Treasured by a Tiger (Mate Me Book 6)

39

Preston shook his shoulders and climbed into his truck. Caroline didn't sound right on the phone. He needed to get home to her now. Turning his truck on, he noticed a beat-up truck driving past his construction site. Whenever he saw a truck that looked beat up, he always looked at the model, wondering how old it was. This one wasn't too old, only a 2014 model. Turning his truck toward home, he thought about how he could help Caroline when he got home. Ralph, one of his men that day, had been talking about his wife yelling at him for giving her all the mental load. At lunch, he'd asked him what he meant.

"Well, she's been saying when I get home, all I do is take a shower and fall asleep on the couch. I don't help with the kids or do any chores around the house."

"You don't?"

"I do when I'm not dog tired, but lately these long days are getting to me. I ain't as young as I used to be. The kids are all in middle and high school. What do they need me for?"

"Do they do activities outside of school?" Nixon asked, walking into the conversation.

"Yeah, the oldest do choir, my middle has soccer, and the youngest does Tae Kwon Do, plays the cello, and is in the school play." Preston stared at Ralph in surprise.

"That seems like a lot to coordinate. Does she drive them all over?"

"Nah, we have carpools."

"But that means she has to coordinate all the carpools," Nixon pointed out, ripping into his sandwich.

"I s'pose."

"I think that is why she is mad. Do you offer to help drive or pick up kids on your way home from work?" Preston asked. He usually picked up Liam because Caroline worked, too.

"Nah. I just want to get home."

"Wow, Ralph, I'm surprised you're not sleeping on the couch yet," Nixon said, laughing.

"Who says I ain't."

"Is it worth the fight?" Preston asked, wondering if he'd done that to Caroline today by asking her to pick up Liam.

"Sometimes. Means I don't have to do anything after work."

"Don't Marilyn teach?" Nixon added, downing his water bottle.

"Yeah, she gets off at three, which means she can do more with the kids." Preston shook his head. Ralph was an idiot and if he wasn't careful, Marilyn was going to divorce him and do everything herself, anyway.

"This was a very enlightening conversation. Now, back to work. I have a wife and kid to get home to and I don't want to sleep on the couch."

That was hours ago and now Preston was rushing home, praying Caroline wouldn't be angry with him. He pulled into the driveway to see her car. The front door was open. That was odd. He parked and hurried to the door. When he walked in immediately, he could smell three unfamiliar smells. On top of it all, he could smell fear.

"Caroline! Liam!" he shouted, searching the main floor. No answer, fuck! He took a deep breath and found Liam's scent. He followed it to the basement. "Liam, buddy." A small whimper came from the back corner. He stalked over quietly in case people were in the house who was not supposed to be there.

"Dad!" Liam cried and threw himself into Preston's arms. Preston grabbed his son, pressing him tightly to his body. He searched around the basement with his eyes for Caroline. She wasn't there. He scooped Liam up and went back upstairs. Owen's scent wasn't in the house either, which meant he'd been incapacitated or told he could go home because Preston was on his way home. Owen wouldn't leave his post until Preston relieved him, so that meant he had to be hurt somewhere.