Page 44 of Echoes of Fear

Fuckin’ brat.

“It’s a well-known fact,” King laughs.

“Fuckers,” I say with no heat.

I don’t care if they want to gossip about me and Knox. They all know I’ll take care of the boy with my very life.

Time to get back home to my baby boy.

***Knox***

“I think I’ve changed my mind,” I tell Reynolds. “This was a stupid idea.”

Taylor has been gone for three days dealing with everything that needs to be done to get his sister home. I’ve never in my life missed someone as much as I have him.

However, I’ve made a promise to myself to face my fear. I need to go outside. Even if it’s only for a few minutes.

“Come on, Knoxy,” Reynolds smiles. “I know you can do it.”

“At least one of us has faith in me,” I say. “Okay, I can do this. Out of my way, Jacob. I’m coming through.”

Laughing, he takes two steps out of the door and waits.

The sun is shining, and there isn’t a soul around. I mean, except for the audience sitting in the driveway.

“You got this, Knox,” Maddy cheers.

“I’m so proud of you,” Sophie smiles.

Ghost, Steel, Blaze, Venom, and Jax are all standing behind them, watching my every move. Then we have Mitchel, Parker, Sullivan, and Hayes somewhere behind me.

No freaking pressure.

I’m surprised that I don’t feel trapped being as surrounded as I am. But I’ve been surrounded by these twelve people for the past few days, so I’m getting used to it. Not all at once, of course. But at least three people have always been in this house with me.

King called and told Ghost that they would stop by Taylor’s house before taking Emily to King and Maddy’s place. So, that’s why everyone is here.

Then, I may have stupidly mentioned that I wanted to be outside when Taylor, King, and Emily arrived.

Now, here we are. Taylor is ten minutes away, and I need to hike up my balls and step on the damn porch.

“Keep the door open,” I say to the men behind me. “And make sure there is a clear path back inside.”

My brain is telling me to turn around, my stomach is warning me that there is danger outside, my heart is on the verge of stopping, and I think I may have peed a little.

But I ignore every bit of that and take that final step outside.

No one talks. No one cheers. No one breaths.

It’s only then that I realize my eyes are closed.

“Open your eyes, Knoxy boy,” Reynolds whispers, and I can hear the smile in his voice.

I can do this.

With a deep breath, I open my damn eyes.

“Such a brave boy,” Reynolds says next to me. “I can’t wait to tell your Papa how brave you’re being. He’s going to be so proud of you.”