Without pausing, I toss my laptop onto the passenger seat and tear out of the parking lot.
I tap the call button on the steering wheel as I run straight through a red light, barely avoiding two cars before I make it to the other side of the intersection.
“Colten,” Lexi whispers, but the fear in her voice makes my chest ache.
I’ve failed her once again.
“I’m on my way, Wildcat. Stay right where you are, okay?” I force my voice to remain even, but inside my emotions are at war. Terror. Anger. Fear. Self-loathing.
“I can’t. He’s here. He’s going to take me.”
“No, he’s fucking not, Lexi. Stay right where you are. If someone approaches you, scream.”
She’s silent for long seconds as she considers what I’ve told her to do. She’s been training for moments like this since she was old enough to walk, but it’s different practicing in a controlled environment than being in a dangerous situation like the one she’s in right now.
“Hang up the phone.” A voice I don’t recognize comes from the other end of the line.
“I’m a few minutes away, Lexi. Scream,” I say. I just need her to hold on for a few more minutes.
“Gun,” she whispers so softly I’d probably miss it if she weren’t on loudspeaker.
“Hand me the phone,” the man demands, and it’s mere seconds before his voice comes through more clearly.
“She’s mine.”
And then the line goes dead.
I blow through another intersection, not bothering to slow down. I had all the families’ main cars fortified to be bulletproof last year, and anything less than a semi-trailer isn’t going to stop me from getting to Lexi.
All those times I thought I was crossing too many lines by putting trackers in her shoes come to mind, and I thank my lucky stars I’m as obsessed as I am, otherwise, there’s no telling what could happen to her.
I push the panic to the back of my mind because all that matters right now is saving Lexi. Everything else can wait until she’s safe.
I double-park out front of the café, not bothering to shut the engine off before I’m out of the car and sprinting toward the doors.
Except when I burst through them, I find twenty terrified patrons and no Lexi.
She’s gone.
I’m too late.
I’ve failed her.
THIRTY-ONE
LEXI
The metal is cool against my lower back as he guides me through a back street with nothing more than the gun.
He hasn’t said anything since he shoved me out the back door of the café, since I begged someone to help me.
But no one did.
As I expected, their fight-or-flight instincts kicked in the moment he showed his weapon, and no one did anything to stop him from ushering me into the unknown.
I force deep breaths into my lungs despite how hard my heart is beating. I’m starting to think it’s straight up trying to escape my chest altogether, but we’re in this together, and we’re going to be just fine.
I’m not usually one for being overly positive in a shitty situation, but I don’t have much choice right now.
