I was halfway up the stairs to the library when I heard running feet behind me. “Elli.”
Turning on the first landing, I found Zachary hurrying up the steps, a Tupperware container in one hand. Joy flooded me at the sight of him. He was dressed in black slacks, the sleeves of his charcoal button-up rolled up to his elbows, and I was suddenly hungrier for a lot more than just a sandwich.
He stopped in front of me and dropped a kiss on my mouth, his free hand pulling me up against his rock-hard body. “Hi,” he murmured against my lips.
“Hi,” I husked, a little dazed.
“I know you’re busy, but it’s dinnertime. I don’t want you to go hungry.” Once I took the container from him, he took full advantage of his free hand to wrap himself around me more securely.
“Thank you.”
“Gotta make sure my girls get plenty of nutrients.” He trailed his hand from my back to my abdomen, his fingers splaying out so that his pinkie and thumb touched either side. “How long before you get a bump and the world knows I put this baby here?”
Tipping my head back, I couldn’t stop smiling at how sweetly adorable he was. Ever since our talk Sunday, he’d been different. The same asshole as usual in some areas, but a completely new man in others. His gentleness when he touched my belly was only one of a hundred new things he did now that melted me.
“It could start developing any time now. But it’s been feeling a little squishy to me recently.”
He poked at my belly button, his bottom lip poking out. “I can’t feel a difference yet.” He nudged the plastic container. “Eat before you go inside. Your student can wait a few extra minutes.”
“Fine.” Shoving my things against his chest, I didn’t waste another second before tearing off the lid. Seeing it was a grilled cheese with ham, and the cheese was still perfectly melted, while the bread was crispy, I moaned my appreciation. “Did you rush over here after making this for me?”
“I didn’t break the speed limit,” he assured me, his eyes watching intently as I took a big bite. “You’re all about sandwiches lately. I thought you would like this for a snack.”
“It’s perfect. Thank you.” Hugging his side, I licked butter off my lips. “They’re the only thing I wanted to eat when the morning sickness was at its worst. I was careful, though. I made sure to heat the deli meat to a safe temperature.”
He wiped a crumb from the corner of my mouth. “I read that lunch meat can be dangerous for a pregnant woman, so I heated it in the pan before adding it to the sandwich and toasting it.”
“This is even better than the chicken pesto sandwiches Kyndle makes.” He glowered, and I took another bite of the sandwich. “Mmm, so good.”
“You get brattier every day,” he grumbled.
“You love it,” I sassed.
“Fucking right.” His phone rang, and he pulled it out while stealing a kiss. “Hey, man.”
“Something’s wrong,” I heard Howler’s agitated words on the other end and felt Zachary stiffen. “Josie didn’t show up for dance, and Lyla isn’t answering her phone.”
His hand still at my back contracted, but he visibly tried to calm himself. “Maybe Josie didn’t feel like going tonight. Didn’t you say she was going to school an extra day this week. She’s probably just tired, brother.”
“No,” Howler snapped. “Not Josie. She would want to go to dance even if she were puking her guts out. She loves that class and her teacher. Call your driver. Find out what’s going on.”
“Yeah, okay,” he agreed. “I’m on it, man. Give me a second, and I’ll call you back.”
Judge hung up but started calling someone else immediately. With every ring that went off in his ear and no one answered, his breathing changed a little more. His distress affected my appetite, and I replaced the sandwich in the container. With a curse, he tried again.
“Shit,” he growled to himself. “Babe, I need your phone.”
I handed it over without hesitation. He punched in a number but got the same result. Cursing, he pulled up the LoJack GPS to all his vehicles on his own device. “Ah, fuck,” he choked. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
“What’s wrong?”
His stormy eyes met mine. “Tony isn’t answering. And the car he was driving earlier is at a drug den Gwen prefers. I think Josie is with Lyla.”
I felt the world shift. “Go.” I pushed at his arm, my gut twisting with terror for my friend. It didn’t help that his fear was so thick I could practically taste it. “Go find her. Hurry.”
“I love you.” Grabbing my face, he gave me a hard kiss before taking off at a full-on sprint. Heart pounding, I watched him go, feeling helpless.
Lyla and Josie would be okay, I attempted to reassure myself. Gwen was a cokehead and child abuser, but she wouldn’t actually take on Lyla. She wasn’t that stupid. Her bark was worse than her bite.
But was Tony?
Knowing I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my tutoring client, I sent them a quick text to let them know I had a family emergency, and I rushed across campus to Lyla’s car. As I got behind the wheel, my phone rang. Hoping it was news that this was all a misunderstanding and Lyla was fine, I answered without looking to see who the caller was.
“Hey, is everyone okay?” A heavy silence greeted me. Thinking I’d ended the call, I pulled the phone back to see who had called. Seeing the name at the top of the screen, my heart dropped into my stomach. Gulping, I reluctantly lifted it back to my ear. “Mrs. Bennet?”
“Hello, Ellianna. Do you have a moment to chat?”
I would have preferred waterboarding to having a conversion with Zachary’s mother, but if she was calling me, she had a reason. Experience told me that whatever she needed to speak to me about, it would be in my best interest to just give in and hear what she had to say.
Chapter 57
Judge
I was sweating by the time my tires screamed to a halt outside the condemnable house in a part of town that was known for drug deals and dens. Howler’s massive SUV was parked half in the road. Inside the vehicle, Josie was on her knees in the passenger seat, her tear-soaked face pressed against the window.
I ran over to her just as Barrick rolled up.
The door unlocked, and my goddaughter threw herself into my arms. “There was a bang, Uncle Judge.”
Swallowing the bile in my throat, I checked her over, making sure she was unharmed. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
She shook her head vigorously. “N-no. Please help Lyla, Uncle Judge. Daddy went inside, but what if Mommy hurts him too?”
Kissing the top of her head, I stepped back. “Lock the door again.” As soon as I heard the click, I was running toward the house.
Inside, the house reeked of bodily fluids, skunky weed, decay…and gunfire. As soon as I spotted Lyla, my knees felt weak. She was on her feet, her face haunted as Barrick stepped back from hugging her. Choking on relief, I rushed her, pulling her into my arms.
“Are you okay?” Like with Josie, I ran my hands over my sister in search of wounds. Just because she was standing didn’t mean anything. Lyla had an insanely high pain tolerance.