Page 85 of Stone Cold Touch

“He simply fell backward?” Abbot asked, disbelief ringing from his voice as he stepped around Maddox’s prone legs. “You expect me or any of us to believe that?”

At least he cut to the chase this time. “Yes! He just fell. I don’t know if he lost his balance or—Wait, there was a rush of cold air right before he fell.” And now that I said that out loud, I knew it hadn’t been the first time. “It was the same with the windows. There was a gust of—”

“Of wind?” Abbot finished doubtfully. “Did the air kick on with enough force to knock out windows or throw a two-hundred-and-thirty-pound Warden down the stairs? That’sifwe used the air-conditioning this time of year, which we don’t.”

“Okay. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I’m not lying.”

Zayne moved to my side. “She has no reason to lie, Father. If she said he fell, he fell.”

“She has every reason to lie,” his father spat. I blanched. “Once was enough, but this?” He gestured at Maddox. “One of our own—a guest of our clan—has been injured, and another is missing.”

I stiffened at the implication, even though the latter was very much on point. Zayne stepped forward, blocking me. “What are you saying?”

“Guys,” Jasmine spoke up. “I need to move Maddox to get a better look at his injuries. Right now, it looks like he’s just knocked out. Maybe a broken arm or cracked skull, which will heal. But I need help moving him.”

Zayne and Abbot, who were currently in an epic stare-down, didn’t seem to hear her.

Dez nodded as he moved to stand before Maddox’s feet. “Nicolai? Can you get his arms?”

As Nicolai did their bidding, Abbot eyed his son. “There is no way that I, or you, can believe that he lost his balance and fell.”

Wardens typically were a wee bit more graceful than that, but there was no other explanation...other than that strange wind.

“Are you suggesting that Layla pushed him?” Zayne challenged as the muscles in his back rippled. “Because that’s stupid.”

Abbot stepped up to Zayne, going toe-to-toe, and my heart sank. “Watch how you speak to me, boy. I am your father.”

I had the wild urge to laugh as I pictured Darth Vader’s helmet descending on Abbot’s head. Thankfully, I didn’t, because that would seriously not help things.

Geoff came forward. “May I suggest something?” When Abbot nodded curtly, he continued. “Whatever happened would’ve been captured on video. The same with the windows.”

My gaze swung to him sharply. Why hadn’t I thought of that? “So you guys saw the video and what did it show?”

“The windows blowing out, seemingly by themselves,” Geoff replied.

Zayne lifted his chin. “Let’s go see the videos, then.”

I wasn’t sure how much it would help since they’d already seen one video of me not doing anything, but we headed down to the command center. Near the training rooms it was always several degrees cooler than anywhere else, but today, it seemed as if it was the same temperature as the above floors as we walked down the narrow, dimly lit hall.

I stuck close to Zayne, knowing better than to say much of anything right now. Anger radiated off Abbot in waves, clogging the hall. Even Bambi, who’d been relatively sedentary, grew restless, slithering along my stomach.

Tension was coming off Zayne as he stuck close to my side. He didn’t speak as we entered Geoff’s home away from home.

The command center was a circular room that quickly became crowded when we piled into it. Monitors lined half of the wall and the other sections were covered with old band posters, ranging from Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd and AC/DC to Aerosmith. Some of them looked authentic with their edges curling upward.

It was weird—the tiny glimpse of Geoff’s personality mingled with the creepy, NSA-level security.

Geoff strode to one of the computers and his fingers danced over the keys. The screen focused on the now empty stairway and landing, began to rapidly back up, then stopped just as I came into view...with my fingers touching my lips.

Nice.

Exhaling softly, I glanced up at Zayne and he looked down at me. One side of his lips curved as a knowing gleam filled his eyes. Sigh.

I turned back to the video just as Maddox appeared on the screen. There was no volume, but you could see him step out of my way. Cameras didn’t lie, and there was no mistaking the distrusting look he’d cast my way.

The room was silent as the monitor revealed exactly what I’d told them. From the positioning of the camera, it was clear the moment I’d felt the blast of air. My hair, which looked white on the screen, stirred as if I’d walked in front of a fan. The camera caught the widening of Maddox’s eyes and the slight gape of his mouth the second before he went down. What I didn’t realize when it happened was when Maddox fell, he didn’t bounce off the steps. He went ass over teacup in the air, not hitting anything until he reached the bottom.

Like he’d thrown himself backward.

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