Page 119 of Hot Damn
“Whitney!” Spinning on my heel I find the door barred by one of the men on the Rogues security team.
“She’s fine. We know where she is and two of our men are retrieving her right now.”
“Retrieving her? She’s not a dog!”
“No, she’s not, and I apologize for the terminology, but I’mnot used to speaking to clients.” The man’s sheepish expression deflates some of my anger but does nothing to relieve my fear.
“Where is she? Whit?”
“She’s at school. I’m told she had an appointment with the school counselor.”
Just the mention of the position has a violent shudder rippling down my spine. I don’t recall Whit mentioning seeing the school’s counselor. I know she’s spoken with the careers advisor but counselor?
Turning back to the room I find Oakley and Natalie waiting for me. The sympathetic looks on their faces has my anger reducing further.
“Sorry. I…”
How do I explain my outburst without revealing my secret? Hell, if they know Whit’s mother’s name they probably understand my reaction. With the initial rush of anger and panic subsiding I’m able to think more clearly.
Even if I could get past the guy at the door I need to know what’s happening before I go charging out in defense of my daughter. Doing as originally asked, I walk over to Natalie’s desk and take one of the visitor seats in front of it.
Elbows on knees, head bowed because I can’t look at anyone when I hear what they say, I ask, “Tell me about the call.”
“It was Fenton Barnes. He wanted to know what I knew about Whitney’s mother, Catrina Hooper. I, of course, know nothing and told him so. He then told me to find you and lock you down, he’d get Cami and Whitney here.”
“I don’t understand.” Rubbing my hands over my head doesn’t bring me any clarity.
“Neither do we, but from your reaction this isn’t a simple neglectful mother story,” Oakley adds as she joins me in a chair in front of the GM’s desk. “And I really don’t understand you lashing out at Cami about whatever this is.”
Fuck!Cam was right. I need to tell Natalie and I may as well tell Oakley and Blake while I’m at it.
“Is Coach Watts around? I’d rather only talk about this once.”
“She’s on her way up.” At Natalie’s words, the door behind us swings open and slams into the back of the security guy making him grunt.
“Oops. Sorry.” Coach Watts slips inside. “What’s going on? Bran just called and said there was some exclusive story being aired tonight about Beckett. Something about a sordid affair and stealing his daughter from her mother.”
I’m so shocked by her words I can’t speak.
Everyone else seems to have been affected the same, because for long seconds nobody speaks.
“Okay, this is obviously news…” Coach is pulling her phone from her pocket. “Let me call Bran back and get more details.”
“What show? I don’t need anything but the name of the show,” Natalie demands as she too picks up her phone to make a call.
I don’t hear either conversation. I’m still stuck on Coach Watt’s words.
Something about a sordid affair and stealing his daughter from her mother.
It’s kind of true. I did have a sordid affair. And in a way, I stole my daughter, but not from her mother. I stole her from the jaws of death.
“Beckett!” Oakley snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Snap out of it. What are we dealing with? We can’t fight it if we don’t know what it is.”
“I. Whit.” I swallow. Hard. “She’s everything to me.”
“We get that. It’s why whatever the hell we’re dealing withwillbe dealt with. Now explain.”
“No one knows except Cam.” Swallowing again, I force the next words out. “Not even Whit knows.”
