Page 6 of No Going Back

“Okay. Keep your eyes open for the next rest stop.”

At the rest area, Sean pulled to the far end with a dog-friendly space. He opened the door, and Jabba hopped out. Thankfully, the lot was empty so Jabba wouldn’t scare some poodle out of its goofy haircut.

Sean set up a bowl of food and water from the nearby spout. While the dog was busy, he grabbed his phone from the floor and opened the text.

Everything inside of him went into warrior mode at the words.

Sally sos fort

No punctuation, as if she’d been in mortal danger when she’d texted and didn’t have the time. All while he’d been driving, not knowing Charlie’s little sister needed his help.

He punched the number, but it went straight to voice mail. You’ve reached Branna. Leave me a message.

Sean sent her a text telling her to call him immediately and then called again. And again.

Guilt swamped him. They’d grown up together in that tiny neighborhood just off Miami’s downtown district. It hadn’t been a fancy neighborhood, but one filled with hard-working middle-class families who hadn’t saved up enough for houses. Instead, they’d lived in concrete apartment blocks with terrible airflow, but there was always someone to help you out down the hall.

He missed that, but the memories were hard, and he hadn’t been back often. His parents had died when some drunken asshole had been texting and driving. Then, Charlie’s mom had been an innocent victim of a drive-by shooting while she was shopping.

“Come on, Branna. Answer the damn phone.” But it went to voice mail again.

A wet tongue slobbered on his hand, and he looked down to find Jabba watching him with concern. “You ready, boy? We’ve got to go.”

Jabba hopped up, and Sean picked up his bowls and jogged to the truck. He turned up the phone’s volume and stuck it in the cup holder where he would see it. This truck wasn’t new enough to have an integrated system.

Another good reason for that upgrade.

Sean was thankful he’d already been driving east, but this time there would be no meandering. Branna needed him.

What the hell had happened? And why had he been too much of a coward to spend time with her after Charlie’s funeral? She and her dad had been alone.

Branna had always been the tagalong when he and Charlie had hung out. She’d always tried to prove she was tough and cool enough to hang out with them, even though they were a couple of years older.

As they’d grown up, Sean had stopped seeing her as a little kid. By the time he and Charlie had signed up to enlist, his thoughts about Branna had been another reason to stay away. You simply weren’t supposed to lust after your best buddy’s little sister. It wasn’t right.

The memory of her standing at Charlie’s funeral swept through him. She’d been so strong for her dad, who’d been a puddle of tears. She’d taken care of him and everyone around her. The wake had been at the pub and he recalled her constantly moving around, making sure everyone was okay.

Who’d taken care of her?

Who was taking care of her now?

Cursing himself, Sean pulled over to the side of the road and dug through his contacts until he came to Seamus O’Dea’s number.

An automated voice greeted him. The number you have dialed is out of service.

Shit. Why would Seamus have changed his number? Sean tried Branna once more before getting back on the road.

He kicked up the speed a little, but not enough to get pulled over. He needed to get his ass to Miami, and he needed to get there now.

* * *

Branna didn’t have a clue what time it was, but she hadn’t heard any human noises for what had to be several hours. She rose to her feet and stretched her muscles. The leap across the alley had been successful, but her landing had been less than stellar. A sprained ankle along with too many aches and pains to number. Although she’d had nothing else to do since arriving in the fort.

Would Sean remember?

If he didn’t remember the silly nickname he and Charlie had called her, she was done. It would be another few days before her ankle was up to running, and if she didn’t stay hidden, running would be her only option.

Would Sean remember her? And the fort?