Page 40 of Tangled With You

“Not the best week of my life, but we’ll get her back.”

“We will,” Brax said firmly. “And we’ll get her back alive.”

He started to turn, clearly intending to return to work, butOllie reached out, touching his elbow to stop him. “You okay?” He didn’t knowthe full story, but he’d heard whispers back in the day about a tragedy withBrax’s girlfriend. “I’ve heard … okay, nothing specific, but…”

For a moment, Brax was silent, and Ollie feared he’doverstepped his boundaries. “I saw them grab her,” he said. “My girlfriend,Sabrina. We were both twenty, and I couldn’t do a thing. Not when they grabbedher. Not when they killed her.”

Ollie reached out, his hand closing over Brax’s forearm.“I’m so sorry.”

Brax drew in a breath, his head tilted to the floor. Then hestraightened, his clear blue eyes meeting Ollie’s. “One day, I’ll find them.One day, I’ll kill them.”

“Yeah,” Ollie said, thinking of what he’d do if anyone hurtCourtney. Even more, if anyone hurt Trevor. “You will.”

For a moment, they both just stood there, then a small smiletouched Brax’s lips. “Thanks, buddy. We’re going to find her. You know that,right?”

“We will,” Ollie said firmly. “No other outcome will do.”

“You’ve got that right,” Brax said, then gave him a littlesalute before heading over to check in with Denny.

Ollie caught Trevor’s eye, then cocked his head, indicatingthat Trevor should follow. For a moment, he actually thought Trevor wouldrefuse. But then he fell in behind Ollie.

Relieved, Ollie led the way down the hall, then hooked aright into another hall that led to the girls’ playroom. It was empty now—Ollieassumed Bree was with the girls in the third-floor kitchen—and he indicated forTrevor to have a seat…on one of the tiny plastic chairs.

He frowned. “I swear, the last time I was in here, therewere some adult chairs, too.”

“Sure there were,” Trevor said with a chuckle. “You plannedthis just so I wouldn’t be at my best.”

“So neither of us would,” Ollie said, straddling his ownkid-sized chair. “But right now, I don’t think either of us is, anyway.”

“Want to cut to the chase and explain that? In case youhadn’t noticed, I have an investigation to run.”

“I noticed that. Not entirely sure why you’re in charge,though. Under the circumstances.”

Trevor leaned back, his brows rising. “Circumstances?”

“You being so fucking clueless, I mean.”

For a moment, Trevor’s face was a study in shock. Then hishands clutched the back of the minuscule chair. “All right. I’m listening.”

Ollie drew in a breath, then leaned forward, his armsresting on the back of the chair as his hands reached for Trevor’s. “I’m not inlove with her. I’m not entirely sure I ever was. But I do care for her. I doworry about her. If I hadn’t screwed her over by not letting her go long beforeshe dumped me, I think we would have been close friends. Now, I just want tofind her. To make sure she’s safe.”

He paused, waiting for Trevor to say something. When hedidn’t, he continued. “I was only looking at her picture, Trev. I was worried.I am worried. But I don’t love her like that.” He drew in a breath forcourage. “But I do love you.”

He saw the flicker in Trevor’s eyes. “Love?”

“Yeah.” It was remarkably—terrifyingly—easy to get the wordout. “Love.” He lifted a shoulder. “I think I’ve been in love with you for awhile, actually. Honestly, it’s a little disconcerting.”

Trevor’s brows rose. “Disconcerting?”

“Me. Falling for a guy. Never expected it. And now here Iam, putting my fragile ego on the line, and I don’t even know if the guy feelsthe same.”

Trevor nodded slowly. “Yeah. I can see how that could beawkward.” He eased closer, and when he spoke again, his voice was low. “I’mprobably not supposed to be telling you this, but I have it on pretty goodauthority that he loves you, too.”

Ollie fought the smile that tugged at his lips. “Is that afact?”

“Who can tell amidst all the rumors,” Trevor said airily,“but that’s the word on the street.”

They shared a smile as a thousand tons of weight that hadsettled on Ollie’s shoulders finally evaporated. And when Trevor tilted thetiny chair forward so he could capture Ollie’s mouth, it felt as if they werefinally a team again.