Page 47 of Timber

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Smoke’s face getting thunderous again and he’s clenching his fists repeatedly, but I don’t know if it’s from what I’m saying or what he’s found on the computer.

Deciding to keep going, I pull out the next couple of documents. My throat tightens at my mom’s betrayal once again as I open the first envelope and start scanning.

“Apparently, Mom and Preston bought a life insurance policy for me about a month before I was born. Then, about a month after I ‘died’, the insurance was paid out in full. Fifty thousand dollars.”

Curses ring out through the room again.

Timber kisses my shoulder before burying his head in the crook of my neck. “He’s a fucking dead man.”

I know it shouldn’t, but that statement from him warms my heart. Reaching up, I wrap my arm around his neck and lean into him for a few moments while I wait for the guys to finish reading the document. After a bit, I lean forward and start scanning the next document.

“This one is from some guy called Jack. He was the one that helped them get my new birth certificate that states my last name is Cole and that I was born on September 2nd, 2002 instead of on the 1st.”

I pull out the remaining papers and scan them. “These are the confusing ones. I don’t know what any of these are for, but they were tucked in with and between the journals, so I’m guessing they’re important. Maybe they mean something to you guys.”

Instantly, the air in the room is even thicker with tension, and I start to worry. They know what it means, and whatever it is, it isn’t good.

“I’m going to take a stab that you all know what this means,” I say quietly and Timber’s grip on me tightens even more. The worry that was spreading through me increases, and I sink further into Timber’s embrace, needing his strength.

“Yeah, Sunshine, we do,” Timber growls.

Looking over my shoulder, I find Timber’s gaze is locked on Thor. Turning, I look at Thor as well, who’s standing with his arms crossed over his chest as he stares at the screen.

Thor frowns and turns away from the screen. “Before we get to into this, Smoke, do you care to explain what the fuck happened and why our main room is trashed?” His gaze zeroes in on Smoke and holy crap... I’d have fainted if that look was directed at me.

Smoke’s eyes and face turn murderous as he glares at me. Bear passes an envelope to Thor. I’m guessing that whatever’s in the envelope, Smoke thinks it has to do with me.

Thor pulls out a small piece of paper and then a bunch of pictures. He curses but when he looks at me, it’s with sympathy.

“W-what is it?” I try to keep my nerves under control, but my voice cracks anyway.

Thor walks over to me and hands me the note and pictures.

My stomach sinks as I get a glimpse of the pictures and my hands start trembling, but I force myself to look at the note first.

Thought you’d like to know that that cunt you’re protecting isn’t the innocent little girl you think she is. Return her before midnight tonight or else.

Setting the note down, I turn my attention to the pictures, fanning them out in front of me, and checking the backs of them. Even without seeing the date I would have known the pictures were old. One from the slight yellowing on the edges and the other is that they weigh more than the printouts you get today. These were from back when cameras needed film to take pictures.

However, the pictures aren’t of me.

I look up at Thor and then Smoke. “This isn’t me in the pictures.”

Smoke scoffs. “Of course you’d say that so that you’d get our protection.”

“Smoke, man, you really should have looked at these pictures closer before going on your rant earlier,” Axe says from beside me.

Looking over my shoulder, I realize he’d leaned closer without me realizing it and has been looking at the pictures as well.

Picking them up, I go to stand, but Timber doesn’t let go. Turning toward him, I give him a small smile. “Please, I need to do this.”

“Fine,” he grumbles, but he stands with me as well. Getting up, I walk around the table and Timber follows me.

The room is set up so that three large tables make up a ‘u’ in the room where the brothers all sit at. Then there’s another table near the front of the room where Thor stands, but it’s not as long as the other tables, so there’s a gap on either end where someone can walk to the center.

Flipping through the pictures, I find the one that I want to address first, and hold it out for Smoke to look at. “Look at my arms,” I say as I hold them out to him, showing him the insides of my arms. “There’s no track marks on either of my arms, unlike the woman in the picture.”

Setting down that picture in front of him, I find the next one. “The woman in this picture has a birthmark on her left side, above her hip that’s sort of in the shape of a heart.” I set the picture down, and then lift up my shirt, showing him that there’s no such birthmark on me.

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