Page 44 of Love in Sight

Her cheeks turn a bright pink and her hands fidget as she plays with a loose strand of hair that’s fallen out of her ponytail. “Brett. He came into the restaurant a few weeks ago and we’ve kind of been hooking up ever since.”

“Is that all it is? Hooking up? Or do you want more?” I ask as I set my hand on her thigh. This girl is specific with what she wants in a guy, and that’s pretty much any man that’s the opposite of what her parents want. Her parents want her to marry a suitable Indian man. Basically, they want to choose the man and put her in an arranged marriage.

“I’m not sure. I mean, we have a lot of sex and it’s fucking amazing, but I’m not sure if it’s more than that with him.”

“You can keep having fun with him, just make sure he knows where you stand, babe,” I advise her. I probably shouldn’t be giving her advice, I can barely keep up with my four guys as it is.

“You’re right…” Done talking about her love situation, she changes the subject. “So have you received any more threats?”

“Nope, not since the pictures of you showed up at the house. It’s been eerily quiet. Have you noticed anyone following you again?”

“You mean, besides one of your guys creeping around my apartment and the restaurant? No.”

“Tar, you know they’re just wanting to keep you safe. They might be annoying at times, but they wouldn’t let anything happen to you,” I try to explain to her. Even if she hates it, I wouldn’t ask the guys to stop because I just can’t let anything happen to her.

“Yeah, I know, I know. Do you think all of this is connected to Lainey?”

I freeze at the mention of my sister’s name. Months after Tara and I actually became friends, I trusted her with my most prized information. Lainey. I told her everything about what happened that day, to the police brushing the whole thing off, to me looking for any sliver of hope on the dark web. Tara bringing up Lainey breaks my heart. I can’t tell you how many times my heart’s broken from her being gone over the years.

“Shit. I’m sorry for springing that question on you,” Tara says, as she grabs my hand in hers. She should be able to ask what she’s thinking. It’s not her fault I’m damaged.

“It’s okay. Um no, I don’t think they are connected. The person threatening me wants me to stay away from Greyson. I’ve thought about it, but Greyson would have been thirteen when Lainey was taken, so I don’t think there could be a connection between the two.”

“Have you found anything about the person sending the threats?” she asks as she rubs her other hand over the top of mine.

“No, but I did find something out about what happened to Lainey,” I tell her, because I can’t keep anything from my best friend.

“What?! Tell me everything. Why didn’t you start with that?” she frantically asks, scooting closer to me on the couch.

“You know the paper with the symbol that her kidnappers dropped?” I ask her.

Tara nods, concern in her eyes.

“Well, we found out that that symbol is connected to sex trafficking in Craibridge.”

Her hands fly to her mouth as a loud gasp sounds. “Oh my God. The suspicions you’ve had all these years are true... I’m so sorry, Lya.” Tears fall from her eyes over her beautiful, high cheekbones.

“Now that it’s confirmed, we have to work harder than ever to find their leader. His code name is Omega. No one we talked to could tell us his real name though, so that’s been an obstacle for us, but we’re going to try to find out who he is somehow,” I state with false confidence as I squeeze her hand.

“How are you going to do that?”

I slowly shake my head. “I honestly don’t know, Tara. I feel like I’m out of options.”

Tara wraps me in a hug. “You’ll find her, Lya. I believe in you. You are so smart and you have your guys to help you. I know I make jokes and sexualize them a lot, but you are their world and they would do anything for you. You have them, babe, and you have me if you ever need me.”

“Thank you,” I whisper into her shoulder.

When we break the hug, I wipe the tears that I didn’t even know were falling. “I should probably head out, I have a training session with Zep at home.”

“Okay, just remember I'm here for you.”

I nod and give her a sincere smile as I leave her apartment. I know she would do anything for me, just as the guys would, but I don’t know if I could ever bring her into my mess.

Zep and his bike are right where I left them. I prance past him to my car. “See you at home,” I call to him. He smiles at me before putting on his helmet.

I pull out of the parking lot towards our home. Two seconds later, a Ducati comes into view in my rear view mirror. I smile to myself as I think about my sexy, amazing, protective guys.

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