Page 58 of Surrender

“Ohhh fuck, Jack?” She’s breathless. My eyes snap to Corjan’s.

“Bree? What’s going on?”

“Um, I think we’re going to need you down here at The Rocks. Quickly.”

I’m already moving before she’s done talking, throwing on my coat and snatching my keys. “I’m coming. What’s happened?”

“Can you also tell Corjan to go ahead and relieve Scarlett, the babysitter? I feel like Whitney will need some time to calm down and...” Her words are cut off by shrieking.

My pulse kicks up a wild rhythm.

“Bree?” I bark.

Her next sentence flies out in a rush. “Whitney’s ex showed up, and he’s supposed to be dead, so she’s not taking the news really well that he’s still alive and tracked her down.”

Fury lights a fire in my chest. “I’m coming. Keep her with you, you hear me? Don’t let her out of your sight.”

Without waiting for her response, I end the call and turn to my brothers. “Corjan, Bree says you need to go relieve the babysitter and wait for her to return to the house.”

“What’s going on?” Lee asks, his jacket on and keys in hand.

I look him in the eye and mutter one word.

“Trouble.”

* * *

Thank fuck we chose Lee’s house tonight because he’s closer to the main part of town. In five minutes, I’m pulling up to the curb outside The Rocks with Lee sliding in to park behind me not a moment later.

Tension draws my muscles tight like a marionette string above my head. My jaw ticks, and my back molars grind together as I brace for what I’m about to find inside. I’m not sure why Bree called me. Whitney isn’tmine. The only thing for certain is that any man who willingly leads his wife to believe he’s dead is not a good man. Not by a long shot.

If Whitney needs someone to step in and help deliver that message, I will happily be that guy.

The music instantly drowns out the wind outside as I step over the threshold. My eyes adjust to the dark interior and flashing colorful strobe lights. I stand at the entrance and scan the room until I spot a familiar face.

“There. Cortney and Juniper are on the dance floor.”

Arguing voices rise above the music to my right as I step off the entrance mat. Lee also turns his head in that direction.

“You go to her. I’ll check in with Cortney and Juniper and be right behind you,” he says. At my nod, he takes off.

The closer I get, the easier their conversation is to hear.

“I knew you were involved in some shady shit!”

“It wasn’t like that. I just got in over my head.”

“There were men outside our house! They’d watch us forhours!”

“And I found a way to fix it! I honestly don’t understand why you’re so angry.”

“You son of a bitch. I could kill you myself!”

I bound around the corner just in time to catch Whitney around the middle. She struggles against me, pushing against my forearm and kicking her legs.

“Let me go!”

“Time for you to go,” I tell her ex in a tone hardened with steel.

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