Forsaken Duty (Red Team #9)(46)

Outside, the yard was as beautiful as the rest of the estate. Manicured and well maintained, she could tell, even though winter had browned and desiccated everything. The wide lawn was broken into two areas, an upper portion close to the house and a lower portion farther away, which was now occupied by a noisy bunch of young boys who were engaged in some sort of guided sparring lesson. They were laughing, grunting, yelling.

Troy looked up at her. She knew that lonely look in his eyes. She smiled and ran a hand over his head. “Are those watchers?” she asked her tour group.

“They are,” Selena said.

“They’re the group my son was with?”

“Yep.”

She stopped to observe them, her heart in her throat. One of the young men in the group separated from the others and jogged over to them. He was tall and lanky. His dark blond hair was just a little curly and a tad too long. Tawny brows covered some sort of tattoos, not fully obscuring them. His eyes could tell stories, but right now, they seemed happy. Addy sent a look at Mandy, trying to quell the odd mix of panic and gratitude she was feeling.

“Hi,” he said to the group, then held out his hand. “You must be Addy. We were told you’d be moving in. I’m Lion.”

Addy went cold at the touch of his hand. This young man had seen her son—recently. He’d worked with him, fed him, kept him safe. “I’m Augie’s mom,” Addy said. What an odd name Lion was.

He looked a question at her, one Selena resolved for him. “Beetle’s mom.”

Lion’s distinctive brows lifted. “He said you were dead.”

Addy pressed her lips together. “I’m not.” She forced herself to breathe. “How long was he with you? Was he okay?”

Lion’s face went blank. Why? Was he trying to hide something from her? Did he have bad news? She reached out to touch him, which seemed to startle him.

“Please. I need to know.”

“He came to our group this summer. He wasn’t with us very long, but he was a loyal member of the pride.”

“Why did he leave? How did he leave?”

Lion looked sick. “There was a fight. He was taken from us.”

“By whom?”

“Mr. Edwards.”

Addy gasped. A cold, clammy sense of panic took over her gut. She grabbed Troy’s hand and started back toward the house. Troy was struggling to keep up, but she couldn’t slow down.

Selena came even with her. “What’s the rush? Where are you headed?”

“I have to see Owen.”

“Owen’s busy.”

Addy stopped. She wiped a tear from her face, unaware she’d been crying. “Does he know Cecil took him?”

“Maybe not. He just got back.”

“Then I need to see him.” Addy continued toward the house.

Selena tapped her ear, then said, “Boss, Addy needs you. We’ll be in the den.”

The others caught up with them, their faces filled with concern. “What’s going on?” Mandy asked.

“We’re going to talk to Owen,” Selena said. Mandy looked shocked.

Wynn gave Addy a calming smile. “Why don’t you leave Troy with us? He can play with Zavi while you meet with Owen.”

Addy grabbed Troy and pulled him close. “No! He stays with me.” She sent a panicked look around at the group. Lion was there. A leader of watchers. The kind of group Troy would disappear into.

Wynn put her hands up slowly. “All right. We’ll all go back. We’ll wait with you in the living room.”

Addy gave Selena and Lion both a narrow-eyed look as she picked up Troy and started toward the house at a fast pace. They would not have both of her sons. Even if it killed her…which the coming confrontation very well might. Her hold on Troy tightened, as his did around her neck. Did he remember when his brother had been taken? He’d only been a toddler. God, she hoped he didn’t.

The den. Where was the den? Selena touched her elbow and pointed down a hall. Addy followed, painfully aware that a leader of watchers was close behind. By the time they reached the den, all of her swirling emotions had coalesced into anger. Troy’s weight no longer seemed significant. Heat coursed throughout her body.

She closed her eyes, fearing she was starting to hyperventilate. Warm hands pulled her close to a body of steel. Owen. She knew his scent. His arms went around both her and Troy.

“Breathe, Laidy. Sloooowly. I got you.”

She did, through her nose so she could take in the hint of cloves from his skin. Her eyes felt a little less like they were burning.

She leaned back and looked at him. “I know where Augie is. Cecil took him.”

“I know.”

That took her aback. She stepped out of his arms so she could get a better look at his face. Of course he knew. He was King, wasn’t he?

“Honey, I think you should sit down.” He tried to lead her over to the leather sofa that was next to French doors leading out to the patio, but she shrugged him off.

“You knew.”

He frowned at her, tilting his head a little as he stared into her eyes. “I just learned when the guys came to pick us up.”

Nice recovery. She didn’t buy it. Her simmering anger built into a boiling rage. Her mouth was dry. Her eyes burned. She had to be breathing too fast, for she felt a little lightheaded. She didn’t resist when Owen again tried to draw her over to the sofa.