Pain.
My lungs seize. My vision splinters.
27
Stay With Me
One Hour Earlier
I hope you haven’t forgotten me… it feels like you have. —Iz
Enzo
Myfingersflyovermy keyboard while Kai’s voice filters through the speaker on my phone. “Ten minutes ago, someone that could be Izzy was walking near Washington Heights. It’s blurry, and her face is covered, but the clothes fit your description.”
“Send me the exact location,” I demand.
“Already done.”
My phone chimes. I pull open the footage then check the pinpoint on the map.
“Keep searching, I’m going to check this out.”
“On it.”Kai hangs up.
I’m out of my seat, jacket and gun in hand, already dialling Dante. I tell him where to meet me while the elevator descends.
There’s no time to wait for a driver. I snatch the nearest key—thank God it’s my Jag—slide behind the wheel, and gun the engine.
The journey feels endless as I weave through busy traffic. Every second wasted is another moment she could be slipping away from me.
My phone rings. Kai again. I hit the answer button on my steering wheel.
“What have you found?” I ask.
There’s a moment of hesitation. That heartbeat of silence is enough to have my heart skipping as tension bunches my shoulders.
“Izzy was stuffed into a van by two men less than five minutes ago.”
My arms shake as I force myself to continue breathing.
“Where?”
“Sending you the exact location and the license plate of the van.”
I pull up the map just as I swerve to avoid hitting another car. Their horn fills the air, echoing in my ears as I fly by.
Hanging up with Kai, I call Dante again.
“Shit,” he breathes, after I fill him in. “We’re five minutes out.”
I check the map. “I’m seven away.” That’s if I break every traffic law in existence.
“We’ll get her back. She’ll be okay.”
Dante’s words do nothing to calm my racing thoughts. I already know who has her. It’s Lucas. Who else would it be?
The next seven minutes require me to run ten red lights, drive on the left side of the road three times, and almost cause two crashes while I go double the speed limit. But none of that matters.
