Page 79 of Kylie

I stopped prepping lunches for tomorrow and waited for my husband to appear in the doorway. When he did, I took him in from head to toe, noticing that he was dressed as though he was heading out.

“Where are you goin’?” I asked. “I hope it’s to get some ice cream because we are⁠—”

“Jess. I need to tell you somethin’.”

The tone of his voice had me pausing again, turning to give him my full attention. “What’s wrong? Is someone hurt? Is Brendon all right?”

“Everyone’s fine.”

I exhaled and somehow managed to keep the starch in my legs. The relief was overwhelming. I didn’t do all that well with impromptu information. Not since Brendon had wrecked his truck years ago when he drove while intoxicated and hit a tree. And then when my sister⁠—

Braydon moved closer, his eyes intense.

“You’re scarin’ me,” I told him as he continued his approach. “What’s goin’ on?”

He exhaled heavily and looked me directly in the eye as he gave me the news.

“Your sister’s alive.”

I stared at him, dumbfounded. Surely I’d heard him wrong.

“Kylie?” I mean, I only had one sister. Or rather, I’d had one sister. But she was⁠—

“Yes. Kylie’s alive.”

I focused on breathing, realizing it wasn’t as easy as it normally was. My blood pressure was rising, too. At least that was what I was blaming the dizziness on.

I held Braydon’s stare. “I hope to God you’re not messin’ with me right now.”

“I would never,” he declared before he pulled me into his arms.

I grabbed onto him as an emotional dam started to crack. I kept it together by sheer force of will. “She’s … are you sure?”

He pulled back a little so he could look at me. “Your dad called me when I was drivin’ home.”

“You’ve been home for an hour, Braydon.”

“I know.”

“You’re just tellin’ me now?”

“I was tryin’ to find the words.” He took a step back and met my gaze. “Pop texted a minute ago. Travis and Gage just brought her home.”

“Home. My sister … Kylie … she’s … where the hell has she been?”

“I don’t have all the details yet, but from what your dad said, someone faked her death and took her. They’ve kept her locked up all this time. Brantley and Reese found her.”

I heard the words, but they weren’t making much sense.

Before I could ask more questions, my cell phone started to ring. The ringtone was familiar.

I snatched it from the counter and answered abruptly. “Dad?”

“We’re at Travis’s with…” A rough sob sounded. “Your sister’s here.”

I could hear the tears in my father’s voice. The raggedness of his breathing matched mine.

“We’re on our way.” I looked up at Braydon. “Right? We’re goin’ over there?”