school. No one has seen her since class was dismissed.”
“We’ll help. Where do you want us to check?”
Everyone runs for their keys and duffel bags. A group of my Hawkeyes family ready to disperse at the drop of a hat.
“I don't know. I’m going to check the rink and see if she came here.”
Slade starts to bark out locations to each of the guys.
“I’m starting a text chain. Give your location and a confirmation if you find her,” he tells them.
In minutes, we’re all running out of the gym. I see Penelope and Cammy racing out of the elevator too. They must be on the text thread.
“I called security to tell us if Adeline shows up here,” Cammy yells to me, and then she and Penelope are out the glass doors.
But there’s only one person I want to call right now.
I scroll through my contacts as I race to the rink, though it’s too far from the school unless she took a taxi. Still, I have to mark it off the list. I have to know she’s not here.
I hit dial on Vivi’s name, and it only rings once before she picks up.
“Trey…you called. I’ve been wanting to—”
“Vivi, I’m sorry. I know we have a lot to talk about, but I need your help right now.”
“Of course, what is it?”
“Adeline’s missing. Kaenan’s mom went to pick her up. She left the school or was taken from the school. No one’s sure.”
“Oh my God, Trey.” The panic in her voice evident.
I take a deep breath and admit what I should have at that recital. “I need you, Vivi. I need you to help me find her.”
“Of course. I’m in my car right now. I’m turning around.” I hear the squeal of her tires. I don’t know if she just flipped an illegal U-turn in the middle of the road, but whatever she did, she wasn’t waiting.
“She’s been so mad at me for letting you go. She wanted me to tell you not to leave with Jameson. It’s been a week of silent treatment…and then this. I just don’t know where she would run off to.”
There’s a gasp on the other line. “I know where she is.”
“Where?”
“Meet me at the library. I’m only three minutes away.”
I drop my duffel bag and run full steam until I’m in my SUV, cranking the engine and peeling out of the parking lot.
I find a spot on the curb, making it to the library in record time. And that’s when I see her—Vivi.
Racing down the street from wherever she found a parking spot too. She doesn’t see me yet, but somehow, seeing her, I know we’re going to find her. She’ll never give up until we do.
I jump out of my SUV and run towards the front door of the library. Vivi barely beats me there. She yanks open the door, and I grip it to keep it open until I can come through.
“The kids’ section. Where her mom always used to take her. She said it’s the safest place she feels.”
We don’t even say “Hi” or “Hello” or “How are you doing?”
We both have one goal and one goal only.
To find our girl.
VIVI
We clatter down the library’s front stairs, Trey’s heavy footsteps beside me, both of us getting shushed by the librarian. Neither of us slows down.
Halfway to the children’s section, I spot her—dirty blonde hair peeking out between two low shelves. I throw an arm out across Trey’s chest.
He halts, frowning. “What? Why are you stopping me?”
“She’s right there,” I whisper, pointing.
I glance up at him, and the relief that flashes across his face nearly undoes me. My throat feels tight.
God, I want to kiss him. After everything—after thinking, even for a moment, that we might have lost Adeline—the adrenaline is one thing, but it’s more than that. It’s clarity. The most important thing in the world to me is right here. Him and her.
Hearing Callum say Trey was in love with me…that he thought Trey might propose… It has me seeing him and a future with him differently. But the reality is still messy. I still have my company to fight for. My life’s still riddled with complications.
Right now, there’s only one priority. Adeline.
“Give me a minute with her, okay?” I whisper.
He nods, but tension rides his shoulders. Every part of him is itching to scoop her into his arms. I know because I feel the same way, but if she were running from him and came here, seeing him won’t have the reaction he wants.
He exhales. “I’ll text everyone and tell them we found her.”
I nod and step toward her aisle, careful not to rush.
At the end of the shelf, I pause. “Hi there.”
She jumps, eyes wide, until she recognizes me.
“Vivi.”
“Fancy seeing you here.” I keep my tone light, my voice just above a whisper. “Looks like it’s my lucky day. Mind if I come sit with you for a second?”
Her face lights up. Until she glances past me and spots Trey through the opening in the bookshelves. He has his head down, thumb moving over his phone.
“Oh. You brought him?”
I ease down onto the carpet across from her, the colorful spines of picture books lining the shelves between us. She’s curled up in a beanbag, knees tucked, a book open in her lap but clearly unread.
“You had everyone worried sick, you know,” I say gently.
Her cheeks turn pink. “I didn’t mean to.”
“I know.” I rest my elbows on my knees, leaning in a little. “There are a lot of people who care about you, and everyone just wants you home safe.”
