Page 7 of Wilder
Echo slips the key into the lock, the sound of it disengaging is a quiet click, then she pushes the door open. The alarm system begins to beep a second later, and Echo whirls around to disarm it, but at the same time, Kara comes flying down the hall, eyes wide, then skids to a halt.
What the fuck?
“Whoa, Jesus.” Wilder turns around stepping outside, and Royal does the same.
I hadn’t even gotten to enter the house, but I have a clear view of Kara in a silky tank and short set. I blink, then avert my stare. I would bet that sexy little number was intended for someone’s eyes other than ours, which totally explains why she’s up. She’s waiting for her lover to arrive.
“Shit!” She turns around, dashing into the living room and grabbing a blanket, which she hurriedly drapes over her shoulders, holding the edges together in front of her. “What the hell are you all doing here?”
Echo shakes her head and turns back around to finish jabbing the code in as the beeps keep coming. They’re gettingcloser and closer together like the way they do right before the alarm is about to trip. She hits the final number and exhales. “Phew. Okay. Um, I knew you didn’t see my text, but—” Her forehead pinches. “Sorry. Like I said in the message, something happened tonight, and we need a place to crash. I tried to let you know we were on our way.” Echo waves us in, and quickly shuts the door, rearming the alarm.
Kara gestures to the stairs. “I’m just going to throw something else on. Help yourselves to the fridge or whatever. Be right back.”
As she races up the stairs, Echo meets our gazes, the concerned mom in her coming out in full force. “I really need to check on Chase. Will you all be okay if I do that?”
Wilder tugs her close to his side, pressing his lips against the side of her head. “You don’t have to ask. Just go take care of things. We’ll figure out coffee or whatever. Your sister is going to have questions.”
Echo’s face visibly pales. “I don’t want to be the one to tell her. I can’t. I?—”
Stepping close to her, Royal catches her chin. “One thing at a time. Go check on Chase.”
With a sharp exhale, she nods, then turns and races up the stairs.
I clench my teeth together, watching as the second Madden sister jogs up the stairs. “I’m a little worried about how Echo will handle this.”
Royal’s eyes flick to mine, then Wilder’s. “Echo will be fine because we’ve got her. Agreed?”
Wilder’s jaw twitches in response. He’s been in protective mode since way earlier this evening. “Yes.”
“Yeah. Always.”
“’Kay. I knew you were with me, but I needed to reinforce it for my own fuckin’ peace of mind, you know?”
Wilder and I both nod our understanding.
“Come on. Kitchen.” Wilder takes the initiative, leading us through the house. “What do we think? Water? Coffee?”
“Coffee,” I grunt out, settling in at the table. When we’ll actually get to sleep is anyone’s guess. I prop my chin on my elbow. “I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”
Cracking a small smile, Royal grits out, “Definitely coffee. Kinda wishing we had something stronger,” as he pulls out a chair and sits down at the table with me. His eyes find mine as his jaw works to the side. “So, Kara. That was something.”
Wilder chuckles as he starts the coffee maker. “I’ve only got two words for that.” He pauses, pulling down coffee mugs from the cabinet, then shrugs, his eyes twinkling. “Booty. Call.”
All three of us snicker, then mine goes from laughter to a groan, and I shake my head. “Thank fuck we can still find something to laugh about after the day we’ve had.”
Royal rubs his hands over his face, exhaustion clearly close to overtaking him. “Right. What is it they say? If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry? That’s where I’m at. Or I’ll fuckin’ shout. Punch a wall. Something. You know?”
“What’s this about punching a wall?” Our attention shifts to Kara as she walks in, now clad in leggings and an oversize T-shirt, her phone in hand. There’s a definite, uncomfortable tension in the room as she eyes the three of us. “Someone tell me what’s going on.”
I suck in a breath, wondering which of us will cave first, but in the end, we don’t have to choose, because Kara does it for us. “Royal?”
“Shit,” he mutters under his breath, then clears his throat, running a hand through his hair. “Okay, so you might have heard tonight was the annual SIN-TZE mixer. Echo’s big sister, Freya…” Blowing out a hard breath, he shakes his head.
All humor has fled the room, and I get why it has to be that way, but it makes me feel like I’m drowning in misery.
Royal points at the seat Kara’s standing behind. “Please sit down.”
Instead, she tosses the phone onto the table, where it vibrates with a notification a second later. Kara ignores it, clutching the back of the chair like it’s a lifeline. “No. Just tell me.”
