Page 14 of Surrender

Silas gives the baby one final bounce before returning him to his mother’s arms. “It’s good to see you,” he says sheepishly. With his eyes locked on the floor, he joins me in the hallway.

“Sorry to bother you, ma’am.” Sutton jerks his chin as he stops in front of Whitney. “You have to understand we can’t just let a call like that go without checking things out.”

Whitney’s head bobs in a jerky response. “I understand.” Her gaze cuts to me before sliding away.

Unease slithers through me. I want to go to her and explain. If these two assholes would finish up already, I could tell her this incident wasn’t her fault. That she and her kids are welcome here as long as she needs a place to stay. My breath stalls in my chest while I wait for the finale to play out.

“Try to keep it down. Kids cry. I get it. I’d rather not have to make a trip out here again.”

“I will,” Whitney says.

I can see her defenses rise. The hard wall forming just beneath the surface. She’s resolved to leave. To save herself from any more embarrassment.

Without another word, Sutton steps into the hall. “Jack.”

The door closes on us with a deafening click.

“I’ll catch up with you later.” I turn back to face her room.

Sutton gives a short two-finger wave and follows his brother down the stairs.

Without giving my actions a second thought, I knock.

“It’s fine.” Her watery voice floats through the door. “There’s nothing more to say. I can be out by this afternoon.”

“Open the door, Whitney.”

“Really. Don’t worry about it.”

I grip the frame on either side and lean forward. “Open the door,” I order again.

The metallic clang of the lock signals her acquiescence. “What?”

I avoid drawing attention to the red blotches on her skin. I try not to look at the tears clinging to her lash line. “You don’t have to leave.”

She sighs. “Yes, I do. I can’t disrupt people like that, and I sure as hell can’t go through another morning like this.” She waves her hand to convey all that transpired. “I don’t feel safe here.”

My jaw tightens. “Are your parents still in town?”

“No.”

“Any family?”

“No.” She stresses the word the second time.

“Any friends? You used to be close with Bree, right?”

Something lights in her honeyed eyes at the mention of my sister-in-law. “You remember me?”

A short chuckle leaves my lips. “It clicked when Silas said your name. I remember the way I couldn’t see my brother back then without Bree attached to his hip, and wherever Bree was, you were close behind.”

“Is Bree still in town?”

“She left for a few years but came back about a year ago.”

Apprehension clouds her face. “We aren’t close anymore.”

I want to argue with her that it wouldn’t matter to Bree, but I can tell she’s uncomfortable enough with this situation. I save the battle for another day. “Where are you planning to go?”

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