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“Not yet,” he says, oblivious to the words that spewed from my mouth. He’s oozing with charm now, and it makes me want to vomit. “I’ve been waiting a long time to bring you this news, and I’m happy to say that I can finally announce it.”
It’s a whole different experience listening to Lance talk to the press in person. It makes it much more real than watching him through an old, flickering TV screen. It’s harder. It makes me angrier because it’s happening right under my nose.
“Well?” the same eager reporter asks, and I wonder if she has more important places to be. Don’t we all? I can think of a hundred different things I’d rather be doing than listening to Lance.
“As of today, the Jacobs and Wilder families are joining forces to search for the elusive Clary treasure.”
“What?” I exclaim, the question bursting from my mouth in surprise.
Lucas grabs for my hand, squeezing it as Lance keeps talking. “I have no doubt with our combined resources that the Clary treasure is within our grasp. The legend won’t be a legend for long, my friends.”
I heave in a breath of air. Several, actually. I can barely hear him talking through the buzzing in my brain. I knew what teaming up with them meant, but I didn’t think it would be a big deal. I didn’t think he’d tell the world. Dear God, if my father is somewhere where he can hear this, he’ll hate me.
“The Wilders?” someone asks. “The feud between your families is well-publicized. How did this come about?”
Another reporter asks. “Isn’t that a risky business decision, Mr. Jacobs? The Wilder family has a less-than-stellar reputation.”
I squeeze Lucas’s hand so hard that he turns toward me. More questions and insults are being thrown at my family while Lucas moves to stand in front of me. He tips my chin toward him. “Dakota,” he whispers. “Focus on me.”
Tears gather in the corners of my eyes as I stare into Lucas’s soft brown irises. I made a huge mistake. I want to throw the door open and tell them all it’s not real, but I’ll just be playing into their hands if I do. After all, they already think my dad is crazy. Now I will be, too.
Another voice splits through them all. It’s not Lance’s, but it’s as confident as his. It’s teeming with sense and savvy. It cuts through all the others with a definitive tenor. “The Wilders are treasure hunting legends,” Stone says. “We’re happy to be working with them. Now, if you’ll excuse my father and I, we have a tremendous amount of planning to do.”
The door opens a crack, and the erratic voices of the reporters aren’t so muffled anymore. They’re still yelling out questions as Lucas moves us away from the door, and the two Jacobs step inside, shutting the prying voices out, effectively shutting them up.
“You, dick,” I growl as soon as the door is closed. I free myself of Lucas’s hand and make a fist.
Lance brushes off imaginary dust from his suit jacket. “We are working together, aren’t we?”
I pull my hand back and let it loose. It flies toward Lance’s face. He doesn’t notice until the last moment, but it doesn’t connect. Wyatt catches my hand, squeezing it in his palm.
Lance’s face switches from fear to snark. “I see you take after your father’s hotheadedness.”
I growl in frustration. I’d love to feel the crack of my knuckles against his skin. Just once. Just for being his pious, self-centered self. “How’s this then? We’re done. Take away college, I don’t give a fuck. There’s something more important than that. Something you couldn’t possibly understand.”
“Enlighten me, girl.”
“Staying true to your family.”
I nudge him out of the way as I go for the door. My truck keys are hanging on a hook over a table near the exit, and I grab for them.
Strong arms wrap around me from behind. I relax at first, but then I realize they’re not Lucas’s, they’re Stone’s. His words about my family only marginally made up for this stunt. “Stop fighting me,” he growls. “You can’t go out there right now. The press will eat you alive.”
“I’d rather them than you.”
“Ugh,” Lance says in disgust. “Has this little infatuation with her only gotten worse? Just fuck her and be done with it. You know it can never be anything more.”
I still in Stone’s arms. Without him holding me, I’d have probably fallen over.
Stone pushes me away from him. “I assure you that’s not it,” Stone growls, fixing his polo shirt so that it lays evenly across his shoulders. “She only responds to physical measures.”
Is this family for real? I gaze over at Lucas who’s wearing a hard frown, but he keeps his lips pressed together. I guess our truce only goes so far.
Turning, I meet them all stare for stare. It feels like David versus Goliath at this point. However, as much as I’d love to just find my way out of their hair forever, I’m stuck. Not only did he just announce our partnership, they’re the only hope I have of finding out what happened to Dad.
In his absence, there’s one thing I learned above all else. One person does not make a team. In fact, it’s pretty fucking lonely being by yourself. And if I ever want to not be lonely again, I need to find my dad.
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