Page 24 of Two Minutes for Holding

“I’m in trouble. When I got home, Tor came here.” She sniffled.

“I think I should get your brother,” I said.

I really didn’t want to get in the middle of things between Knox and her, and she’d filled me in on Tor, and so had Knox after her previous visit. He was a genuine piece of work, and one I’d pray I’d never meet because my feelings toward him were the same as Knox’s.

“No, Clay, don’t please…he can’t know I contacted you.”

“Peyton, I’m really uncomfortable with this,” I said, swallowing hard.

The phone went silent; I knew she was still there because I could hear her breathing along with the sobs she was trying to stifle.

“Sorry that I bothered you,” she said quietly, and before I could say anything, she was gone.

I stared at my phone, waiting to see if she was going to text instead, but those three little dots never came, and just as I went to send her a message, I heard Knox call my name. I’d lost track of how long I’d been gone, so I shoved my phone in my pocket, flushed the toilet, and ran water, then opened the bathroom door to come face-to-face with Knox.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

I’d probably been gone longer than I’d thought and so I gave a fake chuckle and nodded.

“Yep, just taking a dump. I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”

Chapter 8

Clay - Two Weeks Later

I satbetween Dylan and Knox, quietly reading a book as the two of them talked over me. I’d spent the better part of the last hour listening to life things, baby things, wedding things, all things, and then Dylan brought up the subject we all knew Knox rarely wanted to talk about.

“Aurora mentioned that you guys have barely heard from Peyton since she returned to Vermont.”

“Yep, basically, we’ve heard nothing. Mom’s pissed. She wanted to get on the plane tonight and come with me, but I wasn’t having it. I told her I’d reach out to Peyton and invite her to the arena for the games and find out what the hell was going on.”

I swallowed hard. I’d never mentioned to Knox that I’d heard from Peyton the night I’d been at his place. I knew I should have, but I didn’t want to get in the middle of their feud, even though I’d kind of put myself there. If I’d told him, he’d wonderwhy she’d called me, and that would also open up all kinds of questions.

“Did she respond?” Dylan questioned.

“Nope, not a fucking word. I don’t even think she read the text.”

“What’s with her?” Dylan asked. “She wasn’t always like this.”

“I don’t fucking know. She only continues to lie, which only makes me wonder what else she’s trying to cover up. I know she messaged my mother and told her she’d paid the rent and bills with the money I’d given her, but she lied about that, too. Mom recently started getting notices from the utility companies, and then her asshole ex-boyfriend and landlord demanded she get the rent paid or he was changing the locks. I swear to god, if she spent it on drugs and shit, I’ll kill her.”

“Do you think it’s drugs?” Dylan asked.

“I don’t know what to think anymore. Mom doesn’t even really know what is going on with her, I don’t think.”

I knew exactly what it was. She’d told me about Tor stealing money from her. In the back of my mind, I knew there was no doubt he was behind all of this, especially after the call when she’d told me he’d been there. I’d even told her she needed to be away from him, figured it may sound different coming from someone other than her brother. Besides, after seeing the guy who’d been trying to pick her up that night in a bar, these were the men she attracted. She didn’t like them; I knew it, I could see it. Deep down inside, she wanted something better for herself, and I wanted to be that something for her, but I knew better. I’d already crossed a line I wasn’t sure I should ever cross again.

“Maybe she is in trouble? Perhaps she is afraid to come to you?” Dylan suggested.

“She should be afraid to come to me at this point,” Knox grumbled.

I slammed my book shut and looked over at him. That comment right there was the reason she refused to go to him, the reason she begged me that night not to mention anything to him, the reason she hung up on me and hadn’t responded to any of my messages since. She truly was afraid to go to him.

“Why the fuck would you say something like that?” I questioned every muscle in my neck and shoulders tight.

“Clay don’t get me started. You don’t know the half of it,” Knox grumbled.

“No, I should get you started. For someone who claims to be an amazing older brother, this proves otherwise.”

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