Forever Golden: Dark High School Bully Romance (Kings of Cypress Prep Book 3) by Rachel Jonas (books like beach read txt) š
- Author: Rachel Jonas
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āSeriously?ā
That word oozes frustration, but I have no intention on sharing the truth behind Pandoraās post with her.
āWhose truck was that you were in? Did itā¦ have anything to do with Mom?ā
Shit.
I didnāt even consider sheād think that. Her eyes are watering now, and while I was fully prepared to not answer any of her questions, hearing the sudden spike of emotion in her voice has me rethinking my stance.
āIt wasnāt about Mom. It was justā¦ it was something you donāt need to worry about.ā
Yes, that sounds dismissive as hell, but the alternative is to scare the shit out of my sister, which I wonāt do.
āWhat about your hand?ā she asks next. āWhyās it all bandaged up? You get into a fight or something?ā
āNope,ā is all I say this time.
āOk, fine,ā she huffs. āYou donāt want to talk about the truck, you donāt want to talk about your hand, then at least explain how and why we suddenly have an alarm on the house. It wasnāt there yesterday.ā
Why canāt she just be overly preoccupied by her social life and obsessed with her phone like most teens? She has so, so many questions.
Iām at a loss for how to explain the alarm, but I sure as hell feel safer having it. Coming home tonight to see that West had followed through with getting it installed was the first sigh of relief Iāve exhaled all day. Granted, I donāt have the access code yet, and I have no clue how to operate the thing, but once I do, Iāll rest easier.
Scarās staring hardcore right now, but Iām choosing to bypass this string of questions in favor of facing the TV again.
āFine,ā she huffs. āMaybe if I turn this off, youāll focus and tell me whatās happening.ā
She reaches for the remote with a frustrated sigh, but the familiar face at the center of the screen has my hand flying to hersāa tall, dark-skinned man with more gray in his beard than the last time we were face-to-face, but thatās definitely him.
āHang on a sec.ā
āYouāre stalling andāā
āShh! Please, I need to hear this,ā I say, cutting her off.
When I snatch the remote and turn up the volume, she growls to herself. Or, hell, maybe sheās growling at me.
āIsnāt that Mikeās old partner, Louis?ā
āYes, now be quiet,ā I say in a rush.
Scarās not happy about being shushed, but sheās not talking anymore, and thatās the important part.
āNow, Detective Roby, itās our understanding that youāre the first, and possibly the only member of the department to propose that the disappearances of these missing southside girls might be related. Is that correct?ā The reporterās question prompts Detective Roby to nod.
āI am the one who initiated the new task force,ā he explains, ābut thereās been tremendous effort from a handful of my peers, who are both vigilant and exceptional in their given fields.ā
āI understand this, Detective Roby, but is it true that you received a lot of pushback? Our sources tell us that many who do oppose the formation of the new task force base their opinion on the fact that there simply isnāt enough evidence to support there being a connection. Whatās your response to anyone who shares this view?ā
Iām fixated on Detective Roby as he thinks before responding to the reporterās question. Seeing him transports me back in time. Back to when he and Mike were partners and the Robys were like family to us. But then Mikeās occasional drinking turned into full-blown dependency, which led to him being let go from the force. Once that happened, Louis, his wife, and their daughter, Dez, sort of forgot we existed. Now, from the looks of it, a promotion has pulled Louis from behind the wheel of a patrol car and placed him behind a desk.
My memory of him is somewhat hazy now, but I remember him being one of the good guys. Even Ricky can attest to that, seeing as how heās only received lectures from Roby on several occasions when he shouldāve been in handcuffs. Louis was even instrumental in getting Hunter a slightly lighter sentence than he deserved.
Detective Roby meets the reporterās gaze again, and the room is completely quiet as Scar and I listen.
āWell, my response to anyone who believes weāre making a mountain out of a molehill would be to challenge them to pretendājust for one secondāthat itās their daughter, or their granddaughter, or their niece out there, gone without a trace. Then, Iād want them to honestly ask themselvesā¦ do they still feel this task force is unnecessary?ā
The reporterās brow rises, and she faces the camera again. āVery well-said, Detective. We appreciate you taking the time to speak with us.ā
Detective Roby nods and when his gaze locks with the camera, I feel like heās looking directly at me.
Like, maybe my seeing this tonight is fate.
Like, maybe he is someone we can trust, someone who can help us.
Chapter 9
BLUE
The moment Detective Robyās interview ends, Scar gets a call and leaves me for more interesting conversation, I guess. Her bedroom door slams shut and itās just me since my phone is off limits until further notice.
Or maybe not? I mean, as long as thereās no pertinent information being passed, a vague āI miss youā text wouldnāt be so bad, would it?
Donāt be stupid. Be patient. Youāll see West tomorrow, and heāll tell you everything then. Stop worrying.
With that, I pretend to be content not hearing his voice before bed, then turn off the lights.
But after taking maybe three steps, thereās a knock at the door that has my heart racing and my palms sweating. I stare through the darkness and dread the very thought of looking outside to see whoās there.
Because thereās a chance itās someone I donāt want to let in.
Iāve been startled before, and this isnāt that. This is real fear, itās me being scared shitless at the thought of whoeverās at the door with malice in their heart.
Iām quiet when slipping between the end table and window to peek
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