Page 94 of Truck Up

“You called Aaron?” I ask through gritted teeth. Amelia’s brother is the last person I expected to see here.

“We can trust him.” Is all Edge says before he opens the door and crawls out.

“He’s a Koch,” I call out.

Edge turns to face me and stares at me like I’m an idiot. “So is Amelia.”

I huff. “Yeah, yeah. Point taken.”

“Hey,” he says, his voice firm and authoritative. “I trust Aaron with my life.”

I nod. I may not like it, but if Edge trusts him, then I have no choice but to trust him too.

Chapter 19

The edge of desperation.

Amelia

Five minutes earlier

Nova gives my arm a nudge, and I slowly blink until my vision clears. I shoot up and rub my eyes until I’m able to keep them open.

“Did I fall asleep?” I ask.

Nova snorts. “As soon as you curled up on the couch.”

“I don’t think that’s Christian,” Hadley says. I look around and find her standing at the window.

“What’s going on?” I rub my eyes again and yawn.

“Someone’s here, and apparently, it’s not your man.” Nova pats my leg and pauses before she stands and joins Hadley at the window.

I frown when I see there are only twenty minutes left of the movie. I must have fallen asleep before the opening credits ended, because I remember nothing about it.

“It looks like Aaron,” Nova says. Then she turns around with a confused look on her face. “Why would he be here this late?”

I jump to my feet and crouch down at the window with my hands cupped around my eyes. “It is Aaron.”

Rushing to the door, I swing it open and run out to meet my brother. He’s carrying his large medical bag. The one he only uses when someone is seriously hurt.

Panic sets in. My mind runs wild with all sorts of horrible things that could have happened to Christian—a bar fight gone wrong, a car accident, or my brothers jumped him and Aaron’s here to fix their mess.

“What happened? Is Christian okay?”

He rests a hand on my arm in a calm and soothing manner. It instantly puts me at ease. “Christian is fine.” Then he looks up at the cabin and sees my friends in the doorway. “But they need to leave. Now.”

“What?” I furrow my brow. Aaron walks past me and straight for my friends.

“Nova. Hadley. I’m sorry, but you need to leave.”

“But—”

“Right now.” He cuts Nova off. “I can’t explain. Just know it has nothing to do with Amelia. Grab your stuff and get out.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Nova crosses her arms over her chest like she’s ready to fight.

Aaron steps up to her and glares down at her. “Yes, you are, even if it means I have to carry your ass to your car. Your choice.”