Page 4 of Clover

“Where’s Clover, Rose?” His voice was sterner this time and another pause. His change in tone causes my blood pressure to spike.

“Is she with Beau?”

“Where is she, Z?” My patience is completely lost at this point as I speed a good twenty miles over the speed limit, heading back the way we came.

“I’m finding out now.” He says to me before turning his attention back to the phone in his hand.

“She’s not?”

“She’s not what, Zander?” I demand. He can’t keep saying things like that and not explaining what the hell is going on.

“She’s not at the bar or with Beau.”

“What?!” His words send me off the deep end, and my restraint snaps. Causing me to jerk the steering wheel and veer onto the shoulder of the road momentarily. He got to her. Braxton has her, and I know it. Screeching wheels accompany the abrupt sharp turn I make onto the highway as I swerve around car after car. Knocking Zander into his door with the force of the movement.

“Then where is she, Rose? What? Why did you let her do that?”

“Do what?” I all but scream in the confined space of my truck cab.

“Clover was going to drive herself to the bar in the Camaro. Why didn’t Beau drive her?” He asks into the phone again. I can hear Rosie’s voice rising from across the cab of my truck. I can’t make out what she’s saying over the loud roar of the engine as I race down the freeway.

“Goddammit. I told them not to leave her alone. Why the fuck did they leave her alone?” My cousins and I will have to have a serious talk between their faces and my fist when I see them. Disobeying my orders regarding her safety will not be permitted. They know why they needed to be with her. The fact that they allowed her to be alone, unsupervised, causing her disappearance, I may never forgive them for it. If we can’t find her or something happens to her, I don’t know what I’ll do.

“No. We can’t get ahold of her either.—Yes. Yes. Good. We’ll meet you there.”

“What is it?”

“Beau and Rose are going to go to your house to look for her. I told them we’d meet them there.”

“If she’s not there, Zander.”

“I know, Nix. Don’t worry. We’ll find her. I promise.”

“Can you, though? If he’s taken her, we may never find her.” A heartbeat catches in my throat and sticks there, causing me to exhale sharply. Being with Clover has made me fall in love with her, and if I can’t find her, I don’t think my heart will survive.

***

Pulling into my driveway, I throw my truck in park and don’t bother with the keys. Leaving them to dangle in the ignition as I sprint up the front stairs and throw open the front door.

“Clover!” I yell into the silent house. Beau and Rosie greet me in the foyer.

“She’s not here, Nix,” Beau informs me. My anger and sheer panic are in control now, and I can’t stop myself from grabbing the collar of his shirt and lifting him. Bringing him nose to nose with myself.

“Why weren’t you with her?” I growl into his face. He scowls at me, brows knitting together.

“I was at the bakery. I asked Rosie to pick her up. Clover convinced her that she could drive herself in the Camaro.” Speaking quickly, Beau knows if he doesn’t explain himself, I will snap his neck. Not that I want to kill Beau, but my instincts tend to take over and make me do things when I’m pissed.

“It’s not his fault, Nix. Let him go.” Rosie’s hands land on one of mine, clenching Beau’s t-shirt. Softly and calmly, she talks me off the edge of beating the ever-loving shit out of my best friend and cousin. Releasing Beau, he takes a healthy step back out of my reach.

A roar breaks from my throat, erupting from my lips. I slam my fist into the wall, creating a crater in its place. Drywall and paint flake off onto the floor in a dust cloud that floats in the longest moment of my life. I can’t breathe. I can’t think.

What do I do know?

Raking my hands through my hair, I pull at it, trying to figure out my next move. I know what my next move is—to rip Braxton’s heart from his chest with my bare hands.

Turning, my feet start to carry me back to my idling truck to do just that. Zander stands in the doorway and puts a hand on my chest, blocking my exit.

“Where are you going?”

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