Page 75
Story: Silver Fox Mountain Daddies
But all I can see is the locked door.
All I can feel is the shake in my hands.
All I can hear is silence.
I check the front window again. This time I pull back the curtain half an inch and scan the porch, the steps, the gravel beyond it. There’s nothing there.
I release the curtain and begin pacing again.
I go to the front door and my hand lifts to the lock. It’s secure. I know it’s secure. I checked it two minutes ago. But I check it again anyway.
My stomach churns.
I check Mae’s door again. She’s still on her bed talking to her toys in a voice too soft to hear. She’s in her own little world and doesn’t realize anything is wrong.
Fuck. What should I do?
I swipe at my eyes, then press my back to the wall and slide down until I’m crouched low to the floor. I grip the phone tighter and press it against my chest.
I count to calm myself.
One, two, three. Breathe.
One, two, three. Don’t fall apart.
Five more minutes pass. Then I hear the low rumble of a truck pulling into the drive. I’m on my feet immediately. Panic sinks in for a moment before I realize I know that sound. Boone’s truck has a distinct rumble.
The engine cuts, and doors slam shut. Then footsteps on the porch. I hear a quiet “what the fuck is that.” The lock turns. The door swings open.
Finn is the first inside. His eyes lock on mine, and he’s at my side in seconds.
“What happened?” he asks, crouching down low and gripping my arms. He pulls me up to standing.
“There was a sound a little bit ago,” I say. “Breaking glass. I didn’t?—”
Jonah is through the door next. He’s already checking locks, glancing through windows.
Boone is right behind him.
I press into Finn’s chest, my fingers grabbing onto the back of his shirt. My whole body shakes, and I can’t stop it.
Jonah finishes his sweep in seconds and heads for the door again. Boone doesn’t ask. He just follows him outside.
Finn pulls back enough to look at me. “Where’s Mae?”
“She’s playing in her room.”
“You didn’t open the door?”
“No.” I don’t tell him that I did last night.
He kisses my forehead. “Good girl.”
Boone and Jonah come back in a few minutes later. I can tell by their expressions that I didn’t imagine the noise. Jonah shuts the door behind them.
“Someone broke out the window on the old truck.”
Fuck.
All I can feel is the shake in my hands.
All I can hear is silence.
I check the front window again. This time I pull back the curtain half an inch and scan the porch, the steps, the gravel beyond it. There’s nothing there.
I release the curtain and begin pacing again.
I go to the front door and my hand lifts to the lock. It’s secure. I know it’s secure. I checked it two minutes ago. But I check it again anyway.
My stomach churns.
I check Mae’s door again. She’s still on her bed talking to her toys in a voice too soft to hear. She’s in her own little world and doesn’t realize anything is wrong.
Fuck. What should I do?
I swipe at my eyes, then press my back to the wall and slide down until I’m crouched low to the floor. I grip the phone tighter and press it against my chest.
I count to calm myself.
One, two, three. Breathe.
One, two, three. Don’t fall apart.
Five more minutes pass. Then I hear the low rumble of a truck pulling into the drive. I’m on my feet immediately. Panic sinks in for a moment before I realize I know that sound. Boone’s truck has a distinct rumble.
The engine cuts, and doors slam shut. Then footsteps on the porch. I hear a quiet “what the fuck is that.” The lock turns. The door swings open.
Finn is the first inside. His eyes lock on mine, and he’s at my side in seconds.
“What happened?” he asks, crouching down low and gripping my arms. He pulls me up to standing.
“There was a sound a little bit ago,” I say. “Breaking glass. I didn’t?—”
Jonah is through the door next. He’s already checking locks, glancing through windows.
Boone is right behind him.
I press into Finn’s chest, my fingers grabbing onto the back of his shirt. My whole body shakes, and I can’t stop it.
Jonah finishes his sweep in seconds and heads for the door again. Boone doesn’t ask. He just follows him outside.
Finn pulls back enough to look at me. “Where’s Mae?”
“She’s playing in her room.”
“You didn’t open the door?”
“No.” I don’t tell him that I did last night.
He kisses my forehead. “Good girl.”
Boone and Jonah come back in a few minutes later. I can tell by their expressions that I didn’t imagine the noise. Jonah shuts the door behind them.
“Someone broke out the window on the old truck.”
Fuck.
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