Off-Limits by Terri Anne Browning

Author:Terri Anne Browning
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Anna Henson

Chapter 13

Lyla

I was just getting Josie out of the bathtub when my phone rang.

Unsure why it was ringing, I looked at the noisy thing apprehensively, an uneasy feeling settling in my gut.

Wrapping the towel around Josie’s wet little body, I urged her toward her bedroom. “Go on, Jo. I’ll answer this and be right there.”

“Okay,” she singsonged and skipped away.

Finally looking at the screen to see who was calling, I realized it was Barrick and lifted it to my ear. “How did your meeting go last night?” I asked by way of hello, knowing the meeting that had been planned for weeks with Mia’s father had been weighing heavily on him.

“Where are you?” he demanded, sounding…off. There was a strain in his voice, desperation, and something more. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought my hard-ass cousin was close to tears.

“I’m at Howler’s.”

“I’m in fucking Georgetown, and I have no way back. Mia left, with Braxton, and they took my Jeep. No taxi or Uber will take me that far, and I’m about to lose my fucking mind, Lyla.”

“Wait, wait. Hold up. What do you mean, Mia and Braxton took your Jeep? They’re supposed to be in New York for the weekend.” The dread I’d first felt at the sound of my phone doubled, because he wasn’t making any sense to me. “What the hell is going on, Barrick?”

“Mia found out,” he said with a groan. “She knows everything.”

“Shit,” I muttered. “I’m assuming she didn’t take the news very well, then?”

“That’s an understatement. Her uncle called the cousin yesterday to check in on his daughter, and Mia happened to pick up, and she heard me in the background. She showed up at the hotel this morning with Braxton and her mother, and things went south rapidly.”

“Oh man. I’ve heard stories about Mia’s mom.”

“Lyla, they’re all true. She handled those four Demons like they were fucking toddlers. She had one of the brothers by the ear and was pulling him around like a kid instead of a grown man. And he just let her. It was surreal.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “But it’s Mia who scared the hell out of me. She wouldn’t believe me when I told her I love her. Please, Lyla, send the car. I have to get back to campus and fix this before I lose her.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll call for the car now. I’m coming with you, though. She might listen to me.” I hoped, at least.

“Thank you,” he rasped just before the phone went silent.

Texting the driver who was always at my disposal, I walked into Josie’s room. “Jo-Jo, I have to go out for a little while.”

“Will you come back?” she asked, her eyes filling with sadness.

I crouched down in front of her, giving her a reassuring smile. “Of course I will. It will probably be late before I get back, though, so don’t give your dad a hard time about going to sleep. Okay?”

“Okay.” She gave me a tight hug, then handed me the brush.

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