Damaged: The Dillon Sisters Layla Frost (ebook reader with highlighter .txt) 📖

Carefully dislodging my arm from under her, I grabbed my phone on the way to the hallway. I closed the door quietly before answering, “Thornton.”

“It’s Vitale,” he said, something I already knew.

Brand.

Shit, this can’t be good.

I went on high alert. “What’s up?”

“About that technology you didn’t want to share with the cops…”

“What about it?”

“How do you feel about sharing it with your future brother-in-law?”

“Depends on what you need it for.”

I didn’t know a lot about Aria’s man other than he was a firefighter. But there was something about him—and the Vitale name—that made me guess that wasn’t his only career.

I would—and had—used my helicopter and resources to help. But I didn’t want my tech being used for things that’d draw attention. I had my own skeletons to keep buried.

Literally.

“Can you use it to track someone?”

Easier than most people update their Facebook status.

But again I said, “Depends on what you need it for.”

“Astor Dillon.”

Briar and Aria’s father. The man who’d made their childhoods hell. Then he’d continued to fuck with their happiness.

Which meant I’d been out of my mind pissed.

“You’ll have his location in ten.” I went down the stairs toward my office. “Let me know if you need help.”

“I will.” But the way he said it made it clear he wouldn’t need it.

Clicking off, I sat at my desk and started typing. The floor above me creaked, letting me know Briar was restless. I didn’t want her waking up without me there, so I got him Astor Dillon’s location in five.

Then I went back upstairs to climb into bed with my woman and our stupidly named dog.

As soon as I was under the covers, Briar grabbed me and rolled us so my body was mostly on hers. “Everything ‘kay?”

“Everything’s good. Brand needed a favor.”

She woke up a little more. “Is Aria okay?”

“She’s fine, flower. He wanted help finding your dad.”

“Were you able to?”

I braced, unsure how she’d react. “Yes.”

“Bet you did it fast, too. Like stealing candy from a book cover.”

“Go back to sleep, you’re loopy.

“Just happy,” she muttered. I thought she was asleep before she whispered, “I hope someone kills that bastard.”

With the amount of people her father had crossed, she didn’t have to hope.

It was a done deal.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Bummer

Briar

For lofty goals

“HOW’RE YOU DOING?” I asked Jared after group.

“Uh, good. You?”

“Good. You haven’t been here the last couple of sessions.”

“Yeah, we’re in our busy period at work, so it was mandatory overtime. Did I miss anything?”

“A lot of grief talk.” At his lowered brows, I expanded, “You know, with the Jenna thing.

“Oh. Yeah. That was a bummer. She was,” he paused, trying to find the words before finishing with a polite, “nice.”

Huh.

I’d assumed Jenna and Jared had a mutual thing for each other, but maybe it was one-sided.

Or no-sided for all I knew. I’d been going on speculation.

“Yeah, she was.”

“See ya next week,” he said, barely glancing at me as he hurried to catch up with the others to go to dinner.

Okay then. He’s definitely not wallowing in the pit of despair and lost love.

I grabbed my bag and was nearly to the door when Derrick shouted, “Briar!”

Shouted name and startled from behind.

My two favorites.

I hid my annoyance—that only contained a dash of anxiety rather than a whole metric shit-ton—before turning around. “What’s up?”

“Dr. Linda and I spoke earlier. I wanted to talk to you before we reevaluate your treatment plan again.”

Shit.

I’d thought I was doing better interacting, even though I hadn’t shared much more than I usually did.

Derrick’s look of sympathetic disappointment made it clear I’d thought wrong.

“How’re things with the apartment? You haven’t given an update on it. We’re worried your progress is stalling.”

My apartment was empty because my minimal possessions were either at the house I shared with Alexander or in the dump where they belonged.

I opened my mouth to tell him as much, but he stepped closer to squeeze my shoulder. “You set lofty goals for yourself. There’s no shame in admitting they were unattainable.” His hand slid down to my upper arm, his thumb stroking the skin there. “I know you only have Aria, and you don’t want to be an imposition. Especially since she has her own busy life with her career, dog, and boyfriend taking up her time. I can put you in touch with some resources to help because it can be hard to feel like you’re succeeding if you’re always stressed about money. Even small worries can weigh on you like massive failures.”

The catalogs and coupons flashed through my head, advertising all the things I couldn’t afford on my own. Not when my job was more like a hobby. “It is hard. I can’t seem to get ahead.”

He dropped his hand farther, wrapping it around my hip. “You don’t have to be alone. I can help turn your can’ts into cans.”

My body tightened as tears burned in my eyes. “I’d… I’d really like that.”

“Go home and get changed into something presentable. I’ll be over in an hour, and we’ll see what I can do for you.”

I nodded, and my voice was shaky when I whispered, “Thanks.”

Without another glance, I hurried home.

I had a big night to prepare for.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Alive

Alexander

PUNCTUAL.

I like that in a date.

At the knock, I opened the door.

The goofy looking bastard’s gaze darted to the number on the frame then back to me. “Sorry, I must have the wrong apartment.”

“Would I look better in something presentable? Lingerie maybe? Either way, you’re at the right place, Derrick.”

“How do you—”

His question was cut off when I grabbed his shirt and yanked him inside. He didn’t have time to think about screaming before I jabbed the needle into his neck.

I released my hold, letting him fall to the floor in a heap. The paralytic worked fast, and he was unable to move his arms to catch himself.

But it didn’t dull the pain. When his head cracked against the floor, he felt it.

He would feel everything I was about to do to him.

I walked slowly around his