Page 64 of Jake

“I’ll call Cade,” he agreed. “Give us a minute and we will be out of your hair.”

Jake stepped away, pulling up Cade’s contact.

“Hey,” Cade answered.

“We have a problem.” Jake skipped right to the point.

There was a pause before Cade responded. “What is that?”

“It would be better in person. Where are you?”

“I’m at my place.”

“Incoming, expect Lauren and your sister, maybe Evan.” He didn’t know if Evan would be following, but better that Cade be prepared for all of them to show up.

“We’re coming.” Evan nudged him.

“Scratch that, it will be Evan and Kayla.”

“Who the hell is Kayla, and what is going on?”

“Be there shortly.” Jake ended the call and went to Lauren. “Tell her to meet us at Cade’s.”

Lauren nodded and relayed it to Catherine. “She’s coming.”

“Might as well call everyone else, then we’ll only have to tell them once.”

Jake shrugged, already calling a car to pick them all up. He could drive his but they wouldn’t all fit, and he was still too tense to fight the traffic and keep calm.

They waited in silence the few minutes it took for the car to show up. The mood was heavy and the tension thick. Cade was going to be livid. If Lauren didn’t already know him, he wouldn’t bring her because of it.

The ride there was silent, everyone anticipating their destination. Evan had reached Ryker, who was on his way, but not Luke, who hadn’t answered.

Catherine was standing on the sidewalk with Ryker when they arrived. “I thought it best if we all went in together.”

“Thanks.” Jake gave her a weak attempt at a smile.

As a group, they headed in.

“What the hell is going on?” Cade greeted them immediately. “Why is Ryker here too?”

“Have a seat,” Evan told him.

“And a beer.” Jake grabbed one from the fridge.

“Seriously, you guys are scaring me. What happened? Where’s Luke?” he asked, looking around at them.

“Nothing is wrong with him except that he didn’t answer the phone,” Evan assured him.

Beer in hand, Cade took a seat in the living room. “All right, someone tell me what the fuck is going on!”

Jake waited as everyone else sat before launching into what happened. Cade sat completely still, white knuckles gripping his beer bottle as he listened.

Evan jumped in here and there with things Jake had missed or hadn’t noticed at all. Lauren and Kayla stayed silent.

“That’s it,” Jake said and dropped onto the sofa himself.

Cade didn’t move. He sat completely still, looking off toward where Jake had been standing as though he were still listening.

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