Page 97 of Silver Tears

I nod my head in agreement as Vee and Eliza’s heads swing from Archer to me. “What’s going on? And why does Milly look like she’s about to have a mental breakdown?” Eliza asks, glaring at me, clearly thinking I’m to blame. And maybe I am. I used her shitty situation with her mum to manipulate her for my own gain. I blackmailed her. A typical move a society member would make.

“It’s a long story.” I sigh. “But we don’t have time right now. We need to drive over to the house. Can you meet us there, and Rafe, will you call Don on the way? Get him to meet us there?”

Rafe nods, pulling out his phone and grabbing a hold of Vee’s hand he pulls her towards his car. Archer grabs hold of Eliza’s elbow and asks her to get in the car. She wags her finger at me as he opens her door and urges her inside. “If you’ve hurt her, never mind Day, I’ll kill you!”

I ignore her, more concerned about the girl tucked into my side, who is slowly losing her shit. I cup her face and make her look at me. “Look at me, precious. We’ll get them back safe and sound. I swear to you.”

She nods her head as a lone tear falls down her face and my heart squeezes in my chest. I’ve never seen her cry, and it kills me. I guide her into the car and fasten her belt before running around to my side and starting the engine. All the way there I hold her hand, offering whatever physical reassurance I can that everything will be okay.

We arrive at the house seconds after the others and the minute we pull up, Mills is out of the car and running for the house.

“Mills, wait!” I shout, jumping out of my seat and chasing after her. She flings the door open, and I hear her sharp intake of breath as I come up behind her and take in the living room. There has clearly been a struggle, and it’s clear Lenny won. A broken chair lies on its side and shards from a smashed glass lie glistening across the floor.

“This is all my fault,” Mills says, sitting down on the sofa and grasping her head in her hands. “What do we do?”

The others come in behind me as I walk over to her and crouch down in front of her. I gently lift her head with my hands. “We need to call the police. This has gone too far now. We can’t keep this a secret anymore, not if we want to find them safe and sound.”

“Will someone please explain what is going on and whose house this is?” Vee asks, folding her arms across her chest and looking pissed off and perplexed.

“It’s my mum’s house,” Mills blurts out. “She lives here with my six-year-old brother. No one knows about them, only the boys and Ruby. Dad, my brothers, and sisters, none of them know I’m in touch with mum or about Charlie. A man has taken them both, and he’s done it to punish me for stabbing him.”

Eliza blinks as she takes in everything Mills is telling her. “You have another brother? Does Damon know he exists?”

Mills shakes her head. “None of them do. I kept it a secret because I knew dad wouldn’t let me have contact with mum and now it’s all gone wrong. I thought I could handle this on my own,” Mills says, turning her attention to me. “I was so determined that I didn’t need anyone’s help, but I can’t do this anymore.”

“I know, precious,” I say softly, hating that she’s blaming herself for this. I place my phone to my ear and dial 999.

“Yes, I’d like to report a kidnapping. I need to speak directly with detective Boyd. Tell him it’s Sebastian Collings.”

Two seconds later, I’m put through to Boyd and I explain the situation, summarising the sorry situation. Eliza swears under her breath when I tell Boyd about Lenny’s attempted rape of Mills. Boyd assures me he’ll have a description of Lenny put out across the police system and he’ll make his way over now.

I sit down on the sofa beside Mills and tuck her into my side. Peggy lingers in the doorway and Archer guides her to the armchair and asks her to take a seat. “Mills, I think we need to call your dad. There’s no way you can keep this from him now.”

She doesn’t argue with me, she just nods her head. “He’s going to hate me. I’ve let him down so badly. I’ve lied to them all for months. I’ll just be another female who has lied and betrayed him.”

I kiss the top of her head. “He might be angry at first, but he loves you and his focus will be on you, not what you’ve kept from him.”

“If I’d told them all sooner, then maybe none of this would be happening. Maybe mum wouldn’t be so far gone with her addiction and Lenny would never have got his claws into her.”

“Do you want me to call him?” I ask her, knowing how hard making that call will be for her. She chews on her lip as she considers my question and nods her head. She hands me her phone and I scroll down to her dad’s number.

“Hey, Mr Silver. It’s Seb. Are you sitting down? I have something you need to know.”

“Is Milly okay?” he asks me.

“She’s okay, but there’s a lot been going on that you don’t know about. Can I ask you and Day and Luca to come to the address I’m about to text you asap, and we’ll fill you in when you get here?”

“Okay. Are you sure Milly is okay?”

“She’s okay. She’s upset and worried, but she’s okay. But she needs you all here.”

“We’re on our way. And Seb, look after her until we are there.”

“Of course,” I say firmly. There’s nowhere else I’m going to be right now.

The police arrive five minutes later, and Archer provides Boyd with a description of Lenny. Don, our PI, arrives and hands over his paper file to Boyd and gives him a rundown of what he knows. Boyd Approaches Milly and asks her if she feels up to answering some questions. Eliza and Vee make themselves useful making tea for everyone.

Adam, Damon, and Luca arrive just as Boyd finishes interviewing Mills. They walk in the house all looking confused and worried and when Adam’s eyes find Mills; he strides across the room to her and crouches down in front of her.

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