Page 21 of Linger

If any of our little Rebels were going to be somewhere day in and day out, we needed to know who was with them.

It was something Einstein could’ve easily gotten, but Lexi was—unofficially—my little Mini. So, the task had fallen to me. And from Zara’s tone, I had a horrible feeling I’d failed.

“Speak faster,” I ground out, the words cruel and dark and visibly shaking Zara.

“I-I-I gave you everything. Last year,” she added as an afterthought and then rushed to continue. “But it never sat right with me because of—well, for many reasons. So, I didn’t inform you that we brought on a few new members to our team this year.”

“Names.” The demand ripped from me as horror coated my veins and twisted around my lungs. Because there was an open threat on our family, and Lexi had just spent an entire day in a building with people we hadn’t thoroughly investigated. “I need them.”

“I’ll send the files,” she agreed with a shaky nod, her worry dripping from her and fueling the apology in her voice when she admitted, “One of the new staff is Alexis’ teacher this year.”

I was out the door before she finished speaking. Stalking through the hall and ignoring the stunned stares of the women in the office as I wove through the crush of little kids and toward the front courtyard, where they were already lining up and greeting their parents.

Movements jerky as my heart crashed against my ribs until I saw that adorable little girl. Dancing to a song in her head and smiling when she tilted her face up to talk animatedly to the person approaching her.

And then everything stopped.

My feet. The fear coursing through me at the knowledge that I could’ve failed everyone. My heart. ..before it furiously took off in a completely different rhythm.

Because there, locked in a conversation with Lexi, blonde hair cascading down her back in waves and smile so damn bright, the sun didn’t stand a chance against her, was Tree.

I took a cautious step forward, and then another. As if easing across a minefield toward the woman who was a constant thrum in my veins.

One wrong step, and I would be sucked into those green eyes all over again.

One wrong step, and I’d be sneaking into her apartment tonight when I’d managed to keep myself from going to her the past few.

I inhaled deeply when a whisper of vanilla and lavender teased me as I drew closer, letting it fill my lungs and my head. My eyes briefly rolling back at the delicate combination that was so much more intoxicating because of the woman it clung to.

And then I was just five feet away...four...three...

Wondering how I’d managed to stay away from her at all when it took physical effort not to grab her and pull her into my arms when I made it to her side. Blood practically buzzing with need as I took in her profile and body that I knew fit perfectly against mine as I leaned in to whisper in her ear.

“Found you.”

WILLOW

“Found you.”

I jerked away from the unexpectedly deep voice, but awareness was already spreading over me and down my spine like a welcome caress before I ever fully registered the words or his voice as my head snapped in that direction.

“Excu—” The reprimand cut off half a second before I met gray eyes. His eyes. Those eyes that had been plaguing me.

My heart threatened to escape the confines of my chest when I realized he was standing there. Directly next to me. That horribly sexy smirk shaping his lips and doing unfair things to me as he studied me as if he’d never seen me before.

“Diggs.” His name fell past my lips on a whisper and was drowned out by the excitement of the girl at my side.

“You came!” she shouted.

The knowing set of his mouth transformed into an affectionate smile as he focused on one of my students, Alexis, and held out his hand for her. “First day of school, Mini. Where else would I be?”

A shuddering breath ripped from me as I took a step away from him, trembling hands pressed to my stomach as yesterday flashed through my mind like a nightmare and continued directly in front of me.

Because he was married. He had a baby.

And, apparently, he was the father of one of my students.

Oh my God.

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