Page 111 of Free to Fall

I tried to find Laura’s whereabouts, only to realize no one would disclose dick to me. My screaming had made the rounds and if it weren’t for Bailey, I’d be persona non grata here.

I need to apologize. I hope she’ll forgive me. God, knowing it was the Tiberis after her with Bailey caught in the crossfire, I couldn’t keep a hold of my temper. My mouth went into fucking overdrive.

I immediately start texting her.

Liam:

Where are you? Bailey is asking for you.

Even now that Bailey and I are safe at home, and having sat next to Bailey as she sleeps, I can’t feel relief. I fucked up.

Huge.

Around two a.m., I text Laura again.

Liam:

Sweetheart, just let me know you’re safe.

I don’t move from my position even as the sun rises. Every minute that passes causes my stomach to cramp. It’s not because Colby called earlier to let me know Hudson agents would be patrolling my property. It’s the overwhelming sense of knowledge that I blew Laura and me up.

My phone calls are going straight to voicemail. My texts remain unanswered. Like a swift swipe of her scalpel, I’m somehow cut off from the woman I love. Still, I try to remain rational as I rule out possible scenarios. Maybe she’s with the police, but could it really have taken this much time?

Liam:

Laura, come over as soon as you get this. Please, we need to talk.

Still, she’s not a suspect. She would be able to answer her phone. That’s when the insidious voice inside my head taunts me, If she wanted to.

When my front door slams open just after sunrise, pervasive relief floods through my system. I’m ready to wrap Laura up in my arms for hours before I school her on answering her phone in the middle of a crisis. An even larger part ready to drop to my knees and sob my apology against her warm skin after I’ve stripped us both naked and we’re curled up in my bed together.

Only it’s not Laura standing there.

It’s Caleb and Keene. Their faces are neutral, but as I approach them, I recognize the barely banked fury in their eyes. I feel the blood leach from my face.

“What are you two doing here? Where’s Laura?”

My eyes drift away from theirs, my lungs seizing when I recognize what’s dangling from Caleb’s fingers. It’s the keys to my house and my car. I don’t have to guess how they got in. Between the fact she’s not picking up her phone and their possession of them, they’re making a statement.

A clear one.

My mouth feels like I was just forced to consume a cup of sawdust but I manage to say, “They’re locked up?”

Caleb takes a step forward, quivering with rage. “I don’t know who to blame more, you or me.”

I confront what I believe to be Caleb’s issue with me head on. “Come on, Caleb. You had to know I’d be pissed.”

“Pissed is what Keene was, but he was fucking rational!” Caleb roars. He flings the keys at my feet.

I ignore the clatter they make against the hardwoods and focus on the man. “I love her. I’ll make it up to her.”

“Like hell you will,” he retorts. He lifts his chin. “Laura gave those to me right before she—‍”

“Caleb, shut up.” Keene snaps at his brother-in-law. Then he snarls, “Laura’s condition is need to know and Liam has no right to any information about Laura. Not anymore.”

“I love her,” I say.

His smirk is laced with such contempt I want to punch it off his face. “Charming the way you demonstrate it. Accusing her of deliberately trying to get Bailey killed, was it?”

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