Chapter Thirty-one

HICKS

I sip whiskey from a tumbler, back at my normal perch as I stare out the window toward Rue's house. Darkness fell over an hour ago, and I haven't moved from the spot since I returned from the meeting with Rue's father.

Richard Edward Farthington, president and CEO of Granger Industries, and a complete and utter asshole.

I'm glad the guys aren't home. I need the time to sort out my tangled thoughts. I don't like the way I left things with Rue. As much as I want to march over and see if she's okay, I don't want to disturb her fragile peace.

When she finds out what I did, I have no doubt she's going to be pissed.

I almost wish I hadn't gone digging into her past, but it's too late now.

I wanted to discover what I could do to help her, desperate to keep what happened today from happening again.

Unfortunately, I kicked a hornet's nest with my visit.

Taking another sip, I embrace the burn of the liquor as it sears my throat, then warms my stomach, but the warmth does nothing to melt the ice that has encased my veins. My brain replays the interview over and over, but no matter how I look at the situation, we're fucked.

Catching movement in the dark yard, I turn to see the guys returning. I drag my attention away from the window and refill my glass. The guys are quiet as they enter the house, until they spot me lingering by the window like the stalker I've become.

"Where the hell were you?" Gunner snarls, taking a threatening step toward me before he catches himself. His hands curl into fists, the big man seconds away from throttling me. "You disappeared when Rue needed you most."

I'm not even surprised by his reprimand.

Though Gunner doesn't speak much beyond a grunt or growl, when he allows himself to feel, he often feels deeply. It's rare that he allows anyone to get close. Most people don't even bother looking beneath his rough exterior, seeing him as a brute with little between the ears.

They couldn't be more wrong.

Rue has a way of seeing things no one else does, and if her father is to be believed, it's all an act to get what she wants.

I gently set the tumbler down with a click and survey the guys. Unsurprisingly, James is standing next to Gunner, wearing a matching scowl on his face. Ellis is frowning as he waits for the answer as well, but I'm surprised to see the furrow between Jace's brows.

Knowing they are not going to like my answer, I lift my chin and brace my hands on my hips. "Rue managed to ditch me."

I'm not too proud to admit that she outsmarted me.

In fact, after I got over my little snit, I could admire the ease in which she gave me the slip. With a grimace, knowing the guys are going to be pissed, I admit the truth. "I went to see Rue's father."

"What?" Gunner snaps, a look of betrayal taking over his face, and he steps away from me like he can't stand to be any closer.

"Fuck." James staggers back, shooting me a disgusted look.

Even Jace winces and shakes his head.

Instead of reacting, Ellis squares off with me, his brown eyes nearly black with worry. "Why?"

Trust him to strike to the heart of the matter.

I roll my shoulders, hating that I feel defensive. "Rue completely shut down at the police station. I see that same look on each of you when you get your asses arrested. She wasn't worried or afraid, she was resigned. I had to know why." I rub my forehead, but it doesn't alleviate the headache forming behind my eyes.

I wait for them to start yelling, wait for a fist to crack across my face. I deserve it, almost crave the punishment for going behind her back and breaking her trust. Quiet fills the room, the silent reprimand worse than any beating.

I grit my teeth and scowl at the fuckers, hating that I feel the need to justify my actions. "I can't protect her if I don't know what's wrong."

"Have you ever considered asking?" James is only a few inches from my face, his pale blue eyes stormy with agitation, his voice deceptively soft.

A caustic laugh bursts from me, my smile nasty as I meet his gaze without flinching. "That's rich coming from you. You always act first and rarely ask for forgiveness afterward."

I almost feel bad when James flinches.

It was a low blow.

Even I know he can't help himself at times, his manic episodes almost impossible to control. That doesn't mean he doesn't get himself in trouble on the daily, giving me weekly headaches as I struggle to keep him on this side of the law.

Feeling like an ass, I look away and shake my head. "Even if we asked, we would only get one side of the story. I can't protect her without researching all the facts. One wrong statement, tainted through her eyes, could skew everything just enough that any action I take could do more damage than good."

I fork my hands into my hair, the pain doing nothing to ease my inner turmoil. Turning away from the guys, I pour a liberal amount of whiskey into the glass and gulp half of it.