Her eyes flick toward Trey’s shadow at the end of the aisle. “I ran away because he wouldn’t listen to me. You two were happy,” she blurts. “You were holding hands, and cuddling, and flirting with each other…”
I bite back a sigh, my heart tugging. “I know. And I’m sorry if we confused you. Sometimes adult stuff is…hard. It doesn’t always go the way you think it will.”
She frowns—trying to understand but not liking the answer.
“We didn’t want to hurt you,” I continue softly.
“I’m sorry if we did. But Trey isn’t responsible for me going back to work.
And…” I hesitate, then decide gentle honesty is better than letting her guess.
Besides, she knows about the wedding I ran from.
After all, she aided and abetted, although technically I didn’t commit a crime.
“I made a promise to Jameson. One I need to talk to him about. That doesn’t mean you and I can’t still hang out. ”
Her head lifts a little. “You mean we could still have movie nights? And come to the library together sometimes?”
“I think maybe you, me, and Uncle Trey could sit down next week and make a plan that works for everyone, so that you and I could still spend time together. What do you think?”
“That could be good.” She pauses. “Do you think Jameson will let you come over, though, if he knows that you and Uncle Trey are in love?”
The air between the shelves stills.
My eyes lift—almost against my will—and there’s Trey. Already watching me. His phone hangs forgotten in his hand.
He heard her. Of course he did. And he’s not looking away. His gaze is steady, searching…like he’s waiting for my answer. Or bracing for it.
My pulse thuds in my ears. For a beat, I forget we’re in a library. Forget we’re in the middle of a missing-child search.
I turn back to her, my voice quieter than before. “I guess I’ll have to talk to Jameson about that. But for now…how about we focus on dinner, bath time, and homework before bed?”
“Okay,” she says, a little disappointed but knowing that’s the best she’ll get after running away.
I glance back at Trey. That’s his cue.
He steps closer, crouching down at the end of the aisle. “Hey, squirt. Can I have a hug?”
Adeline gets up, crossing the space between them. Her arms wrap tight around his neck. “I’m sorry I ran away.”
“And I’m sorry this has been hard on you,” he mumbles against her temple as he squeezes her tighter. “Just talk to me next time, okay? We only have each other. We have to work things out, even when we’re mad.”
I hate the way he says only each other—because I want so badly to be part of that we.
“How about pizza at Isla’s?” Trey offers. “She texted me. Wants to give you a big hug. She’s just happy you’re okay. They’re ordering for the search party.”
“Can Vivi come?” Adeline asks.
Trey glances at me, his expression unreadable. “She’s welcome if she doesn’t have other plans.”
“I would love—” I start, but my phone pings. I glance at the screen in case it’s someone from the search.
Genevieve: I will be hosting a brunch tomorrow at my house to discuss wedding plans with you and Jameson. See you then.
“I would love to…” I start again, softer. “But I have a long day tomorrow and need to get a few things done. Rain check?”
Adeline’s disappointment is obvious, and I see it in Trey’s eyes as well, until he hides it from me. Burying like the true soldier he is.
“Okay. Rain check,” she says, then turns toward the door.
Trey moves to follow her, but stops, waiting for me to catch up.
“Thank you for today,” he says quietly. “I wouldn’t have thought to look here. You know her better than anyone. I owe you.”
“You would have, Trey. Give yourself more credit. She’s loved without conditions or expectations…that means more to a little girl than you realize.”
“That sounds like experience.”
I nod. “Everything my father ever gave me or Isla came with strings.”
“But you grew up with money and opportunities. We grew up differently.”
“Maybe,” I say. “But I stopped taking my father’s help when I was in high school.
That’s why I took Genevieve’s deal to marry Jameson.
So that I wouldn’t have to ask my father for the money.
My father’s goal is to control everyone within his wingspan…
and it’s a long wingspan. Both Isla and my mother moved on without us once they found other men to take care of them.
You might have grown up with less money, but no one has a perfect childhood. And mine wasn’t charmed either.”
“I didn’t know any of that.”
I shrug. “Adeline hasn’t had it easy with her parents’ passing, but at least she’s loved freely by you for just existing—without parameters.”
We walk out together, all three of us, before splitting at the curb—me in one direction, them in the other. A perfect metaphor for the life I’m living. And I’m tired of it.
And then I remember something. “Trey…the Range Rover,” I say, of the car he bought for me when I didn’t have one.
“Keep it,” he says, turning back to look at me. “I’ll sleep better at night knowing that there’s one thing of yours they don’t own.”
I know he didn’t mean for that to hit straight to the heart. But it does.
He’s the only man in my life who has given me something with no strings. No ulterior motive. He gains nothing except for peace of mind that I’m taken care of in some way.
And he’s right. They own too much of me.
But I guess he does now too. He owns a part of me that I can never offer Jameson.