I should’ve been more careful after Parker told me about the comments and messages. I shouldn’t have left her alone. I should have installed cameras, reported it to the police, done everything I didn’t do because I was so preoccupied with everything else.
That was my fault, and no one else’s. The guilt that churned my stomach would have to wait, because the only thing I had space for in my mind right now was finding my girl and our son.
As the trees became thicker and the hills turned steeper, I had no choice but to get out and continue on foot. I killed the engine and the lights, making sure I had both my guns before exiting the truck. I locked it before navigating the deepening snow, being sure to stick close to the trees in case I came across anyone.
The forest was silent save for the howl of a wolf in the distance. I trekked for what felt like hours, my fingers numb on the shotgun as I walked. I barely felt the bite of cold with the adrenaline pumping through me.
I checked my phone every few minutes to make sure I was still heading in the right direction, and finally, what felt like an hour later, I spotted a cabin in the distance.
A dim light flickered through a tiny, snow-filled window, and a plume of smoke billowed out of the chimney. Another glance at my screen confirmed that at least her phone was in there, but whether she had it or someone else did, I wasn’t sure. That was exactly why I hadn’t tried to call it, for fear they’d turn it off, and I might lose my only chance of finding her.
I double-checked that my phone was on silent before pocketing it. Approaching the cabin, I made sure to stay out of sight of the window. There was no hope in covering my boot prints—not with snow this deep—so I tried to keep myself out of the flicker of light asbest I could.
I pressed my back flat to the side of the house, inhaling a steadying breath. If she was in there, and someone was with her, I had to act fast while being careful not to let her get hurt.
I forced away any nerves that threatened to creep up. Parker would be okay. Our son would be okay.
I’d get them out of this.
Carefully, I crept around to the front of the cabin, ducking my head beneath the window as I passed it. Voices filtered out from the door, and I paused beside it, listening.
“Axel always asked why we never had family.” A man was speaking to her. One whose voice I didn’t recognize. But I remembered Parker telling me about a cousin by the name of Axel.
Had someone in her family taken her? Was he the one who had been stalking her online?
When the man was met with only silence, he continued, “He always knew it was because of my brother. That Clarence was too scared.”
“Maybe because you’re a felon,” Parker muttered.
My heart ceased beating, my grip tightening on the gun. Parker was talking, which meant she had to be okay.
Please, fuck, let her be okay.
The man ignored her comment and continued. “So imagine my surprise when I found out you hung out with my boy. He hated you growing up. Thought you were too privileged to hang out with trash.”
“And who made him think that’s what he was?”
A sprinkle of pride filtered throughme at her boldness, even in a time of danger. But she needed to be careful. Unless she thought he wouldn’t hurt her. But why?
“I don’t lie to family.”
“No, that much was obvious when you said you wanted to take my baby for money.”
Her words only intensified my urge to blow the fucker’s head off. He’d never so much as get the chance to touch my family. Not if I had anything to do with it.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures. Isn’t that what they say?”
I’d heard enough.
No one threatened my girl and got the privilege of continuing to breathe the same air as her.
37
PARKER
Even with the fire crackling in the corner, my teeth still chattered profusely. From the cold or the fear, I wasn’t sure. My fingers were very slowly regaining feeling as the warmth from the fire thawed my bones, but my clothes were still soaked. I didn’t have much faith they’d dry anytime soon, but at least for now, I was out of the worst of the storm.
“You’re so desperate that you’re okay with hurting your own family?” I asked Rob from where I sat on the floor, as close to the fire as I felt comfortable with him tending to it every few minutes.
