Page 93 of Three of a Kind

“You said I could talk to Lennox today,” Brooklyn says. “And I still need to figure out what I’m doing about my boss. I’m scheduled to work tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yeah, about that…” Stacia walks into the room, taking a seat on the couch. “I pretended to be you and called the bookstore and Libby’s daycare to inform them you wouldn’t be back.”

Brooklyn’s head spins around, a little like that chick from the possession movie. “What?”

“You can’t go back,” Bless says calmly. “Meaning, it was time to handle it.”

“Mrs. Patterson gave me a chance when no one else wanted to deal with a single mom.” Brooklyn’s guilt and anxiety pulses in the bond. “I owe her more than to disappear with no notice. She’s a small business owner. It’s not like she has backup staff to call in.”

“I’ve got a friend who is going to pop by tomorrow. It’ll be a brilliant stroke of luck for Mrs. Patterson until she can find someone full-time.” Bless raises her eyebrows, like she’s just waiting for the next objection.

Brooklyn sighs. “Thank you for handling that.”

Bless’s head tilts. “I’ve been called to a meeting with my parents tonight.” She swipes her long hair behind her ear and shrugs. “They’ve still got some naive hope that my brother will be found in one piece.”

Stacia snorts.

“Ohmigod,” Brooklyn gasps. “Did something happen to Braxton?”

“My family members are dropping like flies.” Bless grins a little ferally. “And I’m not complaining a bit.”

I lean around Brooklyn, who still looks a little shell-shocked. “Are you sure it’s about Braxton and not Dustin?”

“What happened to Dustin?” Brooklyn chokes out.

“Do you assholes tell her nothing?” Stacia asks.

“Of course, they don’t. They’re in full-blown caveman mode. All they can think about is bonding and fucking,” Bless says, laughing.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you to dinner?” Stacia asks.

“No,” Bless says firmly. “You know how they are. It would look even stranger if I brought you along.”

Brooklyn nuzzles into my throat. “All of this is very stressful.”

“But necessary,” I remind her gently. “It’ll be over before you know it.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Brooklyn

“Has anyone seen my cell phone?” I whisper-hiss, trying not to wake Libby. It was plugged in and sitting on the nightstand next to the bed the last time I saw it.

“I took it,” Bless says without whispering.

I’m clearly in angry-pregnant-woman mode as I spin around, glaring at the alpha. Stomping toward the door, I give her a shove out into the hallway and pull the door to the frame.

“Why?” I ask, planting my hands on my hips.

“You know why,” she says, rolling her dark eyes. “But I’m going to coordinate with your guys to get you a new phone. I figured it would be easiest if one of them adds you to their plan.”

I blink up at her.

That actually does make sense.

A huge part of me wants to ask why the guys and I can’t just take Libby and leave New York once and for all. It makes me feel a little like a coward. It might be her family, but I’m all tangled up in this mess too.

I’ll just feel a lot safer when there’s distance between Avan and me and Liberty.

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