Page 55 of Kidnapping Their Third

Cora felt the same way. “I should go find Pike before anyone says something they can’t take back.”

“I find him. You be here,” he said.

“This is my family, I’m not in danger,” Cora assured him, rubbing a hand up and down his arm. “Stick with me, and we’ll rescue him together.”

One of Caleb and Janet’s kids ran up and distracted the group as she led Kimble away. There weren’t many places someone Pike’s size could be hidden from view, so Cora headed to the most likely spot; behind the large playhouse in the corner of the backyard.

Full of food, most of the kids had moved indoors to watch movies or play air hockey in the game room. It left the backyard far quieter, so she heard her brother talking long before she got to the playhouse.

“He was crying!” Trevor exclaimed dramatically. “Poor Seb didn’t deserve that. She humiliated him in front of everyone and then acted like she was the one who was hurt.”

At those words, Cora stopped and felt her skin flush. Trevor was telling Pike about the time Seb had proposed to her at one of these BBQs. It had been the height of summer, so the sun was still up at eight at night. Seb waited till everyone arrived then got everyone's attention, went down on one knee, and pulled aring out of his pocket.

Cora still ranked that night as one of the worst of her life, but her family only saw the first part of it. They hadn’t been there later, when Seb had cornered her at her old apartment or the horrible year that followed.

“That’s an interesting story,” Pike murmured in his familiar deep voice. “But it was his choice to propose in public without talking to Cora about it first.”

“Of course he didn’t talk to her!” Cooper exclaimed. “That’s not how you’re supposed to propose.”

“He even had balloons and a cake waiting in the kitchen,” Trevor said.

“So he goes down on one knee, holds up the ring, and Cora doesn’t say anything except no,” Ted said. “Then she turns and walks away, but she doesn’t just leave the backyard. She walks to her car and leaves!”

“I don’t think Seb had even gotten to his feet before we heard her tires slinging gravel around,” Cooper added.

“You should’ve seen the expression on the guy's face,” Tim said. “I’ve never seen anyone so devastated. Did I tell you there were tears? Big fat ones!”

It wasn’t often that Cora had the urge to do something truly horrible to her family. She’d threaten them often and occasionally stop talking to them until they realized she meant it, but she almost never wanted to do them actual physical harm.

Tonight was an exception.

And it wasn’t only Trevor, Cooper, and Ted she wanted to hurt. These three would’ve never thought to tell Pike this story if her father hadn’t suggested it.

Furious and hurt, Cora stormed around the playhouse to see Pike shaking his head at her brothers and about to say something. When he saw her face, he pushed past them and rushed to her side.

“Cora?” he whispered, stopping short of touching her. “What’s wrong?”

“I heard everything,” she said loudly, her voice tight from suppressed emotions.

“You know I don’t care about Seb or any man in your past,” Pike said.

“I’m not angry with you,” she whispered, then took one of his hands and tugged him to her. With Kimble on one side of her and Pike on the other, she faced her brothers.

“How dare you?” she hissed.

Trevor tried to look innocent while Cooper and Ted had identical expressions of surprise on their faces. The idiots didn’t understand why she was reacting so badly.

Of course she’d never told them what happened, but maybe it was time her family found out.

“Seb wasn’t the nice guy everyone thought he was,” she spat out. “I’d already tried to break up with him several times before that night.”

Cooper looked confused. “You had? He said you guys were happy and were even looking into buying a house together.”

“Never,” she answered. She could feel herself shaking. Telling her brothers this was hard, but she was determined to finish.

“Easy,” Pike murmured. He pulled his hand from hers and stepped behind her to wrap his arms around her shoulders. The press of his big, strong body against her back made her feel better.

Kimble pushed gently against her side, lending his strength to her also. “We go?” he asked.

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