It’s perfect, with the exception of one small, tiny detail: There’s no Kaden in it.
There’s no Kaden in the house. No Kaden anywhere.
Well … Kaden’s kind of around. I see him every time Kip walks into the room, and for the briefest of moments, my heart stops at the thought that he’s back.
It’s crazy. I’ve been able to tell the twins apart my whole life. Why am I suddenly confused?
I feel for Kip. He’s missing his literal other half, but here I am, moping around, making things worse. It can’t be easy for him, either, but my distress overrides any sympathy I can muster.
On the morning of day four, I decide to take matters into my own hands.
Since sleep has been evasive, I slip out the front door before dawn and get in the car. I’m going to find Kaden if it kills me.
I probably should have told Nik or Kip where I’m going, but I don’t want them to talk me out of it. I got us all into thismess, got Kaden into this mess, and I’m going to get us—get him—out.
I’m going to get him back.
The sound of the car engine turning over makes me cringe, and I throw it into reverse and back out of the driveway before Nik can come running out to see where I’m going.
The first place I head to is the unmarked building where Nik, Kip, and I were questioned, nibbling on licorice as I drive. I’m pretty sure it’s either a secret federal building, or it was commandeered for the purpose of heading the raid on the Langleys’ stolen mansion. If it’s the former, I should be able to talk my way inside and start asking questions about where Kaden’s being held. If it’s the latter, well, I just hope they’re still using it as a base of operations for taking down DeltaCorp.
Either way, I hope to get some answers.
Two male guards in sharp suits stop me at the entrance to the parking lot. The ass of my car is still in the damn street, so I hope no one comes barreling around the corner before they let me in.
“Miss? May I ask what you’re doing here? This facility is off-limits to civilians.”
“Does that mean my mate can go?” I ask, chewing on a licorice string. “Because, like, he’s a civilian, and you guys separated him from his pack while his mate—that’s me—is in the early stages of pregnancy, and that’s not cool.”
They look at each other as if my question totally throws them for a loop. I bet they weren’t expecting blunt honesty.
Then again, nobody has ever expected any kind of honesty from me.
“Ma’am, there’s no one here that belongs to your pack. It’s all agents and local LEOs from the precinct. We let the last of the witnesses go the other day.”
Well, that’s either a lie or a rather disappointing fact. If they don’t have Kaden here, where could he be? They certainly didn’t let him go; he’d be home by now if that was the case.
“What about the whistle-blower? He still in custody?”
“We can’t disclose—”
“Where is Kaden Hardin?”
I ask it with a quiet calm, but from the expressions on the agents’ faces, I’ve hit something on the nose. Recognition blooms in their faces as I say his name, meaning at the very least they know who he is, if not quite where. They look uncomfortably at each other, and it’s clear that they weren’t expecting me to come directly down to their little headquarters and demand answers.
By this time, a few other agents have come out of the building, two men and a woman, crossing the parking lot with brisk steps. They haven’t drawn their weapons—yet—but their hands hover over them, as if they’re expecting me to put up a fight.
What do they think I’m gonna do? I just rolled up here with a snack and said I was pregnant. Neither of those things points to a threat.
The woman reaches my car first. She’s tall, muscular—an alpha. Rare for a woman, but not unheard of. Hopefully she’ll take pity on me and either bring me to Kaden or tell me where he is. I’ve been behaving so far; maybe the feds will, too, if I keep it up.
Is pregnancy putting me on the straight and narrow? God, I hope not.
“Ms. O’Neil? I’m Agent Elgin. I understand you had some questions about Mr. Hardin?”
The guards at the front must be wired. I didn’t see or hear either of them calling for backup. That means I’m being recorded.
It also meansthey’rebeing recorded.
