Page 29 of Ensnared By Silence
Chapter 10
Aubrey
Spending time withElise and Amaya was quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do, besides being with Hayden. I learned early on that Elise and Hayden ‘dated’ briefly years ago, but I felt no jealousy at the information. He wasn’t innocent, and neither was I, and watching Devlin Jr., Elise and Devlin’s son, run crazy on the playground, I had nothing to worry about from her.
They were slowly discussing their pasts with me, and I felt our bond grow stronger learning they both came from the Flats and had similar upbringings to mine. I couldn’t speak of my attack to them in any detail other than it happened, and when I heard about the Natalia Foundation that Amaya sat up for her sister who passed away after a violent attack, I felt a little more comfortable knowing they fully understood my pain and shame.
Skid was on the phone and his gaze snapped to us as we talked under a shady tree while DJ played in the sand and Amaya’s daughter, Elizabeth, played on a blanket next to us. Seeing her chubby cheeks made me want a baby, but I wasn’t at a spot in my life to be a mom. I would be one day, and I could wait until it was the right time. I wanted to give my child more than I had and I would shower them with love and devotion, never letting them think they were anything other than perfect.
“I need to escort you ladies back to the building,” Skid said as he walked over and lifted DJ into the air, who squealed in delight.
“Is everything okay?” Elise asked as she took DJ from Skid and Amaya slipped Elizabeth into her stroller.
“Absolutely. He needs me back and asked that I get you home safely.” His words eased their worry, and I thought there was a lot more to their pasts than I knew about.
Not wanting to pry, I followed with them as we crossed out of the park and took the elevator to Devlin and Elise’s apartment. I heard about the grand size of the unit but was shocked to find the entire floor open and comfortably decorated as the elevator doors opened.
“Lock this behind me,” Skid remarked as he stayed on the elevator and we all walked into the apartment.
Elise nodded, and the doors closed, leaving us alone. Amaya chewed on her lip and Elise’s brow was drawn down as they got the kids settled onto a large play mat in the living room. I wanted to know what caused them to be so worried, but I didn’t push. If it was my business, they would tell me.
We sat around and talked about the upcoming festival that the Pierce family—Amaya’s family, I found out recently—always put on for the town. I’ve been before, but large crowds were never my thing, so I never stayed exceptionally long. I agreed to help with a booth, and we were discussing a few specifics about the event when Amaya’s phone rang.
“It’s James,” she explained, and answered the phone with a smile. “Hey. She’s good. Playing with DJ. She loved the fresh air, and her sinuses seem to be clearing up. Yeah, I can do that. Is everything okay?” she asked, her gaze cutting to mine, causing my stomach to flip. “Love you too.”
“James wants to know if you and I could come down to their office on the third floor really quick.”
“Is everything okay?” Elise asked, taking the question out of my mouth.
“Yeah. Would you watch Elizabeth while I’m gone?”
“Sure. I’ll put her down with DJ for a nap,” Elise explained, and I stood from the chair.
She walked over to me and hugged me, whispering in my ear, “Whatever is going on, those men will stop at nothing until it’s fixed. Don’t worry.”
I hugged her back, slowly getting used to the acts of affection they showed each other. Turning to Amaya, she offered me her hand, and I took it as we entered the elevator and she pressed the button. The descending car made my stomach flip again, but I swallowed down the fear as she opened the door to the apartment we’d been summoned to.
Walking in and seeing Hayden, my nerves settled slightly. I knew Devlin and Hayden didn’t really like each other, and while he was my boss, he was an intimidating man. A sexy, intimidating man who looked at his wife and son like they hung the moon. Almost like James was looking at his wife as she crossed over to him, and remarkably similar to the look Hayden was giving me as he pulled me into his arms.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, and he nodded against me before kissing me on the top of my head and leading me into the living room.
There was a wall of monitors, all turned off, and a dozen computers set up in various spots around the large room. A nice leather living room set was off to one side and we joined Devlin, James, Skid, and Amaya as everyone took a seat. I twisted my hands together.
“How are you enjoying Pierce Bluff, Aubrey?” Devlin asked, and I looked to Hayden for guidance.
