The Fae Book 2: Burr and Daisy

Chapter 9: Please Say Something

My phone rang at eight the next morning. I'd been lying on my back in bed, thinking about the many and varied ways I had completely fucked up my life because I was nothing but an egotistical, cruel asshole. Congratufuckinglations on the first thirty-three years of your life. You have absolutely nothing substantial to show for it except a True Queen who rightfully hates your guts and a family who isn't far behind her in their opinion of you.

I snatched the phone from the nightstand and muttered a hello.

"Mr. Hughes? Pete Rafael. I have some good news for you."

The PI that I'd hired late the previous afternoon had told me he'd begin searching for Daisy first thing today, and he was already calling me. I sat up in bed, throwing my legs over the side. 

"You found her? Tell me you found her!"

"Yes, sir, I did. I started my search about ten minutes ago, got an immediate hit and was able to verify that Daisy Carmichael is in Darren, Arkansas. She's working at Nenn's Bakery and living in an apartment above the garage of a Dave and Diana Spelling. I'll text you the addresses of both places."

"How'd you find her so fast?"

"It was easy. Basic initial search, she popped up right away. Honestly, my second-grader could have handled this one."

What the fuck? An ugly suspicion began building inside of me, and outside lightning flashed followed by a CRACK.

"Send me the bill. I appreciate you handling this so quickly."

I tore downstairs, and Nan and my mother looked up from the kitchen table when I ran in.

"I know where Daisy is!"

They shared a look that made me clench my jaw. Flash! CRACK!

"You've known, haven't you?"

My mother cocked an eyebrow at me and smirked. "For about four weeks now."

I was amazed she'd said that much. She'd been speaking the bare minimum to me in the last month, not afraid to let her displeasure with me be known. I'd been counting the days until my house was built so I didn't have to live at home any longer where the tension was inescapable. The builders had begun drywalling, so I hoped it wouldn't be too much longer.

Knowing my family had all known for so long infuriated me, intensifying the storm outside; I needed an outlet and I knew just where to get it. Within seconds, I was out the front door and running straight to Harmony's house. I burst through her front door and there Bitch stood, Harmony wearing a smug look next to him with Lyric in her arms.

"Hey, fairy boy. Heard you found something you lost." Then that fucking bastard had the fucking nerve to fucking smile at me. Big.

Clearly my mother had called to warn them I was about to descend on them like an avalanche.

"Fuck you, Bitch!" I launched myself at him and he met me head on, neither one of us caring that we were inside, putting the furniture and walls at risk.

"Stop it, Burr!" Harmony shouted at us after a minute. "Hatch, you're scaring Lyric!"

That caused both of us to stop and pull apart. I looked over to see Lyric giving me a toothless grin and wiggling her hand at me. "Gah-bah!"

Yeah, my niece was clearly traumatized.

With the back of my hand, I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and glared at my brother-in-law. "How long have you fucking known where she was?"

He shrugged. "The day after you asked me to find her."

"You've known where she was for four weeks? You knew I was losing my fucking mind and you didn't tell me?" Flash! CRACK!