She was outside. Someone had taken her outside.
Fear gripped her chest.
Her legs suddenly crumpled, and strong arms wrapped around her…but not Jesse’s arms.
Her heart took off at a gallop as she was thrown onto what felt like the floor of a car. Pain seared her side, but she was too tired to do anything about it.
A door slammed closed, and a few seconds later, a car engine sounded. She was just losing consciousness when a voice pricked her ears. A voice that was both familiar and terrifying. A voice that made the darkness around her turn into a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.
Dylan’s voice.
CHAPTER 30
Jesse watched Aspen as she hugged Mrs. Gerald. Burt probably thought he was rude. He was barely looking at him…barely listening. What was he saying? Something about the wrong type of pepperoni being delivered and it was too spicy for customers?
When was the hour up? He was ready to leave, and he was ready now.
Jesse nodded at something Burt said, not entirely sure what he was agreeing to, before looking back at Aspen. She sipped her coffee and cringed. When she lowered the mug, her gaze collided with his, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe.
Would that feeling of breathlessness when he looked at her last forever?
“Hey, is your sister okay?”
Burt’s words finally had Jesse looking at him. “What?”
“Your sister.” Burt nodded behind Jesse. “I think she passed out, and looks like your friend caught her.”
Jesse turned his head to see Holden with his arms around his sister. She was grabbing her head and she looked pale. Shit. Was it her chronic fatigue?
He moved toward his sister, putting a hand on her back. “Hey…are you okay?”
“I’m not sure.” Clara grabbed her head. “I just feel…really lightheaded all of a sudden.”
“Is it the fatigue?” Holden asked, his arms still around her.
“I don’t know. It kind of feels different.” Clara frowned at him. “You need to be watching Aspen.”
Shit.
“Go,” she pushed, shoving Holden’s hands off her. “I’ll go outside with Mom.”
Her mom’s arm replaced Holden’s, and they both stepped out of the shop.
Jesse turned to look for Aspen, only to walk almost straight into Karen Davies. Her hair was disheveled and…was that a bruise on her left eye? “Karen—”
“Get her out of here.”
Cold slipped over his skin. “What?”
“Aspen’s not safe. Dylan asked me to drug her at this very event and deliver her to him. I said no. He wasn’t happy. Then tonight, I saw him outside with someone…some woman.”
Dylan was here?
His gaze shot back to where she was standing—but she wasn’t there anymore.
The fuck. Where was she?
He looked around the room. There were too many people, and none of them Aspen. Panic crawled up his throat, choking him, but he pushed it down. Shehadto be here.
