“Track?” My dad called out.
“Yeah?”
“Call Tina.”
“Sure.” I stared at Espada for a long second. “Wanna go out tonight?”
“Where?”
I rolled my eyes and made my way out of the kitchen. “The club,” I muttered over my shoulder.
“Yeah. Okay. What time?”
“Nine,” I hollered and slammed my bedroom door. Talking to Tina wasn’t something I didn’t want to do. If I’d made an excuse, Storm and my dad would’ve suspected something was wrong. Their questions were the last thing I needed.
I loved Tina. Admired the strong woman for all she had endured and overcome. I would never intentionally betray or hurt her. And yet, I was doing just that.
I inhaled a deep breath and dialed her number. The ringing made my neck and shoulder muscles turn hard as steel.
“Track?”
“Hey, Tina.”
“Oh honey, how are you? Your dad said he’d have you call me, but I didn’t get my hopes up. Tell me everything.”
“Not much to tell. How are you? How’s Raymond and Valerie?” I had to keep her mind off Brynne. As if that were possible.
“Honey, we’re all good. I mean, we’re healthy.”
“Dad told me you’re struggling with anxiety and PTSD shit.” I wasn’t surprised that Tina’s demons haunted her the closer it got to capturing her daughter. There were lots of variables to this situation. The guys and I could screw the plan up and not get Brynne. Bruno was unpredictable. He could find out the club had taken his daughter, and like any decent father, he would turn his rage on the compound. But I knew Tina’s greatest fear was that Brynne would reject her.
“Yes, the nightmares are awful. Which is why I need to know how Brynne is. Do you see her every day? Does she look happy? Is she excited to graduate? What does she do in her free time?” Her questions came at me rapidly. “Oh, and thank you for the pictures!”
“No problem.” I scrubbed my hands down my cheeks. It wasn’t like Tina didn’t know how much time I spent with Brynne. Everyone knew. “She’s excited and happy. She spends most of her time with her friends.” Admittedly, I had no idea what she did once she entered her apartment.
Per Storm’s orders, we didn’t watch Brynne around the clock. We didn’t have the manpower for that. However, when I disregarded Prez’s commands because I had to be sure, Brynne stayed home all night. She wasn’t a party girl. School and friends seemed to be the only things important to her. Brynne was spunky and sweet and led a boring, uneventful life.
“She’s so beautiful.” Tina sighed wistfully. “And she doesn’t have a boyfriend? I’d never want to take her away from the man she loved.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“No guy in her life.”
“I wonder why.” She sounded genuinely confused.
“I’m glad she doesn’t have anyone. It’ll make my job easier.” But if Brynne were in love with someone, it would have kept my emotions in check. Maybe.
“You’re right. Why complicate things?”
“Exactly.”
“Tell me how you’re really doing. I know you were bothered by something when you left.”
“What makes you say that? I’m fine, Tina.”
“No, you weren’t, honey. Did it have to do with Misty?”
“No.”