I breathe sharply through my nose, leaning my forehead against hers. “Promise?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
I look back toward Logan. “Listen, man—” Yelling cuts me off, muffled, but close enough to the door that the voice carries.
Fuck.
Mr. Carson.
My head swings to Goldi. I don’t let go of her hand as I rush through the doors back into the party. I stop short, watching the scene with wide eyes.
Mr. Carson has Sam’s shirt crumpled in his fist and is being held back by Jax. His face is red and spittle flies out of his mouth as he slurs his attack.
“No! I don’t give a good goddamn. I know… know what you said Sam, you sonnofabitch.”
Goldi is a statue, her worst fear playing out in front of her. Where the fuck is Eli?
By the time I get across the hall to them, Mr. Carson has been wrangled somewhat under control. Jax’s hair is a mess, half of it falling out of his bun, and his eyes are round with shock as he tries to contain the beast of Mr. Carson’s despair. It’s obvious he had no clue this was going on.
Oh, Goldi.
In any other circumstance, I’m sure Jax would love to argue my interference, but at this moment he shows nothing but gratitude as I step between Mr. Carson and Sam to defuse the situation.
My gaze bounces to Sam. His face is red, and his lip is bleeding, but mainly he just looks sad.
I turn my attention to Goldi’s dad. “Mr. Carson. Can you focus on what I’m saying to you?”
“Boy, you... you’re always showin’ up when you’re not wanted. This here is man’s business.” He sways in Jax’s arms. Jax’s arms tense as he tightens his grip.
“I’m sure it is, sir. How about we take it outside and handle it there?”
The room is silent, hundreds of eyes watching as the Carson family secret spills into the open.
“I ain’t got nothin’ else to say.” He points a finger at Sam. “You know… Gail was… I can’t. How could you just bring her… up? My wife.” He crumples, gripping his chest and sobbing.
I suck in a breath and twist around to peek at Sam. He watches his old friend with a frown, his forehead creased in concern.
“Mr. Carson,” I try again. “Let’s go out front, yeah?” I grasp his shoulder to steer him, but he jerks, the sudden movement pushing Jax back and allowing him to break free. He storms out of the hall, leaving a trail of gossip behind him.
“Shit,” I mutter. I search for Goldi in the crowd. Her face is drained of color and she’s clenching her fists. Over and over. Like the motion is the only thing that’s keeping her together. I turn quickly to Sam. “You okay?”
He lifts his chin in a nod, and then I’m chasing after Mr. Carson. I’m not sure where he’s going, but I’m not trying to let him get there on his own. I run into the fresh air, the calm of the night deceiving with its stillness. I search for Mr. Carson or his truck, but can’t find either.
Fuck.
Goldi bursts through the doors soon after me, panting from exertion.
“Is he gone?” She whips her head around.
“I think so. Want to go look for him?” I’m already grabbing the keys from my pocket, but she shakes her head, putting her hand on my arm to stop me.
“No. We’ll never find him, and even if we did…” She shrugs. “Daddy needs to learn to lie in the bed he makes. There’s only so much I can do.”
I pull her into me, hugging her tight and kissing the top of her head. I know how hard that is for her to admit. But I’m so fucking proud of her for realizing it doesn’t fall on her shoulders. I peer over her head, keeping an eye out in case Marissa decides to make another appearance. I have no clue where she went. Goldi says something, but the sound of an engine drowns her out. We turn toward the noise as a motorcycle rumbles into the lot, parking right outside the front doors. A man climbs off the bike, pushing his brown hair off his face and shrugging out of his black leather jacket. His arms are covered in sleeves of ink. He definitely isn’t from Sugarlake.
“Who is that?” Goldi asks.
I shake my head because I have no fucking clue. He lights up a cigarette, worn black combat boots crossing as he leans against his bike. He’s got a cell in his hand, and after a second my phone vibrates in my pocket. I grab it, staring at the screen.
Mason: Here.
My head snaps back to the biker. That’s the private investigator?
“What is it?” Goldi asks, peeking at my phone.
“I think that’s the guy, the PI. I’m gonna go talk to him. Want to come?”
She shakes her head. “I need to go hunt down Eli and tell him about Daddy.” She leans up and gives me a kiss. “Find me after?”
I nod, kissing her before she walks away.
We’ve caught Mason’s attention and he swaggers over. The closer he gets, the more his details become clear. He’s a fucking giant. I’m not a small guy by any means, but he towers over me.
“You Chase?”
“Yeah. Mason, I’m guessing?”
“The one and only.” He smirks, taking a drag off his cigarette.
“Great. Thanks for making the trip.”
He gets right to the point. “I don’t have much time. There’s a naked redhead in my bed back home just waiting for me to tear that ass up, so let’s be quick. Who you looking for?”
“My sister. I don’t really know much. Fucking nothing, actually—other than she might be in Arizona.”
He flicks his cigarette and sucks in air through his teeth. “Oh. Nope. I don’t go anywhere near the west coast. Not even Arizona. I’ll see what I can find by searching some records and making some calls, but you’re shit out of luck for anything else.”
“What the fuck do you mean,
