Lunging for it, he punched in a number and ripped it off the cable before disappearing into his office. I could barely make out his muffled voice from inside it, but he was definitely beyond pissed.
It took him another fifteen minutes before he came out of his study, and his gaze landed on me. The skin around his eyes was still tight, and his eyes themselves seemed almost hollow. As if he’d burned through his rage and had been left with nothing inside.
“Are you okay?” I asked tentatively. Dad had never hurt me and never would, but he looked like he’d been to hell and back. I didn’t want to push him too fast or too far, but I also desperately needed to know what was going on.
My instincts were screaming at me that Lincoln was involved, and if he was, I needed to know he was okay.
Dad shrugged, stalking into the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee. He added twice the amount of instant powder he usually used, but I didn’t stop him.
“Two of my guys who were on suspension went on a mission. They disobeyed direct orders. It’s going to be a nightmare cleaning this up.” He sighed, hanging his head as he braced himself against the counter. His knuckles turned white from the grip he had on the granite. “I’m supposed to be retired, for fuck’s sake. It’s like he’s trying to give me a goddamn heart attack.”
I didn’t ask who. I didn’t have to. I already knew.
Blood pounded in my ears and I felt woozy. Reaching out for the couch when my knees turned numb, I gripped the backrest and managed to squeeze words out past the tightness of my throat.
“Are the guys okay?”
His gaze narrowed on the boiling kettle, but he gave his head a small shake that made terror rush from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes. My extremities turned to ice, and my teeth just about started chattering.
“One is fine, but the other is in critical condition. Dobbs is like a fucking cat who has nine hundred lives instead of just nine. He’ll always be fine. It’s the destruction he leaves in his wake that’s deadly.”
Lincoln’s fine. Lincoln’s fine. Lincoln’s fine. The chant burst out in my mind, and my body reined in its reactions.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Dad ranted. “I’m so pissed off I can barely see straight, and he doesn’t say a single goddamn word.”
“I have to go,” I blurted out when it dawned on me that while Lincoln might not have been injured in this incident, it was highly doubtful that he was, in fact, fine.
Dad’s head whipped up, and he frowned deeply at me. “Where are you going? I thought you said you didn’t have any plans today?”
“I need to call Haley. It’s really important. I just remembered.”
He sighed, lifting his hands to massage his temples. “Of course. Sure. Go. This isn’t your problem.”
Guilt bloomed in my chest, but I shoved that shit down. I needed to try getting a hold of Lincoln again. Dad was pissed off, but he’d get over it. As he’d pointed out, he was retired. Technically, none of this was his problem anymore.
Lincoln, on the other hand, had somehow gotten involved with a mission while he’d been on suspension. I’d seen him only hours before he had to have gone, and he hadn’t mentioned anything about a mission to me.
In fact, when I’d asked him when he’d be leaving again, he specifically said not anytime soon. Something didn’t add up here, and I needed to find out what it was.
More importantly, though, the consequences of this incident could be dire for Lincoln under the circumstances. I needed to check on him. I also needed to know who it was that was in critical condition.
Eden was like a brother to him. He had no one else. If Eden was the one who had been hurt, Lincoln would need someone to be with him. I didn’t even care if he pulled that alpha-hole crap on me again. Everyone needed someone to be there for them when they were worried about a loved one.
Dad waved me off, and I tripped over my own feet trying to get upstairs to my bedroom. I just avoided a fall by catching the banister as I started toppling. I jerked myself upright and took off once more.
As soon as my door closed behind me, I shoved my hand into the tight pocket on my skinny jeans and yanked my phone out. The rough material burned the back of my hand from the force of my actions, but I barely noticed the sensation.
Hitting redial on the last number I’d called, I waited impatiently to see if he’d pick up this time. I walked right over to my window and continued my pacing from downstairs.
Large, impressive white blossoms sat on our magnolia tree, and the sight of them finally stopped my mad movements. Sinking into the seat at the bay window in my room, I leaned my head back against the wall and watched the white petals standing out boldly against the sky as the phone rang in my ear.
Just when I thought Lincoln wasn’t going to answer again, the ringing ended and his deep voice came over the line. “Hey, babe. Can I call you back? I can’t really talk now.”
“I’ll only be a minute. I promise,” I rushed out. “Are you busy right now? I’d like to come to see you.”
Nothing but silence met my request at first. For a minute, I wondered if he was going to respond at all. A soft gust of breath came next, then a short answer. “Yeah. Okay. I’m at my old place.”
He rattled off an address near the base. I knew