"Fucking hell," Gunner mutters, then he joins me and pours himself his own glass. I can't contain my shock when he downs it in one gulp. Since his father went to prison for killing his mother in a drunken rage, he normally keeps himself to a single beer or two if he's feeling good. He never touches the hard stuff, not wanting to turn into his father.

"She told you about her past," I surmise, and my gut drops at his tortured expression. I brace myself for the worst. "How badly did I fuck up?"

"Her parents are both shit stains." James paces back and forth across the room, his normal frantic energy subdued. "They made her life hell the moment she was born. I'm surprised she even survived this long."

He stops suddenly, glaring at each of us, his fists clenched at his sides. "I won't let him take her."

As much as I'm exasperated by his extracurricular activities, his protective instincts are honed to a razor-sharp edge. If he says she's in danger, I believe him. With a sharp nod, I set my glass down. "I want you to put together an escape plan for her."

James blinks in surprise, his entire frame practically quivering with the need for action, and I hold up my hand before he can speak. "Don't tell any of us. None of us should know the details."

Ellis drops onto the couch, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he peers up at me. "What did you learn that has you so spooked?"

That catches their attention, and they each grab their own drink before taking a seat. "Her father is the picture-perfect image of a concerned dad. His daughter has been missing for over a week, kidnapped and brainwashed by her crazy grandmother."

"Fuck," Jace mutters, running a hand down his face. "You think he's making a case against Mrs. Killaghan being an unfit guardian?"

"That's exactly what I think." I toss back the rest of my drink, relishing the burn. "He said everything right—that he loves his daughter and she's in danger. He claims his wife was troubled, and that Rue is mentally unstable and needs to be on meds or she could become a danger to herself or others."

The guys exchange an uneasy glance, and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. "What?" I bark, unable to dismiss the sick feeling in my stomach.

"Rue said as much," Jace admits with a grimace.

"She's not crazy," James snarls in protest, looking seconds away from launching himself at his brother.

Jace's eyebrows shoot up, then he purses his lips and looks like he's chewing glass. "If she told her story to the cops, what do you think would happen?"

James' mouth immediately snaps shut. He crosses his arms over his chest, and I'm not sure if it's to stop himself from starting a fight or if he's pouting.

Knowing James, it's a little bit of both, and my brows shoot up in surprise at his restraint.

Suddenly weary, I slump into a seat, rolling the empty glass between my hands. "What concerns me the most is her father genuinely seems to want his daughter returned to him. If he hates her so much, why scheme for her return?"

The guys exchange another loaded glance, and I tense, knowing that I'm not going to like their answer. James fiddles with a ring on his thumb, while Ellis reaches for the bracelet on his wrist before he stops himself. With narrow eyes, I glance at each of them. "Maybe you should tell me everything."

It's not a request.

In response, Gunner pulls out his phone, flipping through it before turning the screen toward me. It takes me a second to realize what I'm seeing, and my chest tightens like Jace parked his bike on it. I tear my eyes away from the picture of Gunner with his sister and glance up at him. "I don't understand."

He pulls the phone back, gazing down at the image almost reverently. When he doesn't speak, Jace takes over. "Rue sketched that while we watched."

A beat of silence follows, my brain trying to figure out what they are not saying.

"You remember when we were kids and how we used to make fun of the people who came to see Mrs. Killaghan to have their fortunes told?" Ellis looks uncomfortable with the whole conversation, gazing down at the bracelet on his arm almost obsessively.

"Sure." I shrug, waiting impatiently for him to get to the point.

"Not once did we believe she was anything but a kook," Jace confesses, suddenly finding the rug on the floor fascinating. He's tapping his finger against the ring on his thumb, and I'm not even sure he's aware of doing it.

"Of course not." I roll my eyes at the absurdity.

"Have you ever wondered why people keep coming back?" Jace slowly lifts his head, his pale blue eyes almost completely washed out, something that only happens when he's stressed.

"People are gullible," I answer without pause. "If they want to throw their money away, who am I to judge? People do the same with drugs and alcohol and gambling. I'm not the fucking vice police."

