Nolan grunted. “By two years, fuckwad.”
Brayden laughed. “Still.”
“We took pictures. We’ll bring everything when we come tomorrow,” Jose said.
“Good. Thanks, guys.”
“No problem.” Brayden chuckled. “You owe us now.”
Jonah rolled his eyes. Shit. That was never good. He disconnected and stuck the phone into his pocket before looking at Nolan.
Nolan pinched the bridge of his nose as he cursed. “Goddammit. This is going to break their hearts.”
Jonah leaned against his desk and nodded. “Yup. When do you want to tell them?”
“Tell us what?”
Jonah turned to see both women standing in the doorway. Shit. He held out his hand. “Come here, baby.”
She walked to him while Nolan slipped an arm around Caylee.
Jonah glanced at Nolan.
“Girls,” Nolan said. “This is bad news, but we want you to know that we’ll figure things out and that you’re not alone. We had a few friends check out your place.”
Jonah got their attention. “People are watching it.”
“For us?” Holly asked.
“Yes, honey.”
Nolan cleared his throat. “Girls, we hate to tell you this, but these people got in and destroyed everything in the apartment.”
Jonah watched the girls try to process what Nolan had just said.
He wondered what it would take to keep the girls safe and how long it would take for their lives to get back to normalcy. It wouldn’t be like before, but they could find a new normal to make them happy.
****
Holly heard a buzzing sound and saw black dots in her vision. The shock of what they’d just been told was more than she ever expected. She felt Jonah tighten his grip on her when she swayed and cursed.
“Easy, sweetheart. Breathe for me. I know it sounds bad right now, but we’ll deal with it together.”
She watched Nolan pick Caylee up and walk out of the room. She didn’t have the energy to console Caylee because she was barely holding it together. Holly wondered when the nightmare would end because she didn’t think she could take too much more.
“I’m at a loss. I know I am shocked and saddened, but I’m afraid of the underlying emotion I can sense that is building. I don’t think I’m going to … I need to take a shower.”
“Not yet.”
“Yes.” She struggled to get up from his lap. “Please.”
The shaking was getting worse, so she fought harder.
“Dammit,” Jonah said as he lifted her and took her to the main bedroom. He shut the door and lay down with her, pulling her tightly against his body. “I’ve got you, baby.”
“No—”
“I’m not letting you go to deal with this by yourself,” he said.