Silent Desires (Shattered Silence Duet Book 1)
Silent Desires: Chapter 46

I pace the living room, checking the time for the tenth time in as many minutes. I know they aren’t due home for at least another twenty minutes, but I feel on edge this morning. Although I got to see her yesterday, she spent her time working on her independent study project. I knew her education was important, but compared to everything else going around us, it seems pointless in comparison.

I couldn’t get what the twins said out of my head. That it didn’t look like she wanted to go home. She’d tell me if something bad was going on, wouldn’t she? Fuck, she barely knows me. I know that. But it doesn’t make this need to care for her and protect her any easier to bear. I’m tempted to kidnap her away, despite what my brothers say. I could keep her hidden for six months.

But it’s not just her safety that I have to think about. There are girls getting murdered, and it’s our job to replace the guy who’s doing it. I’m just terrified he’ll replace Mina before we replace him.

I flick my pocketknife open and closed, needing to do something with my hands as I pace. My phone pings and I yank it out of my pocket, seeing a message from Gideon in our group chat.

Gideon: On my way home with Tuck and Mina.

Max: Shit, what happened? Jas and I heard you had her and were on our way to your office.

Gideon: Head home. I’ll explain there.

Jasper: Tell us now.

Gideon: There isn’t much to tell. Alex Harris found her in the hall crying, so she came and got me. I got her out of there quickly before class let out.

Ben: Is she communicating with you?

Jasper: I have her bag and phone.

Gideon: She’s responsive when she’s not asleep.

Max: She fell asleep in math.

Jasper: In chemistry too. She was also asleep on the curb when we pulled up this morning.

What the fuck? She was sleeping on the curb? That’s not normal, nor is it safe. If she has a stalker or killer after her, she would have been so easily taken.

But right now my concern is on the more immediate problem. What happened to her in the hallway to make her cry? My free hand clenches as anger rolls through my body. If I replace out someone hurt her, I’ll kill them and thanks to my time in the military, I know twenty different ways to do it.

I hate that I wasn’t there to protect her. And I hate that she won’t tell me all her secrets, so I can make sure she’s protected all the time. It’s killing me not knowing what’s going on with her. If I can’t protect her, what good am I?

My phone pings and I glance down at the screen.

Dom: Just get her home safely.

Gideon: Two minutes out.

Knowing I need her to feel safe and comfortable when she gets here, I run up to my room and grab the fuzzy navy blanket off my bed and bring it back down, throwing it over the back of the couch.

All three of us are waiting on the porch when they pull up. I jog to the car and yank Gideon’s door open. He chuckles at me as he unbuckles their seat belt.

“Alright, Atlas, be careful, she’s asleep.”

I grunt in response, like I needed him to tell me to be careful. But I’m glad he cares about her, too. I gently scoop her up and carry her into the house, taking a seat in the middle of our large couch, holding her in my lap so she’s curled against my chest. I grab my blanket from behind me and wrap it around her as best I can. I gently stroke her hair back from her face as I watch her, seeking any sign of distress.

She looks so peaceful in sleep, and I can’t help but admire how beautiful she is. Her soft, plush, pink lips, her little nose, her soft wavy brown hair. Even the curve of her cheek is perfect. I’m not sure how we got so lucky to meet her, but now that she’s in my life, I’m determined to keep her, no matter what it takes. Whoever has hurt her is going to pay.

The front door opens and closes with a bang, but Mina doesn’t move, proving just how tired she is.

“Where is she?” Max asks, and a moment later, both twins are kneeling in front of us, staring at her.

“What the fuck happened?” Max whispers angrily.

“It might not be anything that happened in the hall, she was off all morning, falling asleep everywhere,” Jasper says softly, his eyes never leaving her face.

Dom steps up behind them and crosses his arms. He looks worried as he says, “we need answers, it’s time to wake her up.”