Page 52 of Kortlek

“Hey, guys?”

Blair and Arlo stop talking, their attention shifting to me. Blair raises a brow, knowing that I’ll drop the bomb on the bugs and hidden cameras. Arlo’s expression isn’t telling me much, just that he’s waiting for me to speak.

Cove, on the other hand, moves from the window, sipping on his whiskey. He sits on the other side of me, and now I’m sandwiched between him and Rose. His eyes burn into the side of my head; my hands shake slightly as I open my mouth.

“Blair and I found hidden bugs and cameras all over my apartment.’’

Cove tenses beside me, eyes narrowing at me. He shifts his body at an angle to give me a better look, and once I look at him, I see that he’s pissed. Not just angry that I didn’t tell him as soon as I found the hidden devices, but angry that they were planted in the first place.

Arlo jumps out of his seat and basically pushes Rose from her seat. She doesn’t object much, getting up and sitting next to Blair. Arlo slumps into the seat next to me, and I feel strangely uncomfortable with this whole situation.

“What?!” Cove exclaims, his tone raising an octave.

“When was this?” Arlo’s voice is calmer, but one glance at him and I see that his patience is holding by a thread. The said thread is very, very thin, and he’s close to losing his shit.

“Four days ago,’’ I admit.

Blair is sitting silently, deciding to stay out of this conversation. She leans in her chair, observing Arlo’s face closely. My brother is getting angrier by the minute, and Cove isn’t better, either. If looks could kill, Wyatt would be dead.

Because neither of them has to ask who set up the devices. They already know.

“Have you saved them?” Arlo asks. “It could help tracing it back to him.’’

I nod. “Yeah, I put it in a safe space. I’ll give it to you later, but…’’

Both Cove and Arlo wait for me to continue. My heart is hammering in my chest, my hands trembling. Crippling anxiety bubbles in my body, the overwhelming fear causing a lump to form in my throat. My palms are sweaty, and no matter how much I wipe them against my shirt, the damp feeling doesn’t go away.

“Tonight… I saw Wyatt,’’ I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

I don’t dare to look at either man. Instead, my eyes are glued to the floor, the sight in front of me starting to blur as tears swell in my eyes. The silence stretches on, making it seem worse. I’m scared.

I’m scared of Wyatt and what he’ll do to me.

I’m scared of Arlo’s reaction — of seeing the look of pure guilt on his face again. He cried only once, and it was because of me, for me. It’s not something I want to see ever again. None of this is his fault; if anything, it’s mine.

I’m scared of Cove absolutely losing his shit and dealing with Wyatt before I’m ready. He’s not someone who will be patient with strangers, even less with the likes of Wyatt. Yes, he’s patient with us, but no one else is blessed with the same patience.

“When and where?” Cove asks. His voice is low, words slowly rolling off his tongue. I don’t miss the hint of a threat in his voice. It’s not directed toward me, which is a relief. Sometimes, it’s scary how dangerous this man can be.

“Right before your first match,’’ I sigh.

“Details, bunny,’’ he demands.

I take a deep breath and retell everything that happened. Blair’s mouth is open a little, shocked that I didn’t tell her immediately. Rose, just like my brother and Cove, is silently listening, absorbing the information, and trying her best not to snap.

She may be short, but she’s a spitfire.

I would not want to get on her bad side.

“Did he say explicitly what he wanted?” Arlo asks, standing up and pacing around Cove’s living room. He’s deep in thought, brows narrowed together, shoulders tense.

I shake my head. “Not explicitly, no. He doesn’t know. Or he knows and won’t say it outright. He probably has a plan.’’

Cove stands up, anger radiating off him. His broad shoulders are rigid as he pours himself another glass of whiskey. He’s waiting until we’re alone to speak to me, and for now, he’s keeping quiet. But I see the worry; I see the rage in his body language.

“You know,’’ Cove mumbles, looking directly at Arlo, “This is all your fault.’’

Arlo freezes, his pacing around the room coming to an end. It takes him a second, then his head snaps in Cove’s direction. “What the fuck did you say?”

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