Page 116 of Saving His Heart

“All I know is Easton, Lexi, and I were the last one’s standing. At some point, they put me in a cab and sent me home. East never made it to his bed that night. Judging by Lexi’s appearance on the flight home the next day, she didn’t get much sleep either,” Colton explains, happy to supply the gossip.

“Oooh, is this another love story in the making?” Sloane asks, pulling a pen out of her hair like a ninety-year-old waitress.

“No,” all the men yell in unison.

“Seriously, do you think something’s going on with them?” Emory whispers.

“I have no idea. It’s a scary thought, though. Those two would be voted most likely to kill each other for food in high school.”

“There you are,” Seth says gruffly. I swear this guy forgets whose house he is in half the time.

“Here I am. You need something?” I ask, wrapping an arm around Emory.

“I have Ashton carrying the board into the family room. Do you mind if we go over the new intel before you celebrate?”

I can’t decide if it’s sarcasm or anger in his voice, but since we’re in the middle of a Christmas do-over, I go for charitable. “Sure. And, Seth? You know that you’re invited to our Merry little fuckmas, too, right? Loki would want you here, and even though we don’t say it enough, every person here appreciates everything you’re doing to find him.”

He stares are me, dumbfounded. “Ah … okay. Th-Thanks, Preston. I appreciate it.”

Alright, I admit it. I’ve been a dick to this guy. I’ll try to do better.

Clapping him on the shoulder, I say, “Anytime. Let’s see what we have,” then follow him into the family room.

Seth takes over immediately.

“I’ve been going over the intel nonstop all night. Unfortunately, I can’t make anything of it. Ashton located the nanny’s house yesterday morning, and my team converged in Maryland this morning. The house was empty. It appears she left in a hurry, and there’s no trace of her. I think it is safe to assume Loki made it to her, but we have no idea if she left with him or was forced to leave later.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see my mom sitting silently.

“I think Sloane is correct in that he was leading us to all these places,” Seth admits begrudgingly.

“The W? I knew it,” Sloane cheers.

“Right. Anyway, we’re checking out the other three points West but haven’t found anything. The only other clue we have is from Loki’s parents’ house.”

My mother gasps. The house Loki grew up in is next door to my childhood home. It shares a beach on Westbrook Bay. Halton makes his way across the room to hold her hand. The jerk isn’t such a hardass when it comes to our mom.

“What did you find at the Kane house?” my mother asks.

Seth looks around, then pins a bloodied piece of paper to the board.

“Jesus, Seth. Are all the dramatics really necessary?” Ash scolds.

“Sorry, I-I just don’t know what the hell any of it means.”

Like everyone else in the room, I stand to get a closer look.

“That’s Loki’s handwriting,” I confirm.

“I thought so, too,” Seth agrees.

“Four points West—Sutton?” Emory reads aloud, but it’s the next part I can’t look away from.

Turning to find Julia, I know she sees it, too. “Is that your code?”

Julia nods her head. “It is.”

“What does it say?” my mother asks. Loki is one of her boys. I can’t imagine the pain this poor woman has lived through between the eight of us.