Page 153 of Savage Bosses

As we headed to the door, the gravity of the situation hit me like a four-seam fastball. There was no turning back now.

The morgue had a scent of disinfectant. My heart pounded in my chest, but I was able to keep my composure. I’d done this before when I identified my parents. I just didn’t think I would be doing it again so soon.

Aerica wanted to go inside with me. I didn’t have a problem with it, but I wasn’t a crier. This was a lot for her when we just started seeing each other. I appreciated that she wanted to be here to support me. But I knew I’d be okay regardless of the outcome.

I left her in a waiting room while I followed a lab coat to the area where they kept the bodies. They had warned me of the body’s condition. I didn’t have to be in the same room with the body, which was a good thing, depending on the condition. I’d never seen a burned body in the flesh.

I wasn’t paying attention to where I was being led. I was just following someone that walked me to another person.

“Mr. Caldwell?” A serious woman in a white coat approached me. Her expression was professional. “I’m Dr. Stevens. I’ll be assisting you in the identification process.”

“Okay.” I nodded, with determination. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner I know, the better.”

“Very well.” Dr. Stevens gestured for me to follow her, and we entered through a set of double doors.

Chapter Thirteen

AERICA

A

s I sat down on the hard plastic chair, my thoughts raced. What if it really was Wesley? How would Kyle cope with losing another family member? And what about Wesley’s girlfriend, Ashley?

Minutes passed by. I popped a piece of cinnamon gum in my mouth and I chewed the hell out of it. I found myself gripping the edge of the chair. My heart skipped a beat each time the door creaked open. I didn’t know if I should pray or just be still.

Finally, the door opened, and Kyle emerged. His face was pale. I couldn’t see anything in his eyes. I jumped to my feet, desperate to hear him speak.

“Kyle?” My voice quivered. “Was it—”

“No,” his voice cracked. “It wasn’t Wesley.”

I could see the confusion etched on Kyle’s face.

“Thank God,” I breathed out in relief. “Then where is he?” I was instantly pissed that Wesley would put Kyle through this.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Kyle replied, while running a hand through his disheveled hair. “Let’s get out of here.”

He took my hand in his. We walked out of the morgue together.

We climbed into his Porsche, and the silence that enveloped us in the car was heavy. I had a massive headache. I could only imagine the turmoil going on inside Kyle’s head. I had to say something.

“Kyle, we’ll find him.”

He nodded, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “I just don’t understand what the hell he’s gotten himself into. I have a company to run. There are people who depend on me. I get it. I do. He’s taking our parents’ death hard. But what about me? Just because I’m not crying and drinking and doing drugs doesn’t mean I’m okay. They were my parents, too. I had them longer than he did. I worked with my father every day. I can’t even get a chance to grieve because I’m constantly babysitting him.”

Oh shit! Kyle was opening up and giving me all the details. I wanted to just hold him in my arms and comfort him. Instead I just listened.

The phone rang through the car’s Bluetooth speakers; cutting through the stress we both had endured. The number didn’t have a name attached to it, but Kyle answered it anyway.

“Hello?” Kyle barked.

“Hey, bro.” Wesley’s voice filled the car, casual and almost nonchalant, as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t been missing since yesterday.

“Where the fuck have you been?” Kyle roared. I just stared at the road ahead of us.

“Had a bit of trouble, but everything’s cool now.”

“Trouble?” Kyle spat the word out. “A burned-out car with a dead body inside, and you call that trouble? I thought you were dead, Wes!”

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