Page 10 of Sugar Coated

I didn’t know how long it took, but at least a few hours passed before I left that house to go to Fang’s place, where Laina and Fang would be waiting. On the way, I called Lola. It might be an ungodly hour in the morning, but the moment she saw it was me, she’d answer.

Three rings, and then Lola’s groggy voice spoke, “Big Mike? What’s up?”

I gave her the rundown—that Laina was kidnapped again, that I took care of it with Fang, and that Laina was safe with the latter at his place, where I was currently driving to. Only when I was finished did Lola ask, “How’d she get taken again? I thought you were with her all the time?”

My jaw ground. It was not easy for me to say, “She snuck out of the house. I didn’t think—”

“She’s rebelling, obviously. If you thought that cute little girl would stay tucked in her bed all night every night, you’re pretty dumb, all offense.” Now that she was more awake, her typical attitude sunk into everything she said.

I guessed, maybe, Lola was right—I was stupid for thinking Laina would behave.

“Was no one else there?” Lola asked.

“No. No other victims, if that’s what you’re asking. I did manage to keep one of them alive, though.” I didn’t have to suggest it; Lola came up with it on her own immediately.

“Ooh, time for a little torture! My favorite. You said you’re going to Fang’s place? I’ll send Harvey over to pick him up. The kidnapper, I mean, not Fang.” I swore in the background I heard a deep voice sleepily ask her when she was coming back to bed. Maddox, Sylvester, or my brother; I couldn’t tell. The voice wasn’t clear enough.

“I could come to you, drop him off—”

“No, no, no. I’ll send Harvey. You go be with Laina, make sure she’s all right.”

I didn’t know what possessed me to say it, but I muttered, “I’m sure Fang is taking care of her just fine without me.” Damn it. I sounded… well, I came across envious, and even though Lola couldn’t see my face, I was sure she could hear it in my voice.

“Is he, now?” Lola hummed, and I imagined the devilish smirk she wore when she said this next part: “Seems like you have a bit of competition, then. Who knew? She is cute as a button, I’ll give you that.”

Not something I wanted to talk about, so before ending the call, I muttered, “Just tell Harvey to let me know when he’s there.” I ended the call without saying goodbye; a part of mefeared that Lola would go on and on about Laina and my so-called competition.

I wasn’t in a goddamn competition for Laina. I was…

Shit. I didn’t know what I was.

I tried not to think about it too much as I drove to Fang’s. I also tried not to think about how badly tonight could’ve gone for Laina. In reality, she got lucky. So fucking lucky Fang and I got there so fast. There was no telling what could’ve happened to her if we hadn’t shown up when we did.

Would they have killed her? Beaten her? Raped her? The possibilities were enough to make me step on the gas pedal a little harder, my goal to get to Fang’s place a little earlier.

Laina was lucky indeed.

Lola was right, of course. I should’ve known she would try to sneak out sooner or later. She was nineteen. She missed a good chunk of her teenage years locked away in that room, where bad decisions came way more easily than good ones.

When she’d called, I was half asleep, and then when I’d seen it was her, I thought she was playing a game with me. If there was one thing about Laina I’d learned, it’s that she liked to play games. She liked to act tough and pretend, but at the end of the day, she was just a girl in way over her head.

So, I’d left the call alone. I’d refused to answer it. Then, after a bit, I’d grown to regret it, so I got out of bed and wandered to her room, where I’d knocked and hesitantly entered—just to make sure she was okay. Imagine my surprise when I’d opened the door and found nothing but pillows on her bed, mounded in the shape of a body. It’d fool most people, if they didn’t look too closely.

Me? It had immediately pissed me off.

I’d raced to my room, grabbed my phone off the charger, and called her back with an urgency I hadn’t felt in a long time. Stupid me had thought she’d answer instantly, but the call onlywent to voicemail, and the sinking feeling in my chest wasn’t something I’d ever felt before—dread, anxiety, worry mixed with just a touch of fury—and that was saying something, because I was a man who often stared death in the face.

I wanted to say I felt all those things because I was given a job I didn’t want to fail, that I had felt all those negative emotions swelling inside of me simply because I didn’t want to let Lola or Sylvester down.

But I couldn’t say that. If I did, it’d make me a liar.

Those emotions had taken me in a chokehold because I didn’t want Laina to get hurt. I didn’t want to think about what the horrible assholes in this city would do to her if they got their greasy, grubby paws on her. She might act tough, but she barely cracked five feet tall. She’d be easy prey for most in this city.

I’d left that house so fast I didn’t even stop to talk to Vance. My car was off to the side on the driveway, so I didn’t think I woke anyone up as I left. I supposed I should give him a call now, but he was still asleep with his wife; I’d call him in the morning, once I was sure he’d be awake. From what I’d seen so far of their family dynamic, he didn’t ever pop his head into Laina’s room just to check on her—and that would give us a period of grace. Some time where I could take Laina by the shoulders and shake some sense into her, then demand answers.

Why did she sneak out? Why didn’t she tell me she wanted to go out? I would’ve gone with her. I would’ve given her space while making sure she stayed safe. Going out after she was nearly shot was more than stupid.

The girl had no idea how lucky she was. If I hadn’t gotten that text…

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