Page 26 of Beyond Oblivion

“You left it unlocked and I wasn’t gonna stand in the rain, mate,” he said, failing to stifle a grin.

“Lach, seriously. Why are you in my truck?”

“Becca left her phone at Skin Deep and I saw you follow Madison, so I rocked up here to stop you from doing something stupid.”

“Dude,” I said, sighing. The adrenaline was still soaking back into my system. I had to give myself a minute to turn off attack mode. “She said that kid was bothering her. I’d never cheat on my wife.”

“I saw that. Well done, by the way. That was a top-tier warning. He didn’t look all that bothersome, though.”

“I told her the same thing. Maybe I’m crazy, but I think she set all this up.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m here then, so if she tries to say differently, I can back you up.”

I paused to consider his offer, but quickly brushed it off. “It’s not like she’s some villain with a master plan. She’s a college kid with a crush.”

His expression turned serious. “Trent, you need to listen to me. I train her dad, he’s been my client for years. They talk to me like I’m a fuckin’ therapist, ya know. I know half the town’s deepest, darkest secrets. Madison isdevious,mate.She hasn’t been right in the head since the accident, and she’s had a crush on you since before it even happened. That’s why her parents kept her away from you.”

I shook my head. “No, they’ve kept her away because they blame me.”

“They did, for a while. But then they found something in her room. He didn’t say what, whether it was a journal or some type of wild shit like voodoo dolls or a Trent-themed Dia de Muertos altar. I don’t know what the Fatal-Attraction was going on in there, but it was apparently alarming. They don’t hate you, Trent. They know you’re happily married. They were trying to prevent whatever she’s planning, and as weird as it is, this is probably just phase one.”

I cracked my knuckles and nodded, processing his words. “Whoa.”

“Whoa is right. I wasn’t going to say anything, but when I saw her at the shop… Don’t let that moll mess things up for you.”

“I told her after what happened tonight that she’s officially unfriended and banned from Skin Deep,” I made a face, “more or less.”

“Good.”

“You need me to let you in the shop to get Becca’s phone?” I asked, because you know, priorities.

“How about you and Cami meet us for dinner tomorrow night? It’s been ages since we’ve gotten a sitter. Bring the phone and we’ll chat.”

“About tonight?” I raised one eyebrow.

Lachlan chuckled. “No. Not trying to get that far into your business. It’s the weekend. Let’s go have some drinks and you can watch me make two full ribeye steaks disappear.”

“Yeah, okay. Cami would like that. But Iamgonna tell her.”

“I know,” he said, smacking his huge hand onto my shoulder. “I know a lot of shit went down, and as tragic as it was, you all lost something that day. Maddie’s healing isn’t your responsibility. And no offense, but you’re no Dr. Phil.”

“Cami said the same.”

“You’d never pull off that ’stache. Even your dead mother would be embarrassed for you.”

I chuckled. “You won’t be able to talk about my mom if your face is one big gaping hole, Down Under.”

“Terrifying, tiniest Maddox,” he rumbled in his deep, Thor-like voice.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smirk. Trading insults with Lachlan made me feel like one of my brothers was in the truck with me, and it immediately settled the frayed nerves still firing in my system.

“Hey, if you need someone to give you the green light to walk away from the grieving little sister trying to nuke your marriage, I’m your guy,” he said.

“You’re right. It’s stupid. Cami knew something was off. I should’ve listened to her.”

“You’ve been wrestling with that guilt for years, Trent. No one blames you for feeling conflicted. It just means you’re a good person. And choosing your wife over that guilt? That makes you an even better man.”

“Listen to you, sounding all wise and shit.”

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