Page 12

Story: Can't Hold Back

Chapter 4

THE NEXT MORNING, NATEfollowed Dorcas to work, and waited in the parking lot until she was safely inside.

He didn’t like the idea of her being out in public unprotected, but there was only so much he could do when the stubborn woman insisted on going to work. At least she was in a busy restaurant with plenty of people around. He’d make sure to be there when her shift ended and escort her to Rita’s house in the hopes of discovering the lock that belonged to the key he’d found in the jar of mayonnaise.

Still dressed in his jeans and T-shirt from yesterday, Nate reluctantly twisted forward in his seat and slipped the truck into gear. Work awaited him as well, and the sooner he took care of business, the sooner he could check back on Dorcas.

It didn’t take long for him to reach the industrial park where Six Points Tactical & Security was located, and he claimed his usual spot beside Larissa’s SUV. Ty’s classic black Mustang was also there, which came as a surprise considering he wasn’t supposed to be in Orlando for another week. His other brothers’ vehicles were in the lot as well, which meant—as usual—that he was the last one in.

As the man in charge of sales and retention, he spent the bulk of his time in the field and worked a later schedule than his siblings. Most of his time was spent making new contacts, keeping their existing clients happy, and building a steady pipeline of business to ensure the company stayed in the black. So far, so good—this was their best year yet—but he preferred not to be complacent.

Keys in hand, Nate entered the building and was greeted by a blast of cold air. Classic rock music played softly over the speakers, and the sound of conversation filtered out from one of the offices. A woman laughed, and moments later, Nina walked into the hall, a tablet in her hand.

Tall and blonde, wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and combat boots, she reminded him of a pixie with attitude, one who could kick some serious ass now that she’d earned her third belt in aikido. She still had a ways to go before she got her black belt, but with her spunk and tenacity, he had no doubt she’d achieve it in no time at all.

The instant she saw him, the smile on her face gave way to concern. “How’s Dorcas?”

It didn’t surprise him that she knew about the break-ins. Austin probably told her about them the minute he walked through the door last night. Hell, maybe even before.

“About as well as can be expected.” Nate put one hand over his mouth to cover a yawn. He’d barely slept last night. Dorcas’s couch was hard as a rock and a foot shorter than his body. But the bigger reason for his lack of rest was because he’d been in a state of hyper-awareness and struggled to relax long enough to sleep for more than twenty minutes at a shot. “What do you know about the sister?”

Nina shrugged. “Not much. She came over a few times while I roomed with Dorcas, but I didn’t get to know her very well. She seemed nice; really smart, but kind of quiet.”

“Is there any other family in the area?”

“No, it’s just the two of them. Dad’s been out of the picture since they were kids, and their mom just moved to North Carolina with her new husband.”

“Any other siblings?”

“No, it’s just them.”

Well, hell. He’d been hoping for more insight on the missing sister. “When you get a chance, could you poke around a little? See what you can learn about her?”

“I’m already on it. I’ll let you know if I find anything useful.” She gave a faint smile. “Thanks for taking care of her last night. I appreciate it.”

“No problem. It was the least I could do.” Nate started to leave, but then turned around when he remembered a question he’d meant to ask. “Dorcas is the older sister, right?”

“Yeah. Four years older. Why?”

“I was just curious about why she’s still in school while Rita’s already graduated.”

“Rita had a full ride athletic scholarship. Soccer, if I remember correctly. It paid for everything, even her books.” A furrow appeared between Nina’s eyes. “Dorcas wasn’t so fortunate. She’s on the take-classes-when-she-can-afford-it plan.”