Page 56 of Shattered Secrets

Matt tilted her chin up with his finger and waited until she looked at him. “Scarlet, what don’t I understand?”

She went silent for so long, he wasn’t sure she’d even heard him.

Shaking her head, her eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away. “How could they have found me?”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Holy shit. Someone was looking for her. How the hell was this even possible?

Panic bubbled in her chest, and she tried to tamp it down. Dammit. No luck. Her lungs burned, and her heart pounded painfully hard.

“Breathe, Scar.”

Not realizing she’d been holding her breath, Scarlet exhaled and slammed her eyes shut. Her mind whirled, but she concentrated on Matt’s soothing voice. It was almost as comforting as his touch. Part of her brain recognized that she was cocooned in his arms, practically glued against his chest. That while he had one hand soothing along her back, his other arm was draped over her lap, his large hand clutching the outside of her thigh.

On any other day, butterflies would have taken flight in her belly.

But it wasn’t any other day. No. It was a day that had started so promising and taken a terrifying turn.

One thing at a time.She needed the facts. Because none of this made sense. “Can you tell me what you know?”

He relayed the information he’d witnessed firsthand, along with what he’d been told by Martha. Including the description of the photo.

Scarlet’s stomach rolled. Bleached-blond hair, leather, and denim? A gussied-up teenage wannabe biker chick? That described the old her to aT.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Matt, I don’t?—”

A knock at the door made her flinch, and again, Matt’s hand was there, moving along her back in soothing circles. The door opened, and Martha entered, followed by Gavin.

The older woman crossed the room to the couch, bent down, and wrapped Scarlet in a hug.

Her throat clenched tight and her nose tingled as she returned the embrace, taking in the comforting lemon scent that always lingered on the older woman, no matter how many hours she spent at the diner. If Poppy was the sister Scarlet had never had, then Martha was her mother, favorite aunt, and grandmother all rolled into one.

“Oh, sweet girl,” Martha murmured, kissing her forehead. “You take the rest of the day off, okay?” Before Scarlet could protest, Martha rushed on, “Naomi’s coming in to cover your shift.”

“Are you sure?”

Martha nodded, then cupped her face in her hands. “I know what you’ve told me, sweetie. You need to figure out what’s going on, because I love you like my own andnothingis going to happen to you. You hear me, missy?”

Warmth filled her chest as she nodded.

Martha was her greatest ally. Because of the circumstances of her arrival on Hudson, Scarlet had shared what she could with the older woman. It had only been fair that she and Ray knew what they were getting themselves into. Not only had Martha stuck by her side, but she’d showered her and Daisy with somuch love and support—something Scarlet had never had. And though Martha was an enthusiastic member of the gossip train, she had been a vault with Scarlet’s secrets. And Scarlet would be forever grateful for that.

“Now, you take as long as you need. Don’t you worry about work. We’ll cover you.” Martha placed one hand on Matt’s shoulder and her other on Gavin’s arm. “Your job is to let these boys do what they do. They’ll figure out who that man was and what he wants.”

“Thank you, Martha,” she said, voice hoarse with emotion.

“Of course, sweet girl. Taking care of my family is what I do.”

Standing, Scarlet hugged Martha once more and squeezed. There was no stopping the tears from pouring down her face this time. “You’re my family, too,” she whispered.

Martha pulled away and wiped her eyes, then turned to Matt and Gavin. “You boys take care of my girl.” She pinned Matt with a look as he rose from the couch. “And you.Nothinghappens to my girl. You hear me?”

Matt wrapped an arm around Scarlet’s shoulders and pulled her into his side. “Yes, ma’am.”

A short drive later, Scarlet followed Matt into a large conference room at the Hudson Security office. She’d never been inside the building and had to admit she was one thousand percent intimidated. There were screens and gadgets everywhere, and she didn’t have the first clue as to what any of them did.

“Can I get you anything? Something to drink?” Matt asked, pulling out a chair for her at the end of a long conference table.

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