“Kidnapped,” she stammers.
I heard her the first time, it’s just that I couldn’t believe it. I don’twantto believe it. Her reaction to stalking replays like a loop in front of my eyes. She must be so fucking terrified. My body is still, unable to move a muscle.
I don’t think I’m breathing either. The voices around me turn to undiscernible radio static, her cries and pleas deafening me.
Someone puts his hand on me, jarring me out of one nightmare into another one. Adrenaline floods my body as I look at Noah’s face. “Fuck, I need to find her!” I leave them be and run to the exit.
The guys catch up with me as Noah spins me around. I frantically try to get out of his hold. “Let me the fuck go,” I yell. “I need to find her.LET. ME. GO!” I roar.
My fury doesn’t faze Noah, and he slaps me, the other guys murmuringOh shits. “Snap out of it! You can’t go running around finding her when you’ve no idea where she is,” he advises, his face set hard.
“The hell I can’t!”
Oliver supports Noah. “He’s right, Cap. We need a plan.”
“We?” I look between their faces.
“You didn’t think we’re letting you go alone, did you?” Lucas chimes.
“Fuck, fine! What’s the plan?” I demand impatiently, not wanting to argue with them right now.
Stacy appears out of nowhere. “She’s been missing for about half an hour.”
“Half an hour!? And you’re just telling this now?” I glare at her.
Noah smacks the back of my head, knowing he’s the only one who can get away with it. “Quit it. It’s not her fault. You’re the one running around like a horse on drugs.”
Choosing to ignore him because I might kill him, and he’s also right, I turn to look at Stacy. “Was any of it recorded on camera?”
Stacy nods. “Follow me.”
All of us follow her without a second thought.
* * *
The space in the control room is too small to accommodate over six-foot-tall, bulky hockey players, so they cram up behind me to get a glimpse at the screen.
It looks like the faculty installed new cameras, and the perpetrator wasn’t aware of them.
The guard plays the video, and my heart aches when I see an unassuming Kaeli laughing with Jodi.
The tape rolls, and they both head into the bathroom, a cleaner passing by. He shouldn’t have been there, but I don’t think much of it as Kaeli snags my attention.
She starts to move when Jodi exits the restroom. For some reason, Jodi stops her, and my brows furrow. Then I remember that Jodi lied about not seeing Kaeli when she was, in fact, with her.
Before I can wonder why, the cleaner grabs Kaeli from behind and puts a cloth over her mouth. And Jodi?
She doesn’t move a muscle to help my woman.
Jodi’s betrayal shocks everyone in the room as a string of curses ensues. My head falls, blood freezing when the cleaner removes his mask and turns out to be John Mullens.
Fuck, Kaeli must be petrified.
I should’ve been careful. I shouldn’t have gotten my sights off her.
With a helpless roar, I slam my fists on the table, everything levitating with the force and falling back.
Noah, ever the voice of reason, squeezes my shoulders. “Don’t worry, we’ll find her. I promise you.” The guys mutter in agreement.
