Page 107 of Just the Wrong Twin

Glances were exchanged. Nate kept silent, wondering why Sonia had called Pierce.

“She must have had a reason for leaving home,” Mack said.

“Exactly,” Pierce said.

“Speaking as someone who disappears and doesn’t always want to be found,” Jimmy said and Pierce’s smile flashed.

“Whatever happened, it was probably behind her decision to change her name.”

“Changing her name? That’s big,” Regan said.

“Something else went down,” Smoke said. “That girl had a reason to run.”

“That’s what I’m thinking,” Pierce said. “And now the Strongs want to have a reunion with their daughters, according to the tabloids and the daughter. She wants to step up and meet them first, without any media. She asked me to have a team accompany her to that meeting.”

Nate wanted to cheer. He couldn’t help but smile that Sonia was going to confront her fears, just the way he’d suggested.

Pierce smiled at him. “I think Nate knows more about this than he’s shared.”

“I do.” Nate turned to Jimmy. “Can I send a picture from my own phone to the laptop to share it?”

“Absolutely.” Jimmy talked Nate through it and shared the picture he’d saved from Sonia’s first podcast.

Jimmy then zoomed in on the girls’ faces, putting the images side by side, and everyone caught their breath.

“That’s her,” Regan said.

“Maybe a third of her,” Angel said and Nate resisted the urge to deck him. “Down, boy,” the older guy said, obviously noticing his expression. “Who is she?”

“Sonia Olson,” Pierce said.

“She works at Flatiron Five Fitness,” Nate said.

“She was at our wedding,” Pierce said. “She works with Jacquie.”

“She’s gorgeous,” Troll said, then turned to Nate. “Wait. You left the wedding with her, you lucky bastard.”

Nate nodded. “She’s my friend.” The word was painfully inadequate to describe what he felt for Sonia but he reminded himself to stay in his lane.

“I need more friends,” Angel muttered.

“Good luck with that, given your sparkling personality,” Smoke said and they grinned at each other.

“She’s launched a podcast at the club, teaching yoga,” Nate said. “She was afraid they might find her, but I encouraged her to go for it.”

“And now she wants to strike first,” Pierce said, spinning in his chair. “Jacquie thought she was just too shy to teach online.”

“Me, too, but since your wedding, she’s told me more,” Nate said. “She said her parents were toxic to her.”

“Toxic?” Mack echoed. “Derek Strong istoxic?”

“That was her word.” Nate shrugged.

“But what did he do?” Mack asked.

Nate didn’t think he was breaking a confidence, since Sonia had talked about it on her podcast. “He sexually abused her, from the time she was ten.”

Mack gasped and the guys looked grim.

---