Page 79 of The Beat of My Heart
“Huh.”
Raising an eyebrow, he smirks. “I just bled my heart dry for you, and all you can say is, huh?”
I’m saved from having to answer by a commotion in the driveway.
“Fuck, let's go,” Trevor says, taking me by the hand. Holding up the photo of Charlie that he is still clutching, he waves it in the air. “I’m keeping this, okay? I’ll replace it for your parents if they’d like, but I need to keep it with me tonight.”
My heart just freaking exploded. “I’m sure they’ll understand,” I tell him as he drags me to the front door.
Outside, I’m shocked by the sheer amount of people. Observing the controlled chaos, there has to be ten men all suited up in SWAT gear. Trevor keeps me mostly shielded by his body, but I can’t help trying to sneak a peek.
What the fuck is going on?
“Mr. Knight, right this way, sir. Do you have keys for the other vehicles?” One of the men asks.
“Angel, where are your keys?” Trevor asks.
“Ah,” I look around,Crap, where did I put them?
“We found keys in the SUV, sir,” another man informs the one I assume is in charge.
Trevor shakes his head while looking at me, but smiles. Handing over his own keys, he shuffles me into a waiting car.
“Hey, I can’t just leave Lanie’s car here with strangers,” I tell him.
“Angel, they work for the government and with Loki. You can trust them. Besides, Dex told me to leave the car behind, and he’d get someone to pick it up. Just get in the car. Please,” he adds as an afterthought.
Unless I plan on single-handedly taking out a dozen armed men, I have no choice but to comply. Sliding into the car, I watch as Trevor exchanges a few tense words with another man, then climbs in after me.
Chapter 29
-Every Other Memory, Ryan Hurd
Trevor
Slamming the car door shut, it takes off almost immediately. Angel has slid as far across the seat as she can get, curled into the door frame opposite me. I can’t blame her, but fuck do I hate the fear I see in her eyes. How the hell do I explain all this to her? Luckily, I see her own chaos looming, so it gives me a few minutes to collect my thoughts.
As much as I try to focus, all I can think about is Loki. Something was wrong when he called. His voice was weak and strained, and I swear, just before something disconnected us, I heard gunfire. So much fucking gunfire. My gut rolls and I pray for the second time in as many months. I pray that my friend is okay.
I’m startled from my thoughts as Angel places her small hand in mine. Entwining our fingers, I stare at them as my breathing slows.
“Trevor, I need you to tell me what the hell is going on.” Her voice is steady, but I feel anxiety radiating from her like a volcano about to erupt.
“Fuck.” Rubbing a hand over my face, I try to decide where to begin. Angel doesn’t rush me, she doesn’t have to. We are trapped in this car for several hours, so taking a deep breath, I go back to the beginning.
“When I was in college, I got a phone call from my mom. She wanted me to come home for the weekend as she had something she wanted to talk to me about, but Dex and I had planned this enormous party at our fraternity house, and I told her I couldn’t go.” I look out the window, remembering that last phone call with her.
Without looking back to Julia, I tell the story I’ve never wanted to repeat.
“She called me that Saturday morning. Asked me to reconsider, but I’d refused. She was in the car, driving out of Waverley-Cay when she went into the tunnel. I stayed on the phone with her, assuming we’d get cut off, but we didn’t. She only made it halfway through the tunnel when she was ambushed. I heard her scream. She told me she loved me. Then I listened to the gunshot—just one. I found out later, one was all it took. The man who picked up her phone told me I was next unless I joined my father in his company. I don’t remember much else after that. I know Dex was with me, and Preston got his mother to fly us all home. I identified her body. I saw the single bullet hole. They executed her at close range.
“Oh my God,” Julia whispers but doesn’t let go of my hand.
“I spent the first five years avoiding my father and the last five trying to take him down.”
“And Loki is involved?” she asks.
Nodding, I confirm, “He works for a specialized unit within the U.S. Military. He says it was dumb luck that got him assigned to my father’s case, but I’m learning nothing is as it seems with Loki.”
