The Damaged (The Insiders Trilogy #2) - Tijan by Tijan

I kept trying.

I’d push, and I’d fall.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Then I gave up, except I pushed back so I was blocking the door. There. Curled on my side. I moved into a ball and I let the storm hit.

I gave in.





TWENTY-SEVEN



Kash


I parked at the school and I was sprinting.

Cameras were there. Press. I knew Peter was visiting, so I wasn’t surprised word had leaked. He and his daughter at the same place—that would hit gossip sites all over. I was distinctly aware of Erik running to meet me, except he ran past me. I tossed him my car keys and I was through the door when I heard my car’s engine starting again.

I didn’t need to ask.

The guards were waiting. They pointed me down the right hallway, and halfway down was a crowd. A few of Bailey’s friends were there, kneeling at a door. Peter was pacing. Seeing me, he stopped and pointed at the closed door. “She’s barred herself in there.”

His voice was panicked.

A couple of others heard him and twisted around, surprised.

I was guessing he’d kept it together until he saw me. It was what Peter did. He held it up, then I came in, and he let it all on my shoulders.

This … this was on my shoulders. Bailey was more mine than his. I nodded to him, knowing I was grim, almost as grim as him. “I got it. Take off.”

He didn’t.

“Take off, Peter.”

He nodded, but he was still hesitating. He was torn, his eyelid twitching as he looked at the closed door.

“Peter.”

“I was supposed to take her for lunch. I was going to tell her that she’s already getting job offers from companies but they’re waiting for me. They’re doing it out of respect, or not to piss me off. I was going to offer her a job today, and now she’s in there, and she’s holed herself in there.” His voice hitched. “My daughter has barred—”

“I know.” I didn’t have time for this shit.

“You don’t. You didn’t see her…”

Fine. He needed an explanation. I’d give him the truth. Whoever got this, I’d hunt them down if this was leaked.

I stepped close and I got in his face. “She was kidnapped. By your wife.”

He stopped.

Everyone stopped.

My words echoed, and a pin could’ve been heard if it fell.

I knew my tone was ragged, but my God, he was keeping me from my woman. I couldn’t contain that. “It was only minutes, but she was taken. She heard them. She knew that, in that second, she was dead. That shit’s never happened to you. Cy was taken, too. Neither was gone long, but it didn’t matter, because in that moment, they were both taken. They were helpless. And they both knew they were going to die. Thank the fuck Christ that Cy was too young to remember, but she does, and she’s not dealing, and I knew this was going to happen. It’s good it’s happening now. That means the inner wheels are working and she’s getting closer to healing than I thought.”

Peter was like a ghost, staring back at me. Haunted. He blanched. “You think this is good it’s happening?”

“She’s gotta break down before she can stand up. This is good. Now, if you can get your shit together, I need to see to my woman.”

He nodded quickly and hurried back a step. “Right. Yes. Right.”

I moved past him.

“Kash!”

I paused.

“Take care of her.”

I kept to the door. “That’s the plan.”

I took a second to identify the people at the door. The guy and girl from Naveah. I didn’t have a brain like Peter and Bailey, but I could pull up information if I really needed it. Details were fuzzy, but I remembered their names. Melissa and Liam. There was a woman, too.

I focused on the woman, a brief recognition flickering. “Professor?”

She nodded. “Her advisor. Ms. Wells.”

That would explain the two calls I got, one from Peter and one from someone I didn’t take time to answer. She had my number.

“Right.” I gestured to both of them. “Move.”

“We think she’s—” the guy started.

“Move!”

He did, not giving a shit I’d barked at him. “We think she’s on the ground. We can’t tell, but—”

“Shut up,” I growled, kneeling down. And I listened.

I could hear her.

Fuck. I could hear her.

She was sobbing. And shaking. And they were right. She was right on the other side of the door.

I motioned to the closest guard. It was Connor. “You got tools?” I gestured to the hinges. “I want this door off, now.”

He had a hand to his ear, moving away.

It didn’t take long before they located a janitor, who came rushing in with the right tools. I stepped back and we watched him work. If it were another day and another place, I’d give Connor shit about never not working. The guy was on all day and night. But I didn’t, and instead I just made a note to look into his file and his time clock.

The door was done in record time.

Connor, Fitz, and the janitor helped to lift it clear.

Bailey was curled in a ball, her arms wrapped around herself, her body as white as a sheet. I stifled a curse, ignored the gasps from those who saw her, and bent in. Gathering her in my arms, I motioned to Peter. “Cover her. Your coat.”