I don’t knowhow long I sit there, sinking into the couch, wallowing. The smell of her still clings to the air. Coconuts and new books.
Eventually, I hear the front door open, heavy footsteps crossing the compound and heading straight to the sitting room. Ashton drops into the couch beside me, legs spread wide, zero sense of boundaries and completely unaware of how destroyed I am right now. “Hey, boss! I need to talk to you. It’s important.”
We’ve barely exchanged two words since our blowup at the club, and I know he’s still furious at me, but his timing couldn’t be worse.
“I can’t deal with you and your bullshit right now,” I mutter. “Whatever it is, we can deal with it tomorrow.”
Ashton snorts. “Great. Amazing attitude as usual. But I didn’t come here to argue with you. You’ll want to hear this, trust me.”
I don’t have the energy. “Just tell me what you want and get the fuck out,” I say. My voice is biting, but it’s not him I’m angry at. It’s me.
What if this is it? What if she never forgives me for keeping my distance, for trying to keep her safe? What if that was the last time I'll ever see her?
“Doc found out who was driving the car that almost hit Sydney,” Ashton says.
My eyes snap to him.
“Someone called the cops,” he continues. “The night it happened. They took down the license plate, gave it to the operator.”
“And?” I push.
“You’re not going to believe this. It was her ex. Chase.” Ashton’s face twists, his fist flexing on the couch. “Guess I didn’t do enough to scare him off.”
Her ex. Not Dante.
“We need to find him,” I grind out. “Now. Call Viper, have him?—”
My phone rings, vibrating loud enough on the kitchen counter to cut me off.
Sydney. Maybe it’s her, maybe she’s calling. Even if it’s just to scream at me, to tell me to get fucked.
I bolt up from the couch, hurrying to the kitchen, ignoring Ashton as he calls out after me.
My heart sinks when I check the caller ID and see it’s not her.
It’s Sebastian.
“This better be important,” I snap, bringing the phone to my ear.
“Is Sydney there?” His voice is frantic, pitched too high. “Tell me she’s with you at the compound right now.”
“No.” Because I fucked up. Because I fuck everything up. “She was, but?—”
Sebastian swears, cutting me off. “You need to get to her place right the fuck now. I’m too far out, and you’re closer.”
Fuck.
I’m grabbing my jacket and gun before he can even finish, sprinting for the door. “I’m on my way. What happened?”
“Someone broke into her place about five minutes ago,” he says. “I just got the alert on my phone.”
A dark, violent fury fills me. “Her ex?” I ask.
“No. The camera picked up his face, but I don’t recognize him. A man, maybe six four, muscular. He’s still inside. I keep calling her, but she’s not picking up. You need to get there.Now, before she does.”
My stomach drops. She would be here, safe with me, if only I hadn't let my goddamn control issues get in the way of being with her. Instead of protecting her, I sent her running, straight into danger.
Ashton shouts behind me, demanding to know where I’m going, but I don’t have time to explain. I grab the first set of keys I find and race toward the garage.
