Page 272 of Come Back to Me

“Hey, look at it this way, you can get back in time for the meal. I saw the invitations. It isn’t until six.”

I grunt as I dip into the kitchen to snag my truck keys. “I’ll be there ASAP.”

“Lights on? Naughty.”

“Think this constitutes an emergency,” I say dryly. “What with the bulk of the New York Stars’ hockey team being in residence.”

“If you say so.”

I cut the call.

The last thing I want to deal with is this, but it’s important. Not because one of those innocent women might have been abducted today if I hadn’t taken measures to send them away, but also because the love of my fucking life is playing the cello at my brother’s wedding.

Protecting my family will always be my first priority.

I won’t lose anyone else.

I won’t.

Heading into the kitchen, I bump into Mum.

“You okay?” I ask after I hold her shoulders to keep her steady.

“Just wanted to give you something,” she assures me.

“What is it?” I stare at the small cotton pouch pinched between her fingers.

Mum doesn’t answer, just tucks it behind my pocket square. “Doesn’t matter. Stay safe, hmm? Try to get back so you can enjoy your brother’s big day.”

I kiss her cheek but make no promises. “I’ll see you later.”

She nods, and I can feel her eyes on me as she watches me go.

It’s only when I’m on the barren road to town that I snag the pouch and blindly toss the contents onto my lap.

My brows lift. “Guess that’s as much of a seal of approval as I’ll ever get.”

Tee

When Cody disappeared halfway through the wedding, I swear to fuck, I almost lost my shit.

Then, Lindsay sidled up to me and told me he’d been called away for work, and the shit didn’t get entirely lost, but I still freaked out a little. He didn’t seem all that reassured by my reassurance, and I’d have felt better if I could watch him work the crowd, just to touch base with him.

Instead, I was on my own.

It made me play music that wasn’t exactly cheerful. Probably funereal in all honesty, but hey, it only lasted for as long as it took the band to show up—which was never.

Callan’s trio failed to arrive, so I handled most of the music until the events crew set up some speakers and piped tunes in instead because “Time to Say Goodbye,” “My Way,” and “Wind Beneath My Wings” aren’t wedding enough.

Pfft.

Midway through the meal, Cody showed up, but I was surrounded on all sides and he was at one end of the table and I was at the other.

I wanted nothing more than to crawl onto his lap and ask him what the fuck was going on, but I didn’t.

Ever since I playedMoonlight Sonata, Callan’s been asking me if I’m fine, and I’ve had to lie.

I’m not okay.

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