door. “Damn it, Claire is terrified.
She’s curled up in a corner crying, refusing to allow anyone near her.”
“What
do you want me to do?”
“We
need to calm Ashley. Then we have to find the woman, if there really is one. She’s
our only chance to help the child.”
Jinx
put out an arm, stopping Tex from opening the door. “Summer might be able to
help. She can talk to the women and try to find out who it might have been
while we’re dealing with Ashley.”
“There’s
a phone over there.” Tex tipped his head to the side. “Extension thirty-two.
Call her and then meet me inside. I’ve got to help Ben.”
The
door opened and screaming flooded the hallway. A young girl’s sobs mixed in.
What
a mess.
Children
shouldn’t have to suffer for their parents mistakes or grievances with an
Alpha. Inside that room, poor Claire was doing just that. Scared, alone, and
forced out of the room she had spent her whole life in. Jinx grabbed the phone,
dialed the extension, and hoped Summer would answer.
Chapter Nine
With
her attention on the stack of papers, Summer was at ease. She enjoyed doing
something—it didn’t matter what. It made it even better that she was doing
something that would improve things for the clan. Even with her leaving she
wanted them on the right track, and with each day her confidence of that grew.
Each day there were so many changes in the clan, the members, even the resort.
She couldn’t help but wonder if she would recognize the place when she returned.
The
phone on the desk rang, startling her. She watched it light up, the ringing
echoing in the room, and debated answering it. Surely it wasn’t for her, only
Jinx and Tex knew where she was. What if Lukas had arrived and someone thought
Jinx was still there?
Timidly,
she reached forward and cradled the phone in her hand before bringing it to her
ear. “Hello?”
“I
was starting to think you wouldn’t answer.”
His
voice teased along her senses, and she could feel him almost as if he was in
the room with her. “Jinx? I thought…”
“I
am, but we need your help. There was a woman visiting a small child that Avery
was keeping in the tunnels, and we need you to find her.”
“Claire.”
“You
know her?”
“Yes.”
She kicked herself for not thinking of the girl before. “Autumn and I were
looking after her. Well, Autumn lately, I was too busy dealing with other
things for Avery. Is she…” Fearing the worst, she couldn’t bring herself to
ask.
“She’s
alive, but she needs you. Come down the hall toward the reception area. I’ll be
waiting for you. Hurry.” He hung up before she could ask anything else.
Claire. Oh, that sweet child had been through
so much, and now she was being thrown into a world she knew nothing about. Her
mother was gone, and she barely knew her father. Had Cliff been reunited with
his daughter? With her heart breaking for the child, she saved the document she
was working and dashed from the room and down the hall.
She
found Jinx leaning against the wall, his black cowboy hat hiding his eyes from
a distance. She could feel his pain. He was worried about the child. Had he
seen her?
“Is
Cliff with her?” She asked, coming to a stop in front of him.
“Cliff
is gone. He’s left the clan and his daughters behind with only a note.” He
pushed off the wall and took her hand in his. “Claire is in the room behind me,
refusing to let anyone near. You’re our only hope of calming her down. She
needed someone to help her adjust to being outside of the room.”
“I’ll
do whatever I can.”
“I
just want you prepared. I haven’t seen her yet, but Tex said she’s in bad
shape.” He squeezed her hand.
“I’m
fine. It’s Claire I’m worried about.” With a nod, he let her hand go and opened
the door.
Inside,
Ashley was screaming, her mate standing behind her trying to calm her, but Summer
looked beyond them, searching for Claire. There in the corner, Claire was
curled up in
She’s curled up in a corner crying, refusing to allow anyone near her.”
“What
do you want me to do?”
“We
need to calm Ashley. Then we have to find the woman, if there really is one. She’s
our only chance to help the child.”
Jinx
put out an arm, stopping Tex from opening the door. “Summer might be able to
help. She can talk to the women and try to find out who it might have been
while we’re dealing with Ashley.”
“There’s
a phone over there.” Tex tipped his head to the side. “Extension thirty-two.
Call her and then meet me inside. I’ve got to help Ben.”
The
door opened and screaming flooded the hallway. A young girl’s sobs mixed in.
What
a mess.
Children
shouldn’t have to suffer for their parents mistakes or grievances with an
Alpha. Inside that room, poor Claire was doing just that. Scared, alone, and
forced out of the room she had spent her whole life in. Jinx grabbed the phone,
dialed the extension, and hoped Summer would answer.
Chapter Nine
With
her attention on the stack of papers, Summer was at ease. She enjoyed doing
something—it didn’t matter what. It made it even better that she was doing
something that would improve things for the clan. Even with her leaving she
wanted them on the right track, and with each day her confidence of that grew.
Each day there were so many changes in the clan, the members, even the resort.
She couldn’t help but wonder if she would recognize the place when she returned.
The
phone on the desk rang, startling her. She watched it light up, the ringing
echoing in the room, and debated answering it. Surely it wasn’t for her, only
Jinx and Tex knew where she was. What if Lukas had arrived and someone thought
Jinx was still there?
Timidly,
she reached forward and cradled the phone in her hand before bringing it to her
ear. “Hello?”
“I
was starting to think you wouldn’t answer.”
His
voice teased along her senses, and she could feel him almost as if he was in
the room with her. “Jinx? I thought…”
“I
am, but we need your help. There was a woman visiting a small child that Avery
was keeping in the tunnels, and we need you to find her.”
“Claire.”
“You
know her?”
“Yes.”
She kicked herself for not thinking of the girl before. “Autumn and I were
looking after her. Well, Autumn lately, I was too busy dealing with other
things for Avery. Is she…” Fearing the worst, she couldn’t bring herself to
ask.
“She’s
alive, but she needs you. Come down the hall toward the reception area. I’ll be
waiting for you. Hurry.” He hung up before she could ask anything else.
Claire. Oh, that sweet child had been through
so much, and now she was being thrown into a world she knew nothing about. Her
mother was gone, and she barely knew her father. Had Cliff been reunited with
his daughter? With her heart breaking for the child, she saved the document she
was working and dashed from the room and down the hall.
She
found Jinx leaning against the wall, his black cowboy hat hiding his eyes from
a distance. She could feel his pain. He was worried about the child. Had he
seen her?
“Is
Cliff with her?” She asked, coming to a stop in front of him.
“Cliff
is gone. He’s left the clan and his daughters behind with only a note.” He
pushed off the wall and took her hand in his. “Claire is in the room behind me,
refusing to let anyone near. You’re our only hope of calming her down. She
needed someone to help her adjust to being outside of the room.”
“I’ll
do whatever I can.”
“I
just want you prepared. I haven’t seen her yet, but Tex said she’s in bad
shape.” He squeezed her hand.
“I’m
fine. It’s Claire I’m worried about.” With a nod, he let her hand go and opened
the door.
Inside,
Ashley was screaming, her mate standing behind her trying to calm her, but Summer
looked beyond them, searching for Claire. There in the corner, Claire was
curled up in
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