Chapter 8 Tigerlily
Chapter Eight: Tigerlily
My laptop sits on the nightstand where I left it. I’m honestly afraid to open it, not knowing what’s waiting for me in my messages. My fingers tremble as I flip it open.
The screen glows to life. Three messages from Elle, each one longer than the last. My stomach drops before I even start reading.
Elle: So your dad came to my house and asked for you.
He was nice at first and then he thought I was lying about you not being here, so he stormed inside my apartment looking for you.
Zinnia was with him, and she looked scared.
I couldn’t talk to her because she was on the verge of crying. Plus, your dad was right there.
Zinnia. Scared. Shit.
Elle: He kept asking me who your boyfriend is, and I told him you don’t have one.
He told me that you’re in danger with your boyfriend, and that you ran away with him.
But I told him that you literally do not have a boyfriend, and he looked at me like he thought I was lying.
I’m confused as hell. What’s he talking about?
I told him you texted that you were okay, and he was confused because he said your phone is broken.
I’m sorry I told him about you texting me from your laptop. Did he text you?
Fuck. He knows about the laptop. He knows I texted her. He knows I’m not at Elle’s.
Elle: Did he break your phone?
Elle: And where are you? Are you okay? What boy is he talking about? You literally don’t talk to any boys, so I’m really confused.
My throat closes up. Heat pricks behind my eyes, spreads to my cheeks, burns through my chest. I close the laptop and fall sideways onto the bed, curling into myself.
He went to Elle’s house. He scared my best friend. He scared Zinnia. And he didn’t even text me.
That’s the part that breaks something in me. He broke my phone, so I couldn’t contact anyone. He tracked down my best friend. He’s dragging my sister around. I hope he didn’t unleash his anger on her when he realized she was home and I wasn’t.
Tears threaten to spill. He didn’t text me. He didn’t try to reach me through the laptop he clearly knows I have. He’s planning something, and I don’t know what.
The tears come hot and angry. I press my face into the pillow, trying to muffle the sound, but a sob escapes anyway. Then another. My shoulders shake with it.
A knock at the door makes me freeze. Shame takes over, and the crying ends.
I roll away quickly, swiping at my face with both hands. My cheeks are wet. My eyes burn. I can’t let them see me like this.
“Are you crying?” Callum’s deep voice fills the room.
The door opens before I can answer. I keep my face turned away, but I feel him move closer. The bed dips as he sits on the edge, his hand landing warm and steady on my shoulder. I flinch, and he instantly removes his hand.
“I’m sorry.” His voice is softer than I’ve ever heard it. “I’m sorry about last night. I’m a fucking idiot when I drink. Tiger?”
I don’t move. Don’t speak. If I open my mouth, I’ll start crying again.
I hear more footsteps. The room feels smaller with all of them in it.
“I didn’t mean to freak you out. Are you freaked out?”
“Tigerlily?”
That’s Jax. His voice does something to me. It makes me want to turn around. But it also makes me want to hide deeper into the pillow.
“What’s wrong?” Zephyr’s voice comes from near my feet.
The mattress shifts. Someone’s crawling onto the bed. I lift my head just enough to see Jax moving toward me, and the sight is so unexpected that I forget to cry for a second.
He’s too big for this. His shoulders are too broad, his frame too solid. He looks ridiculous crawling across a bed like this, but he doesn’t stop until he’s right next to me.
His face is close. “Talk to me, Tigerlily.”
“To us,” Callum adds from behind me.
A hand wraps around my ankle. Warm. Gentle. Zephyr’s voice follows. “We’re here for you.”
I wipe my face again and force myself to sit up. “He went to Elle’s.”
Jax shifts beside me. His hand settles on my thigh, fingers splaying wide. The touch sends sparks across my skin, makes my breath catch. I pull back instinctively.
His hand lifts immediately. Zephyr’s grip on my ankle loosens too.
They notice. They both notice that I hate being touched.
“Who’s Elle?” Callum asks. “And he?”
“My dad.” The words taste bitter.
“Oh,” Callum says, confused.
“Elle is my best friend. She’s the one I went to the hockey game with.”
Callum’s whole energy shifts. “You came to the game, Tiger?”
The excitement in his voice is so genuine, so boyish, that I almost smile. He has such a charm about him.
“I shouldn’t have.” My throat tightens again. “My dad’s going to call your coach.”
“Why would your dad call our coach?” Callum asks, confused.
“Will your coach give him your address?” I look between Jax and Zephyr. “He told Elle I ran away with my boyfriend.”
Zephyr curses under his breath. “Coach can be an idiot. He probably would.”
Jax’s jaw tightens. His eyes lock on Zephyr for a beat, some silent communication passing between them, before he looks back at me.
My voice cracks. “Maybe I should just go back home and save you guys the trouble.”
“No.” Jax’s response is immediate.
“No fucking way,” Zephyr says at the same time.
Callum shifts behind me. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I want you to stay here.
” He says it so innocently. I look at him over my shoulder.
He’s grinning that easy, careless grin. Like this is all just a game.
Like my entire life isn’t falling apart around me.
His smile shouldn’t make me feel better.
But it does. Just a little. He’s clueless, and I’m grateful for it.
“I can’t stay here.” I force the words out.
The room goes quiet. Too quiet.
Jax says, “You can’t go home.”
I look at my hands, feeling my heart start to race.
“If you can’t go home because of your dad, and you can’t stay here… You can stay with me.” Callum says it like it’s the simplest thing in the world.
“No.” Jax and Zephyr speak at exactly the same time.
My stomach flips. Butterflies swarm, fast and chaotic. They’re so protective. I don’t know why.
Callum flashes them that boyish grin again. “Why not? Her dad won’t find her there.”
“I’ll call Coach.” Zephyr stands, pulling out his phone.
“No.” Jax’s voice cuts through the room.
Zephyr looks at him. “We can warn him and then—”
“I said no.” It’s not loud. But it’s a command.
Callum leans forward. “Why?”
“Last night,” I say, meeting Callum’s eyes. Jax and Zephyr turn their attention to me as I stutter. My skin pricks with anxiety. “Last night, Jax punched my dad.”
Everything stops.
Zephyr and Callum both turn to look at Jax. He doesn’t flinch, and he doesn’t look away from me.
I swallow hard. “Because Jax saw my dad…” The words stick in my throat. “Punch me.”
“Tiger.” Callum’s voice is different now. Wilder. Chaotic.
“Fuck.” Zephyr runs a hand through his hair, pacing to the window.
“So, nobody’s going to call Coach.” Jax doesn’t phrase it as a question.
I nod. My chest feels tight. My eyes sting again. “And I’ll stay with Callum.”
“We’ll all stay with Callum.” Jax holds my gaze.
I blink at him.
His eyes are dark and intense as he stares back. Protective. Unwavering. A promise that doesn’t need words. His actions are proof enough.
Zephyr agrees with a nod, watching me. Callum reaches for my hand, and I let him grab it.
Heat spreads through my chest, different from the burn of tears. Warmer. Safer. More terrifying.
Because for the first time in my life, I’m not alone.
And not only does one person care about my safety, but three do.