Hope stopped crying. A taller figure than even Cam filled the doorway and Locke stepped out of the house with her safe in his arms. He squeezed my shoulder and held out a hand to Liliana. “My brother had that operation a while back, and Nash had it a few years ago. They’re both fine. Why don’t you come inside and we’ll give Logan a call? He can tell you all about it.”
Liliana didn’t move, her defiance fixed on me.
But Locke... he had this way with the kids the rest of us had yet to learn. Somehow he got through to her with the power of his kind gaze alone, and she broke, those tears finally falling. “What if he dies?”
“He won’t. Probably just feels like he wants to right now.” Locke tucked her under his big arm, lifting her enough that my boots slipped from her feet, before setting her inside the house. “But you know he’ll feel better if he’s got your dad with him, so we need to let him go, okay?”
His gentle tone left no room for argument, and I knew I possessed that skill too. But it was lost right now. I had nothing but a hug for my distressed children and a soul thankful for the brother who’d watch over them while I was gone.
Locke took the girls inside.
I reclaimed my boots, shoving my feet into them as Cam jogged out of the house, and we made a dash for his car.
“I’m driving,” he growled. “Don’t fight me on it.”
I didn’t even know where we were going—what medical facility Decoy was headed for. Christ, I didn’t know what fucking county they were in, so I threw myself into the passenger seat without argument.
Cam slid behind the wheel and started the engine. A split second passed, as if he were waiting for something. Or someone, as the backdoor opened and another brother rolled into the car.
Folk.
Cam shot the SUV into a sharp reverse, spinning us around before he gunned it out of Juana’s quiet cul-de-sac. I turned as we hit the main road.
“You didn’t have to come.”
Folk was already folding his jacket into a pillow, knowing there was a chance, however this went, he’d have to drive a shift later in the night. “It’s no problem.”
“But Ivy?—”
“She’sfine, brother. Let it go.”
I was missing something. I saw it in the wise stare of my friend—a stare that had become so weary in recent months. But Folk shut me out, pulling his hood over his face and falling asleep the way only a soldier and Rubi could.
Defeated, I slumped back in my seat and reached for my phone again.
Decoy:at a&e, gonna be a while
Embry:How’s he doing?
Decoy:bellyache’s pretty bad,he’s mainly annoyed
Embry:With who?
Decoy:me
Embry:Sorry about that
Decoy:i can handle it
Embry:We just left. Keep me posted
Decoy:always
Decoy went offline. Tension flooded me, threatening the hard-won calm in my gut, and I pressed a hand to my abdomen, as if Mateo’s pain were mine and I could fuckingfeelthat shitty little organ coming apart inside him.
You don’t know it’s that yet.
Logic. We were friends, but apparently not tonight. My stomach twisted again.Fuck. I gritted my teeth, swallowing whatever sound barrelled up my throat.