Page 15 of Fury

She just sat there for a minute. Then her head was shaking. “No,” she snapped. “No. You’re wrong.” Hollyn stood. Swayed.

He was up and trying to steady her before he knew it. “I’m sorry,” he said again.

“No!” A shout this time. She shoved.

He let her push him back.

Fury growled. Barked a warning. Davis motioned for him to stop.

“Dad! Mum!” She turned. All but ran down the wide hall connecting to the living room.

“Fury, here.” Davis sent the firm command to the RMWD before the dog’s training kicked in and he tore off after her.

It didn’t escape his notice that he never had to question if Fury would obey. Almost made him wish he was keeping the big guy.

Almost.

Gutted, Davis watched Hollyn check the rooms, knowing what she would find—emptiness. In more ways than one. The way she kept calling for her parents, voice growing more erratic with each second, gouged a deep line through his chest.

No one would be answering her yells.

Hollyn raced down a flight of stairs—without falling face-first, amazingly enough—and through a door at the bottom. He followed with Fury. They stepped into a connecting apartment that Davis assumed was Hollyn’s. She snatched a cell off the coffee table in her living room, hands shaking so badly it dropped with a thud.

A small sob broke free as she clawed for it again. The glow of the screen lit her face. Highlighted her tortured expression. She clapped a hand over her mouth. Sank onto the couch. “Seventeen calls from Randall,” she breathed, tears sliding down her flushed cheeks.

Davis felt like he should do something. Didn’t know what. He sat next to her as she tapped the first voicemail. By the time she was on the fifth, Randall’s recording had moved on to asking if she was alive.

Fury’s head tilted to the side as he looked at the device, focus pinned to the voice without a body.

“Hollyn, it’s absolutely imperative that I get ahold of you regarding your parents. There’s been an accident. We haven’t found you at the crash site, so I’m choosing to believe you’re okay.”

“No,” Hollyn cried, grief-stricken eyes colliding with his. “They were f-fine when I left with Leila and Archie. I-I don’t believe it.”

Next to him, Fury watched her intently.

Davis wished he could take away this pain. Wished he could hold her. But they weren’t in that place anymore. Hadn’t been for a long time. Instead, he put an awkward hand on her back. She felt so frail beneath his palm. “It’s true, Hol.”

She shook her head. Tapped Cooper’s number and put the phone on speaker.

“Miss Reinhardt?” The guy sounded hopeful.

“Is it true?” Hollyn cut straight to the chase.

Why did it bug Davis that she wanted confirmation from someone else?

For a moment, Cooper was silent on the other end. “I’m . . . afraid so.”

Hollyn’s whole body was shaking. Tears ran down her cheeks. Davis had always been terrible with tears. Especially hers. Felt water pricking his own eyes. Swallowed the lump in his throat at seeing her this way.

The cell jiggled in her hands. Dropped to her lap. She let out a strangled cry.

“Hollyn?” Cooper asked. “Hollyn!”

Davis retrieved the phone, then hesitated as he glanced at Hollyn. Decided to step in—at least he could do this for her. He took the phone off speaker. Put it to his ear. “Uh, Davis Ledger here.”

“Ah, very good,” Cooper said. “I’m glad someone is with her. Did she say where she was? Is she okay? Injured?”

Hollyn stood. Walked around the side of the couch.

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