Page 96 of When It Reins
“I’m not sure.” The words are barely out of my mouth when my phone rings in my hands, and Juniper’s name flashes on the screen.
“Hang on. I need to take this.” I click the answer button and take a breath as I lift the phone to my ear, ready for the relief that follows whenever I get a chance to talk to her.
“Hey, Starling.” I move away from the guys, trying to create some privacy. “No Aaron yet.”
“Mitch.” There is an unnerving hitch in her voice, and I pause my movement, worry seeping in at the sound.
“Juniper, what’s wrong?”
I hear some shuffling in the background, and I have to hold the phone tighter to my ear to hear her.
“I’m sorry.” The words are clear, but there is something in her voice that tells me she is having a hard time keeping her emotions together.
“Sorry for what? You don’t have anything to be sorry for, baby.” I try to soothe my tone, and I glance at my brothers. I motion that I’m going outside, and I have every intention of getting my bike and heading to her right now.
“I can’t do this anymore.”
Her words shatter my world.
I furrow my brow, my steps slowing. “What?”
“I’m sorry. This is just too much.” She clears her throat, and this time I hear the telltale sign of crying. “I thought I was strong enough to handle it, but I’m just not. I’m sorry.”
“Starling, you’re not doing this.” My voice catches, and I clear my throat, my emotions threatening to crawl up and choke me. “I’m coming back right now, and we’re going to talk, but we’re not breaking up.”
“Mitch.” I hear something in the background, and it sounds like another person. My brother, maybe? “I’m so sorry. Please don’t make this harder than it is.”
“Juniper,” I snap into the phone. “We’re not breaking up! We’re going to find this asshole and get our lives back.”
The line goes dead, and I pull my phone away from my ear, frowning in confusion. What the fuck just happened?
“Mitch!” I turn and see the guys running after me. I hold in my emotions, but I’m about two seconds away from snapping at anyone who comes near me.
“Logan called, says Juniper isn’t there,” Jax tells me, eyeing me carefully.
“Where did she go?” I feel my insides freeze, and things start moving around my head, like puzzle pieces finally clicking into place.
“He doesn’t know. Thea guessed maybe her place.” Stetson and Jax look at me, concern written all over their faces.
“I have to go.”
“I’m coming,” Jax insists, his jaw clenched like he’s prepared for me to fight.
And I can’t help it when my big-brother logic kicks into place. “Jax, I don’t know what I’m going to find. Either a girl who just dumped me, or someone in serious trouble. I can’t ask you to be a part of this.”
“You’re not asking, and neither am I.” Jax’s gaze turns steely, and he steps toward me. “You’re my brother. You are the reason that Felicity made it back to me safely, that my family is safe and sound and well. I am not going to let you take this on alone.”
“Neither am I,” Stetson says, nodding at me. “You helped me find Bonnie, man. It’s our turn to make sure your girl is safe.”
“We’re all going,” CT says, staring me down. “We do this together. We watch each other’s backs, and we get Juniper safely, no matter what we find.”
I stare at each of them for a second. The argument that I can handle this alone, that I don’t need their help, that I am feeling fine about this and not completely scared to death about what I might find, rests on the tip of my tongue.
Instead, I give them a nod, relenting to their help, and head out the door.
46
juniper
