She looks over her shoulder at me in question. I shake my head minutely, letting her know I still haven’t said anything to him about Novak.“I know,” she tells him softly, “but if I would’ve listened to Jake, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Dammit,that’s not what I want her thinking. Novak was determined. Peyton was determined.Peyton had a change of heart because sheheard her brother had the same plans for her that he had for Cara.It was self-preservation, but she didn’t want to leave Lyra (thank God) and didn’t think she’d get Lyra away from Cara.I think the onlyreason she brought Lyra back to me is that she had no idea how to handle her own daughter.
I pull her away from Dane without a thought. She gasps,and his jaw clenches.I grip her face on either side. I bend at the knees,so we’re eye level. “You did not do anything wrong,” I tell her again. “Not a goddamnthing.You will not blame yourself for this. Do you understand me?”My tone is hard. My face is probably harder, but I won’t let her blame herself.
She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth with a nod.I search her eyes for verification that shehears me. I don’t find it. All I find is fear and guilt.
“Speaking of,” Dane coughs. “What are we doing with Peyton? She’s still in Maddox and Ryder’s room.”
“Call the cops,” I tell him. “She may not be charged with kidnapping Lyra but she sure as hell can be charged with kidnapping Cara.”
“No,” Cara yells. “No police. I won’t talk to them.”
We both look at herwith mouths open. “Cara, we have to do something about her,” I tell her.
“I said no. I’m not talking to anyone,” she demands. Tearsfill her eyes, and my heart cracks.
“This isn’t just about you, Cara,” Dane tells her, using his big brother voice on her. “The only way to make sure she doesn’t come after Lyra again is to call the cops.”
“We can’t call the cops,” she whispers, looking at me with desperation. “Lyra needs you.”
I feel like an idiot.I know she doesn’t want to talk about what happened. It just didn’t occur to me why.She’s afraid for me.
I pull her to my chest, pressing my lips to the crown of her head. “I won’t get in trouble, baby. That’s been handled.”
“But Peyton. She’ll say something,”her voice cracks. “Or they’ll want to knowwhy you didn’t call them before you came for me.”
“We’ve already worked it out.We’re going to tell them that she brought you and Lyra back.”
“Then she’ll get in less trouble anyway, so why say anything at all?” She wrings her hands between us. Her chest begins to liftrapidly. She’s on the verge of a panic attack.
“What doyouwant to do?” I ask her.
“I want to forget all of this. Forget any of it happened.”
I take a step back with aheavy sigh. An irritated sigh. I want to yell at her because this is what she does. I won’t. It wouldn’t do anything but push her away so I won’t.
“We can’t do that, baby,” I tell her.“I can’t do that. I fucked up by not having her rights revoked long ago. I can’t let her get away with this.I have to protect Lyra.”
That seems to finally reach her. Her need to protect Lyrais as instinctual as her need to breathe. If I wasn’t already in love with her, I would be now.“All right,” she agrees weakly. “Tell me what I have to say.”
I go over everything she needs to corroboratethe story. After we go through it a few more times, we call the police, then head for Maddox and Ryder’s room to wait.
It takes the French policehalf an hour to show up. They question all of us for another hour. Then take Peyton with them to their precinct.
“I’ve got the label rescheduling the shows here and in Italy.We’re heading to England in a few days. That’s the best I can do,” Liam tellsall of us.
“That’s better than nothing,” Maddox nods.
It’s easy for all of them to think so. They may love Cara and Lyra, but until they were in my shoes, they really have no idea how fucking awful this whole thing was.
“Where’s Cara?” Dane asks.
We look around the room, realizing she’s gone. My stomach plummets as I wonder how she got out of here without me noticing. Panic, just like this morning, washes over me. I wonder if this is how Cara feels all the time?
I don’twaste any time getting back to our room. When I don’t see her, I race for the bedroom, and I can breathe.
She’s curled up next to Lyra, sound asleep. Or at least, she’s pretending to be.I know the minute I climb in next to her that she’s not.
