Page 90 of Breathless

Ignoring him, I kneel in front of Zach. “Okay, bud, I know you’ve had a rough day, but I’ll be back in a bit, and then we’ll stay at my place tonight. Ethan has my number, so he can reach me if you need anything.” After what he’s been through with Samantha, I feel like Zach needsreassurances.

His eyes light up. “Can we ride the horses tomorrow? Mama is always telling me you havehorses.”

Damn. I’m so gutted that Zach doesn’t have the first clue about our family business. I put my hand on his shoulder. “Absolutely. I’m gonna give you the grand tour tomorrow.” I turn to my brother. “Is Mila up?” When he nods, I motion to Zach. “They’re the same age. Let them playtogether.”

I give the kid a quick hug and race down the steps to hop into thetruck.

Now that I’m by myself, I lose my shit. Because not only is Joey not answering my calls, she wasn’t at my brother’s house. So that means she’s still at my house. Possibly withSamantha.

I’m praying she left before Sam thought to randomly drop by my house, which she’s only doneonce.

Pebbles fly out from under my wheels as I tear down my brother’s driveway. I didn’t bother to ask if I could borrow his Ford again. I’m guessing he gets this is an emergency. Time drags like thick molasses despite the fact I gun it home. I swear my heart is in my throat when I reach theturnoff.

The first thing I notice is my truck is parked next to my house. Its windows appear intact, so at least Joey hasn’t gone Carrie Underwood on my ride. Not that I don’t deserve it. In some ways, I know Ido.

But that brings a different kind of worry. If Jo didn’t take my truck, did she go somewhere on foot? Did someone pick her up? Or is she stillhere?

I get out of Ethan’s truck and slam the door. As I’m trekking around my house, I notice Samantha’s car is parked out front. Anxiety races through my veins. Because who knows what she told Joey. This has clusterfuck written all over it. I debate what to do. My lawyer specifically instructed me not to confront Samantha face to face, but that was before I knew she was at my house. And what is she doing here when she hasn’t checked on Zach indays?

When I get to my front porch, I pause to listen. It’s quiet. Strangely quiet. I pull out my phone. Joey hasn’t read my texts, but Samantha has read the ones I sent her. I don’t know what thatmeans.

The door is unlocked. I poke my head in, surprised as hell to see Samantha sprawled out on my couch, petting Rambo. But she’s breathing hard like she was running around seconds before I walkedin.

My eyes dart around. Everything seems normal. Except my rug. Which, for some reason, looks like it’s been tugged out from under myBarcalounger.

Impatiently, I turn to Samantha. “Where’sJoey?”

“Who?”

I swivel to her. “Don’t fucking play games with me. Where’s Joey?” I call out her name, hoping she’ll come bounding out from the bedroom, but she doesn’t. “Where’s mygirlfriend?”

The shrillest laugh I’ve ever heard bubbles out of Samantha. “Oh, come on now. She couldn’t have been that good a girlfriend. She just left.” She motions toward the driveway with her thumb. “Got aride.”

My eyes narrow. “Oh, yeah? Withwho?”

“How should I know? She said she was headed back toFlorida.”

“She’s in a wedding in three days. I’m pretty sure she didn’t go toFlorida.”

Sam shrugs. “Well, she was prettyupset.”

“And why would that be?” I swear to God, if she lied to Joey to hurther…

“How was I supposed to know you hadn’t told her about Zach?” I grind my teeth, but she goes on. “Look, she took her suitcase. I’m telling you the truth. She left forFlorida.”

Before she can say anything else, I head down the hall. I flip on the lights in my room. The bed is messy, but I can’t tell if anything is amiss. It’s not as though Jo had a lot of stuff in this part of the house, but when I enter my mom’s room where Joey keeps her suitcase, it looks likes looks a tornado tore through here. Except for the boxes we brought from her grandmother’s last night, most of her things aregone.

I’m trembling when I return to the kitchen. I look for a note, something to tell me that Joey is on her way to see Ethan and Tori right now. Because I don’t know where else she’d go. She hasn’t talked to Silas since she got back from Florida, and she doesn’t have any other family nearby. Our ranch is walking distance from here. Kat’s farm is farther, but maybe someone gave her aride?

I text Ethan, Tori, and Kat in a group message just in case anyone has heard from Joey since I left mybrother’s.

About to blow a gasket, I stalk to the living room and get in Samantha’s face. “I’m not sure what you’re doing right now, but in case you’re not aware, I picked up Zach this afternoon from Carmen’s. Care to tell me why you ditched him there three days ago and never bothered to pick him up? Only to show up here like nothing’s goingon?”

Her lower lip immediately quivers, and tears fill her eyes. “I needed a break, okay? Carmen doesn’t mind watching Zach. She does it all the time.” She picks up Rambo, who struggles to get out of herarms.

I don’t mention that we’ll be discussing this in court because I’m two seconds from losing myshit.

Her tears dry up enough for her toss her hair over her shoulder and push out her tits. “I was thinking we could go to the coast this week. Just you and me. I know you went with your friends last weekend, and that’s fine, but maybe you and I could hang out. I’m starving, though. Why don’t you run out and grab us something to eat first. And I can… clean up aroundhere.”

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