Page 87 of Unleashed

One corner of his mouth tips up in spite of our current situation. “You know how I like my coffee.”

Shit. I didn’t even think about that. Didn’t consider the ramifications of what I was doing. I just needed to move around.

And maybe a tiny part of me wanted to try to help Trevor.

I cross both arms over my chest and lean back in my chair, forcing my eyes away from him. “Shut up.”

Obviously, I only have so much peace to offer, but I did what I could.

Tucker is the last one in, pulling the door closed behind him before taking the empty seat next to Ruth. Titus sits at the head of the table, already looking stressed from my discovery.

I knew it was bad when I saw it. Understood what it could mean. I was hoping I was overreacting. That everyone else would blow it off as no big deal.

“This is a big fucking deal.” Titus scrubs both hands over his face, fingers scratching at the scar webbed across his right cheek.

“I’m gonna need you to fill me in, because I don’t know what the fuck is happening.” Tucker grabs Ruth’s chair, pulling her closer like he needs to physically have her against him. “Ruth said something about Maren’s work computer being stolen, but I don’t get why that’s an issue. No one can do anything on it without the passcodes and a fingerprint.”

“It’s a big deal because they didn’t simply steal it.” Trevor leans back in his seat, stretching both legs beneath the table in a pose that looks casual and relaxed even though I know he’s not. “They replaced it with one that looks similar enough that she didn’t notice it right away.”

Tucker’s brows pinch. “Why the fuck would they do that? I thought they were stealing stuff they could pawn to pay off her mom’s drug debt. It doesn’t make any sense for them to actually bring something of value and leave it behind.”

“It doesn’t.” Titus blows out a long breath. “They left it to buy them some time, hoping she wouldn’t immediately notice her work computer had been switched.”

My stomach clenches as I listen. Titus and Trevor are both confirming my fears. I’ve been stolen from countless times, and never was anything that could be pawned left behind. It certainly wasn’t brought and traded.

The room falls silent as everyone looks at each other. Finally, Walker says what no one else is willing to voice. “So there’s a good chance this isn’t about her mother.” He meets Titus’s gaze. “It’s about us.”

“But that wouldn’t make any sense.” Ruth speaks carefully. “Maren said this has happened many times before. And they did take a number of items. How could this be about us while still being so similar to past burglaries?”

Oh God.

I’m super glad I didn’t drink any more than that tiny sip of the coffee Trevor brought me, because it’s crawling back up my throat.

“It can be about us while being so similar to past burglaries,” one of Trevor’s hands slides under the table to grip my knee, holding on, “because whoever is targeting us has been watching Maren.”

I swallow, trying not to puke. Because they would have to have been doing more than just watching me. They would’ve had to look into who I am. My past. Where I came from and who was there.

So they could use it against me. Against the Bradshaw family.

My whole body goes numb as Titus and Trevor bark out orders, forming a plan for what to do next. None of it registers, so hopefully I’m not one of the people assigned a task. Once they’re done, everyone files out of the room as quickly as they entered, leaving me alone with Trevor.

He turns to me, spinning my chair so we’re facing each other. Leaning close, his voice is low and deadly serious. “Just so we’re clear, you and Zara aren’t going to be leaving my house anytime soon.”

27

Trevor

“Top to fucking bottom.” I give Tucker a final set of reminders before he leaves to go through Maren’s trailer. “I want every damn inch of that place searched.”

“Understood.” He pulls out his phone, scanning the screen. “Dad’s on his way. I’ll let you know if we find anything.”

I wish I could join my brother and father, but I trust them. If there’s something in—or around—that trailer that could help us identify who is actually responsible for the break-in, they’ll find it.

As Tucker heads out to meet our dad at Maren’s home, I practically sprint to where Titus is setting up so we can go through the feed from the cameras I put on Maren’s house. When I reach the conference room, the lights are dimmed and the recording is displayed on a large portable screen.

Maren is already seated at the table, her skin pale as she watches the slightly sped up video, ready to point out anything that seems suspicious.

Sitting down next to her, I drape one arm across the back of her seat, leaning close. Having her right beside me—near enough I can grab her and run if anything happens—soothes a little of the unrest inside me.