Page 22 of Dollhouse

“I’ll give you one guess,” he says with a wink at me.

I shiver, and he laughs quietly.

True to his guess, Jesse catered to us throughout the morning, and I sipped my Irish Coffee happily on the loveseat. I can hear Aiden and Liam playing a loud game of cards in the formal dining room. A few men I can’t name but am starting to recognize join in and out as the hours slip away.

After a light lunch of sandwiches Emily prepared while the turkey roasted, I tug Jesse’s sleeve as he sits at the card table, trying not to look as anxious as I’m starting to feel.

He excuses himself, pushing back in his chair to follow me toward a quiet corner. There, he crooks a finger under my chin, lifting my face when he sees my expression. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Can you call him or something? He’s just been gone a while, and he sounded like he was looking forward to spending the day with us when we talked last night.”

He rubs my shoulder. “Stress less, Em. Noah’s a big boy.” Still, he takes his phone out of his pocket and winks at me as he calls him.

I can hear the muted sound of the ringing through the phone and it feels like it goes on and on forever. Jesse shrugs when it rolls to voicemail, but I feel like I’ve swallowed rocks.

“Uncle Liam has a tracker on him. Nothing’s wrong, Em. He just had something important planned for this morning but if it makes you feel better, I’ll tell him to check.”

I nod, grateful. “Thank you. I know this is silly.”

He brushes back my hair, indulging me. “It’s not silly, I don’t want you sitting here worried.” I follow him back to where Aiden sits, studying his cards.

Jesse leans down and whispers into his ear. They share a look before he also excuses himself from the table. I feel ridiculous, messing up the game because I can’t go one day without my anxiety spiraling.

“I’m sorry,” I start, but Liam holds up his hand to cut me off.

“No, it takes just a minute to check. That’s what we have it for.”

“You have a tracker on everyone?”

“The whole family has one in their watch for this reason.”

I nod and wait as he pulls up whatever app he uses to pinpoint his family’s locations on his phone and studies the screen. Jesse peers over his shoulder, brow furrowing at whatever they see.

“That shows him up at the main road,” he says, then his eyes turn on me. “It’s two miles, he should be here in just a few minutes.

Liam’s mouth twists to a small frown. “Jesse, the dot’s not moving though.”

My stomach drops, the way it might when you're driving along the hills to the beach. I’m staring at Jesse, waiting for him to explain to Liam that he isn’t looking at the map right. Or that the stupid tracker itself is malfunctioning. Maybe the signal is off.Something.

He doesn’t do any of those.

He pulls out his phone and tries to call him again. “It’s on, but he’s not answering.”

“Ay!” Liam shouts. “Anyone sober, drive me to the main road. Noah’s sitting out there, maybe a tire popped or something.”

The room falls quiet and it takes all I have not to scream that they need to move. We need togo. There’s such a strong feeling inside me that something is very wrong.

Two men I don’t know stand and nod at Liam, Aiden joining them to head for the door. Liam only pauses to give Emily a kiss on her ashen face. “Give us just a moment, dear.”

She nods, frown unmoving. Jesse pulls my hand for me to follow.

“Oh, I don't think they meant me, Jesse,” I murmur self-consciously, but he simply ignores that and tugs me out to the porch.

Aiden and Liam get into a car with another man and take off, while another idles by the steps. Jesse opens the door to the backseat and guides me in, then slides into the passenger seat and slams it shut behind him.

It’s midday, but the trees are so thick in this area that it’s still heavily shaded. It’s all I can do to bite my lip to keep the tremble away. Everything looks ominous now, when it had seemed so jovial just an hour ago.

Jesse reaches behind his seat to take my hand in his, his thumb rubbing my fingers in a soothing slow pattern, just like I’ve seen him do the same for Bo. “He’s probably just out taking a minute before he comes back to the loud ass house. You know he’s a little more…withdrawn than me,” Jesse tries to joke. Unfortunately I know him better now. I can see the lie in his eyes, and I can feel it in the smile I try to return. He sighs, squeezing my hand. “I know.”