Crystal
A pale face stares up at me, dirt and bruises covering every inch of his skin. I’ve been to my share of funerals, but it’s different seeing someone battered and bloody, as if I can still see the remnants of the pain he felt in his last moments.
“It’s not him,” I choke out, and then collapse into Devlin’s arms.
He catches me, his body rigid. “I know. I saw.”
The screech of tires interrupts us, and the next second, I hear a familiar voice yelling. “Who the fuck tore up my slab? I just had this laid! It hadn’t even finished drying!”
“Daddy,” I say, jerking upright, a knot forming in my chest. I hadn’t moved beyond the relief of knowing it’s not Royal. But who is it? Why is there a dead guy under my dad’s foundation? Someone must have set him up, and I have a pretty good guess who might want to frame him. But who is this dead person? Is his family looking for him, as sick as we are about Royal? If someone is willing to kill to keep us out of town, we’re in more danger than I imagined. Are my other brothers safe? Is Daddy going to be arrested?
We don’t know people here the way we did in New York. I don’t even know if my uncle’s license to practice law is good down here. Are they going to take away my family, one member at a time?
I jump out of the ambulance and run to my father, who wraps me up in his protective arms, turning us away from my uncles and the cops, who are getting heated.
“What are you doing here?” Daddy demands, not hiding his surprise. “What happened to your face? Your brothers were worried sick about you.”
I feel an immediate pang of guilt. I know what it’s like to have someone disappear on you. And after Royal disappeared, my brothers must be even more on edge. I was supposed to be waiting for them after their football practice. Instead, I disappeared without a trace, just like Royal. I don’t even know what happened to my phone, so they couldn’t contact me, either.
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “I was with Devlin. I forgot my phone.”
“He did this to you?” Daddy thunders, his eyes flashing murder.
“No,” I say quickly. “I… Ran into a door at school.”
Not technically a lie, and I don’t want him to go into Papa Bear mode and murder the boy I’m just starting to understand, to unravel. I didn’t do all this to gain his trust only to have Daddy screw it up with his temper. I give Daddy a meaningful look, so he’ll remember the plan we devised. It seems so long ago now, even though it was only days. I can tell by Daddy’s nod that he’s not about to forget the plan. But to me, it doesn’t even matter. It all seems so meaningless now, in the face of a murder. Thinking that was Royal in that bag… Something changed in that moment. If the stakes are life, then that’s what we have to play for. Ruining some other family seems petty and trivial compared to that.
“And why were you two at my building site?” Daddy asks.
“I came to see if it was—” I break off and swallow the ache in my throat. “To see if it was him,” I finish in a whisper.
“Your brother’s gonna be fine, sweetheart,” Daddy says, slinging an arm around me and squeezing me to him. “He’s tough. Now, you get on home. Daddy’s got some business to take care of. Let your mother know I’ll be out late.”
“Can I use your phone?” I ask. “I need to let the guys know I’m okay.”
“Sure, sweetheart,” he says. “But don’t be long. I’ve got some calls to make, too.”
“Are you going to be… Arrested?” I ask, whispering the last word.
“No,” Daddy says, giving my shoulder a squeeze before turning me toward Devlin. “Now, go on home. I’m sure you kids have somewhere better to be on a Friday night.”
I shoot a quick text telling King that I lost my phone and then hand Daddy’s phone back. Officer Gunn stands off to one side, watching our exchange, obviously waiting to ask my father some questions.
“And get changed if you’re going out somewhere,” Daddy calls to me as I join Devlin. Since I wasn’t exactly thinking about how I looked when we left the Darlings’ house, I’m wearing a pair of Devlin’s sweatpants and a WHPA hoodie. Going home to change was the last thing on my mind, which is how I ended up out here barefoot in the first place.
“Okay,” I say, then slip under Devlin’s arm. He threw on jeans and a T-shirt, which he’s wearing with his letter jacket. Even though he had the same thirty seconds to dress that I did, he somehow manages to look freaking perfect while I look like a total scrub.
Devlin quirks an eyebrow at me but doesn’t speak as he leads me back to his car.
“What?” I ask, sliding into the passenger seat and tucking my hands under my thighs.
“Nothing.” Devlin closes the door behind me before circling around and climbing in his seat.
“Tell me,” I insist.
“Didn’t you say something about my family being more controlling than yours?” he asks, pulling out onto the street.
“Yeah, because they pick out who you marry,” I point out.