My brothers all have their game faces on. They know we’re in for a fight, and they’re all ready to pitch in. But Ransom’s right. I am the only one who can find what we need now. “Fine. But I want a call the second she’s out. I need to talk to her.”
“I’ll call you, brother,” Colton vows.
Nodding, I turn to Jonas. “I’m going to need you. If the fucking judge is in on it, then this goes way beyond a grudge. I’ve got to follow the money.” Jonas nods, already heading to his van. I pin Colton with a look. “Take care of her. Don’t upset her. And call me the second she’s out of there. I need to hear her voice.”
He pounds his fist on his chest, eyes fierce. “I fucking promise.”
Satisfied, I turn and jog after Jonas, my mind already sifting through probabilities.
TWO HOURS LATER, WHEN MY PHONE RINGS, I DIVE FOR IT. I’VE BEEN FOCUSED, BUT NOT LIKE I usually am. On a regular day, digging for dirt like this would make the entire world disappear. I’ve spent entire days in a research fog, forgetting to eat or sleep until I find what I’m looking for. Since Tyler, I’ve spent many nights like that, looking for dirt that would help Cara. But it wasn’t enough. But today, knowing how scared she has to be, I can’t focus. I need to know she’s okay.
“Hello,” I yell into the phone.
“Declan,” Cara says. I fucking wilt, collapsing back into my chair.
“Cara. Baby. Fuck, tell me you’re okay. Where are you?”
Her voice is thin. I can almost taste the salt of the tears she's trying to hide. “We’re in the car. We’re heading home. Are you there?”
“Yeah, baby, I’m here. Jonas and I are working to figure out this mess. I fucking swear I will fix this for you.”
“Okay,” she murmurs. She sounds like she doesn’t believe me. And why the fuck should she? I told her I would take care of it, and I didn’t.
“Cara, come to me, okay? When you get home, come up here.”
Her hesitation fucking kills me. “I—I need Bree right now.” I bite back my words. I won’t beg her to come to me. I can’t force her to need me. To want me. Of course, she wants her sister. But I really want to be there for her.
My mouth is so dry. “Later?”
“Later,” she agrees quietly. “Goodbye.”
She’s gone, and I can’t help worrying that she’s pulling away from me. She’s been through some shit today, so it’s not all about me, but I fucking failed her. She has to feel that. She has to remember what I promised.
“Is she okay?” Jonas asks. We’re camped out in my home office, papers spread everywhere.
“No. I don’t think she is. She sounds...lost.”
“She’s going through something very difficult.”
“I know. I just wish I could help.”
He pushes up his glasses. “Should I ask Janey to come? She and Cara seem to be good friends.”
If I can’t be there for her, then someone needs to be. Bree is her sister, but she’s still recovering from everything that happened. She’s too close to this, too emotional. “Yeah. Call Janey.”
Jonas makes the call while I stare blankly at the wall of monitors in front of me, feeling like the most important person in my world is slipping through my fingers.
“HOLY FUCK,” I MUTTER, STARING AT THE MESS AROUND US. AT THE LAYERS OF CORRUPTION WE’VE uncovered. “Holy fuck.”
Jonas pulls his glasses off, rubbing at his tired eyes. “Exactly. We need to call everyone.”
“Yeah, we do.” I send a quick message to the family chat, then drop my phone on my desk. “What time is it?” My stomach is a gnawing pit of hunger. I push up, groaning at the pop and pull of my muscles.
“Nine,” Jonas says with a yawn, standing and stretching too. We’ve been at this for seven hours. And it paid off.
Battling between twin urges to run down to Cara’s apartment or stuffing my face, I beeline for the kitchen, freezing in my tracks as I take in the wrapped plates on the counter. I don’t stop to question my luck. I grab forks, pass one to Jonas with a grunt, and still standing, barely chewing, we inhale the food. When the edge of our hunger has been dulled, when our plates are clean, I lean back against the counter with a sigh.
“Are you and Cara...okay?” Jonas asks.