“Even her pantry,” Evan says, barely glancing up at us.
Sage’s eyes widen. “Is she okay?”
“Physically yes, but…” Evan turns his beautiful blue eyes on me. “They could’ve killed her, Jer. They could’ve…”
“I know. But they didn’t. You just spoke with her,” I remind him. I’ve never seen him so panicked. “Come here.” I pull him against my chest, kissing the side of his head.
Sage watches us closely before asking, “You think it’s related to Foxx?”
“Honestly, yeah. Foxx will do anything to find me, even going after my friend’s families.”
Sage nods somberly. “Where does she live?”
“Spokane.”
Evan is trembling as I rub his back. “He can’t kill her.”
“I’ll be right back,” Sage says, turning back toward the house.
I barely pay him any attention as I try to calm Evan down. He’s always been close to his mom. She raised him alone after his father disappeared when he was three, sometimes working two jobs just to give Evan the best life possible. She is his biggest fan and loves him fiercely. He returns the love, trusting her completely.
Will he tell her aboutour kiss?
The thought hits me out of nowhere, but I force it aside. I can’t think about that right now, or expect Evan to either. The only thing that should matter is getting his mom to safety. But where? How? It’s not like we can go to her. It’s too risky. And we don’t have anyone to call. Can she go to a hotel for a while? But what if they trace her cards? I’d offer to pay, except my bank account has dwindled fast this last year. I could only afford a night or two.
“We’ll figure it out, Ev,” I say softly. “I promise.”
After a long moment, Forest, Sage, and Red come out to meet us.
Forest’s hair is a mess and he’s wearing blue flannel pants, like he’s just rolled out of bed. “Tell me what happened.”
Evan keeps one arm around me as he repeats everything, sounding a little more put together.
Forest listens carefully before glancing at me. “I think you’re right. This sounds like Foxx or Rip or someone from the coven went there looking for you, or maybe for information on where to find you.”
“Which means she can’t stay there,” Evan says. “We need to—”
“I know. You said she lives in Spokane?” Forest asks, pulling his phone out.
Evan nods. “Yeah. Spokane Valley, technically. Just outside of Spokane.”
“Good. We have several connections in that area. Do you know her address? I’ll call to see if someone can go check on her.”
Evan seems just as surprised as me. “You’d do that?”
Forest gives him a warm smile. “Text me her address. I’ll see what I can do.”
As Evan unlocks his phone, I get a glimpse of his background and my chest tightens. It’s a picture of us, taken over a year ago on one of our hikes through the Rocky Mountains. We’re on a bridgeoverlooking a river, and I’m standing behind Evan, our cheeks practically touching, as he holds the phone out to take a picture.
I remember that day so clearly. It was the day I realized I was falling for him. It felt impossible at the time that he could feel the same way about me.
In some ways, it still does.
I glance back at the van, where just minutes ago we had been drowning in desire, and now his whole world is turned upside down.Again.
Because of me.
Did he react this way when I disappeared? Send himself into a wild panic? I remember receiving hundreds of texts from him in the first few weeks, each one growing shorter and more agitated. Even rude, as he became desperate.
