Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“Divide and conquer,” Michael said. “Layla, let’s go to your room. Dani, take your sister to the family room.”
Given Michael’s strict tone of voice, Layla dragged herself back the way she’d come and her parents followed.
“Dani?” Hadley asked.
“This way.” She led them to a large room with an oversized sofa and club chairs and plopped down into a chair.
Zach pulled Hadley towards the couch and she lowered herself into an unbelievably soft cushion, Zach beside her.
“Well? Where were you tonight?” Hadley asked, her heart still racing even though her sister was safe and in front of her.
Dani’s pink hair fell over her face. “We went to a bonfire on the beach.”
Hadley drew a deep breath and tried not to lose her temper. “Why was Layla crying? Because her parents are angry?”
“No.” Dani tucked her hair behind one hear. “She has a crush on Maddox’s brother. That’s why we went. And he told her she was a kid and to go home.”
Despite her frustration, Hadley winced. “That had to hurt. But it doesn’t change the fact that you two missed curfew, lied about how you were getting home… how did you get home?”
“We took an Uber.”
Hadley forced herself to take a deep breath, then another. Zach’s hand came to rest on her back and she appreciated the support.
Leaning forward, she met her sister’s gaze, her tone and expression serious. “Dani, I appreciate that you want to have fun but Michael and Serenity are doing us a favor by letting you stay here. I also get that you went along with Layla. I’m not pinning blame on her. But we’re here for a reason and I’ve been giving you a lot of leeway because nobody knows where we are, and we’ve taken every precaution. But rules are rules. And not answering your phone and scaring the crap out of us is not okay. Ever.”
“I know. But–”
“No buts! What if someone had taken you?”
Tears filled Dani’s eyes, her mouth quivering. “I’m sorry.”
Hadley nodded. “Never again. Promise me.”
“Promise.” Dani rose and walked over. Hadley met her halfway and pulled her into a hug. “I want you to apologize to Zach’s parents, too.”
Hadley felt Dani nod into her shoulder. “If Layla is grounded in any way, so are you. Deal?”
Another nod. As Hadley knew from experience, the only time Dani was quiet was when she knew she’d been wrong. Hadley was just grateful they were safe.
Once they talked to Serenity and Michael, who assured her there would be punishment, and Dani had apologized to her hosts, Hadley thanked them again and hugged her sister. Then Zach took her home.
* * *
Zach woke up before Hadley. First order of business was to make himself a cup of coffee. Last night had been stressful and exhausting and when they finally came home, Hadley had washed up, slipped into one of his old T-shirts, crawled into bed and fell fast asleep. She planned on cleaning the kitchen from the meal they’d walked out on this morning. Instead of waking her, he handled the mess himself.
He needed the time to think. Though he’d kept quiet last night, letting his parents handle Layla and Hadley deal with her sister, he knew Hadley had been petrified. He also knew he’d made an error. One he’d corrected. Before leaving, he’d asked the girls to unlock their phones and hand them over. Now he was tracking them both. If anything had happened to them because he’d screwed up, he’d never have forgiven himself.
Once he finished cleaning, he took his coffee and walked outside to the back yard, settling into an upright lounge seat and stretching his legs in front of him. The weather was typically hot since it was almost July but the ocean breeze felt good.
He placed the mug on a side-table, closed his eyes and tilted his face toward the sun. If he didn’t think about the past or the future, life was perfect. He had the woman of his dreams in his bed and a life he’d worked hard to achieve. But he couldn’t ignore the facts. He needed to find Hadley’s father and make sure the sisters were safe.
He picked up his phone and pulled up his list of numbers, dialing his partner.
“Morning. What’s going on?” Remy said by way of greeting.
“Hey. I’m going to need you to take a trip to Illinois.” He explained what had happened last night with his sister and Dani. “I don’t want to risk that next time there really is something to worry about. You need to find out what happened to her father. I’d go but I don’t want to leave Hadley here alone.”
“You got it. I’ll check in with our fed friends first. Andrews owes me a favor. If he can’t find out anything more I’ll head out,” Remy said.
Zach breathed out a sigh of relief. “Thanks. I owe you one.”