The sound of Pop’s cell going off has Dad saying, “No phones at the table.”
“I know…” His words trail off as he looks down at the number, dropping his knife and fork and picking it up.
“Callum Lockwood...” He nods his head before saying. “I am, yes… has something happ—” Pop’s eyes skirt to mine, widening before he says, “I’ll be there within—uh huh… yes… I understand… thanks for letting me know… yeah… bye.”
The table is silent as Pop radiates anger and worry, it almost becoming too much to bear as he looks over at me and says, “I need you to stay calm, son.”
I scoff. “Yeah, because telling someone to stay calm will make them calm.” Rolling my eyes, I lean back in the chair, crossing my arms over my chest as I wait for what he has to say.
“It’s Lexi.”
“Lexi?” I sit up straighter, giving him every ounce of my attention. “What’s happened?”
“There’s been an… incident.”
I stand up, my rage boiling over like a pan on the stove. “What the fuck has happened?”
They both stand up too, but Pop heads to his office and reappears a couple of seconds later pushing his arms through his jacket.
“Pop… I love you, but you need to tell me what the hell is going on.”
He huffs, standing still and looking between me and Dad. “You better come with me, she’s been transferred to the hospital.”
My heartbeat thumps in my chest and I shout, “I’m driving,” before I run out of the house and to my car, waiting for them as they follow me and start the ignition.
Pop spends the next hour on his cell in the back seat, talking with various people as I make a two-hour journey into one and double park outside of the hospital, running in and heading to the front desk.
“Alexis Deacon,” I shout, slapping my palm down on the desk. The woman stares at me with wide eyes, placing her hand on her hip and tilting her head to the side.
“Son,” Dad says, using his calm voice.
Pop sidles up next to us. “I’m Alexis Deacon’s lawyer, she was just brought in.”
She stares at each of us for a beat before she starts pressing the keys on the keyboard, entirely to slow for my liking. My hands open and close into fists as my heart stays wedged in my throat.
“Floor three, waiting room b… someone will come and see you.”
We all spin around, heading to the waiting room like we’re running from a fire. We all come to a stop when we get in there because a man is talking to a doctor.
“Thank you so much,” he says, shaking his hand. “My niece is in the best place possible.”
“She is, Mr. Deacon. We’ll keep you informed of Alexis’ recovery.”
My blood boils as my muscles lock, my eyes widening when I realize who this is.
How the hell did he find out what happened to Lexi? Is he her emergency contact? If he was then why did they call Pop? It doesn’t make sense, but then Lexi’s voice comes into my mind, her telling me what her uncle did to her all those years ago.
It’s him. He did this to her again. How did I not put it together? All this time I was looking at someone else—Darrell, Geena—but the smirk on his face as the doctor turns around and walks out of the door has my rage slamming through me with an unstoppable force as I lunge for the fucker.
“You fuckface!” I shout, lunging forward but being stopped by Pop’s quick reflexes. I point at him, watching his smug face as he straightens his jacket, not giving a shit what he’s caused or the lives he’s ruined. “You put her in there back then, and you did it again. You’re a piece of shit! What did she ever do to you?”
“I have no idea who you are or who you’re talking about.”
“Yeah?” I laugh but it’s unhinged. “I’m Lexi’s boyfriend.”
Pop’s grip loosens on me as the man’s face pales slightly but he tries not to let it show as he makes a noise in the back of his throat.
“You may have gotten away with what you did the first time, but she has us now… a family that cares and will fight for her.”