I'm starting to get annoyed with the nonanswers, drumming my fingers on the armrest of my chair as I glare at the assholes. "Just spill it."

"Haven't you noticed anything…unusual about Rue?" Ellis murmurs, his gaze intense as he stares at me from across the coffee table.

I purse my lips, struggling to fill in the gaps, and fail epically. I answer with a shrug. "Everything about Rue is unusual."

It's one of the reasons I'm unable to get her out of my fucking head. Awake or asleep, she haunts me. It should infuriate me, but my obsession with her won't be dismissed so easily.

"What about what happened with Gunner at the gravel pit? Or the kid she rescued at the grocery store? Or the lake today with the mother and her children?" James tips his head, as if curious about how I'll explain away the situations, and I don't like the way he's studying me.

"She's very intuitive." I dismiss the question, not liking the way doubts poke at my subconscious.

"Or she has a rare gift, something that she inherited from Nan," James counters, his face completely serious.

I snort at the ridiculous thought, unable to contain my amusement. "You think she can see the future?"

"No," Ellis answers slowly, like he's seriously contemplating the answer, "but I do think she is able to pick up on something that none of us can see."

I open and close my mouth a few times as my brain completely refuses to process their bullshit. I wait for the punch line, but they are completely serious. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"I think she's a type of psychic—possibly a medium," Ellis says with a completely straight face, not even blinking.

My gut sinks with dread, my thoughts immediately recalling her father saying his daughter was troubled and needed help.

I completely dismissed his claim, but I can't shut down my concern any longer. What if she really believes she has powers? As much as I want to help Rue, none of us are equipped to handle a medical condition that severe.

"She told you that?" I drag my hands roughly through my hair, gripping the strands as I stare down at the ground between my feet. My head snaps up, and I gape at the guys incredulously. "And you believed her?"

It's not a question.

The proof of it is in their eyes.

"There are too many questions that can't be answered any other way," Ellis counters. He's the one man who doesn't believe anything unless he can touch it or dig up proof on his computers, and he's the last person I thought would fall for such bullshit.

"Guys, if she really believes that she has some sort of abilities, then she needs professional help." My throat actually hurts when I speak the words. The last thing I want is to send Rue away, but I refuse to allow my need for her to get in the way of something that she needs. "She could hurt herself or someone else. She?—"

"My parents destroyed almost all the pictures of my sister," Gunner whispers in a tortured tone, cutting off my rant to get them to understand how dangerous her actions could be without medication and professional help.

"They knew how much I loved her, and they did it to hurt me. They said if they couldn't have her, then neither could I. I have exactly two pictures of my sister. One is of her as a child, and the other is stained almost beyond recognition, the edges burnt from where I dug through a firepit to rescue it." He tightens his grip on his phone, and he glances at me from under his heavy brows. "There is no way Rue could know what my sister looked like, yet she drew an exact image of her. She said Maggie warned her that I was about to die. She sent Rue to help me."

"Not to mention that she saved those kids at the lake today or the girl who would've froze at the grocery store," James adds, like that's proof enough for him.

It's all I can do not to roll my eyes. "You can't honestly believe this nonsense, can you?"

"Of course," James answers without hesitation. When no one else speaks, he glares at his brother.

"I…" Jace clears his throat, his eyes troubled, then he shrugs. "Maybe. It would explain some things."

"Rue believes it," Gunner admits with an unapologetic shrug. "That's good enough for me."

I open then close my mouth, unable to believe they are serious. My gaze lands on Ellis, waiting for his logical side to take over. "And you?"

"I'm not sure I can give an unbiased answer," he admits, shrugging when I continue to stare at him in shock. "There are accounts throughout history claiming such gifts are real. Before meeting Rue, I would have one hundred percent called it a scam. Now? I'm not sure anymore."

I close my mouth, knowing that no amount of arguing will change their minds.

As much as I want to ignore the issue, that's no longer possible with her father looking for reasons to take her away. The only way the guys will admit that she needs help is if I prove them wrong. Once Rue accepts that she doesn't have any magical woo-woo abilities, we can get her help and keep her away from her father at the same time.

I can't—I won't—take the chance of losing her.

I only hope Rue and the guys won't come to hate me for it later.