“His name is Jared Waters. I guess he went to school with Wren and Liv. We had no idea he was the one stalking Wren. He had pictures of her all over the house we broke into. He’s obviously twisted.”
He said more, but the blood had already frozen in my veins, my ears ringing dully. “Do you have a picture of him?” I asked through numb lips.
“Yeah, why?” he asked, confused.
“Send it to me,” I demanded. I needed to be sure.
A moment later my phone pinged with an incoming text, a familiar face appearing on my screen. “Oh God,” I breathed.
“Francesca, what? Do you know him?” Maddox demanded sharply.
“I do. He’s my cousin,” I murmured.
“What the fuck?”
“I’ll explain when I get there, I’m coming.” I was already up and out of bed and scrambling to get dressed.
“It’s the middle of the night, baby. I don’t want you driving,” he argued, protective of me even when his friend’s life was in danger. “And you wouldn’t be back in time to open the bakery tomorrow,” he added.
My answer was surprisingly easy. “It’s okay, this is more important.”
“You’re sure?” he pressed.
“I don’t know if I can help, but I’ll rack my brain on the way there. And I want to be there for you,” I added softly.
“Baby.” His voice was soft with tenderness. “I’ll text you Max’s address. We’ll likely be gathered there first thing in the morning, right around the time you hit town.”
“Okay. I’m leaving shortly,” I replied.
“Check in with me on the road. You’ve got your glasses?” he asked with concern.
“I do,” I assured him. “Take care of your family. I’ll be there soon.”
I couldn’t explain the urge to be by his side; it was instinctive. Maddox had been my rock since the moment I’d met him. Even if I couldn’t help find Wren, I wanted to be the same for him.
When I pulled up to the remote mountain house on the outskirts of Hawthorne after a long drive, I was exhausted. I’d checked in with Maddox several times as instructed, assuring him I was fine. He had to be more exhausted than I was after over twenty-four straight hours trying to find Wren.
My headlights captured Maddox, head bowed, hands clasped over his knees as he sat on the front stoop waiting for me. He stood up, stalking over to me as I cut the engine. He opened the door for me and pulled me up and into his arms. I’d come to love being held by Maddox but this was something different. Something more. He embraced me, his nose buried in my hair breathing me in as though assuring himself I was really there.
“You okay?” he demanded roughly.
“I’m fine,” I was quick to assure him. This wasn’t about me. “I just thought of something that might help. I never saw Jared much—we were never close,” I continued. In fact, Jared had always given me the creeps. “And he lived here in Hawthorne with his mom. But he did come into the bakery a few weeks back. I overheard him bragging about a house he’d bought here. Maybe… maybe that’s where he took Wren?”
Maddox took my hand, towing me toward the house before I’d even finished the sentence. We walked into a great room with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. But I didn’t have a moment to enjoy the view as every eye in the room turned to assess me—and none of them were welcoming.
I felt Mad’s hand press to my lower back, reassuring me that he was there.
“What’s goin’ on?” A man with dark hair and eyes glowered.
“This is Francesca,” Maddox introduced. “She might know where Jared would take Wren.”
The man’s eyes sharpened, distrust radiating from his every pore. “You’re the source.”
I bit my lip, looking up at Maddox for guidance. I hadn’t been prepared for this level of animosity, though given the circumstances, I should have been.
At his nod I spoke for the first time. “I am.”
“And how would you know where Jared would take Wren?” he demanded, and I knew then what I’d guessed from the start. This was Max, Wren’s man.
