Free A Pack Family by Shannon Duane Page B

She yelled again.
    Jake turned a remorseful look to her “Tara, we think they were taken. Someone taped the door so that it wouldn’t lock, that’s how they got in. They made the mistake of removing the tape on entry and couldn’t get out so they broke through the window and left.”
    Tara lost all feeling in her legs and collapsed. Decker was there to catch her. Unfortunately she was so livid, at everyone and everything, she pushed him away. “Don’t touch me, don’t ever touch me.”
    Damn, not again Decker thought. He didn’t have time for this shit. He couldn’t break down until the twins were found. He left Tara on the ground and went to Jake. “What do we know? Any new scents?”
    Jake shook his head. “I’m sorry. Whoever came in sprayed pepper spray and that stuff sticks in your nose. We can’t smell anything.”
    “ Wow, you gave up easy.” Decker turned to Shana, “where were they sleeping?”
    Shana looked stunned for a moment that Decker would talk to Jake that way, but answered. “They slept in the room next to ours with a baby monitor, we didn’t hear anything.”
    “ And you can’t smell anything? Where is Trevor?”
    “ Nothing smelled out of place before. Trevor’s door was closed when we went by. He stayed up late talking to the babies. We had him close and lock his door. He tends to get up and wander to where the babies are to talk to them.”
    Decker’s neck started to prickle. “What was he saying to the pups tonight?”
    “ Does it matter Decker? They’re gone! All you want to talk about is what Trevor said.”
    At Tara’s snappy comment he shot her a look that said shut the hell up. “Answer please, Shana.”
    Shana looked annoyed too. “Same thing he always says. That he’ll hold them soon, and he wanted them to know his voice.”
    Decker ran. He ran as fast as he could to Trevor’s room and threw open the door. No one was there. No twins and no Trevor. He walked quietly the length of the hall and, finally, heard a small cry. He knew it was Abby, his fussy girl.
    Decker walked into an unfamiliar room and saw no one. He didn’t leave. He called out. “Trevor, it’s safe. You can come out now.”
    He heard a sound to his left. Turning he saw Trevor open a door that appeared to be hidden in the bottom of the closet. He didn’t even know it had existed.
    “ Can you help me? I didn’t know they would be so heavy. Why are you crying?” Trevor sounded exhausted and scared.
    Decker was so happy he couldn’t stop the tears that fell from his eyes. “I’m so happy to see you and the pups, is all.”
    “ Oh, I knew you’d come, yous smart. I seened it. But I didn’t see you crying, I don’t like it when you’re unhappy. Mr. Brett Decker, you helped my mommy before I was even born. Now, I helped you.” Trevor gave an innocent grin.
    Decker approached Trevor and wrapped him in a bear hug. “You did make me happy, and I thank you.”
    Trevor simply said. “Welcome. I’m gonna go get mama because I think she will definitely give me hot chocolate, even if it is night time. I made you happy and Auntie Tara too. Bye.”
    Trevor ran off. Decker fetched Abby and Brady who were tucked away in a small space that looked to be a safe in the closet. He walked back to the living room, but before he got there, he ran into a shouting Tara. He handed her the twins and walked right out the front door.
    He couldn’t do it. If he was going to be in a committed relationship he wanted to be an equal, not the guy who takes the punishment; in front of everyone no less. He was tired of being blamed for things he wasn’t responsible for. He didn’t force Tara to come to his hotel room, and his bed. He certainly hadn’t forced her to claim him.
    He went back to the hotel room, but it smelled of Tara and still had some of her clothes lying around. So he left and went to Conner and Katie’s house to crash.
    Quinn answered the door at two in the morning looking fresh and put together.