Those assholes could be hurting her right now, and here I am rambling like a fucking idiot.
He doesn’t respond immediately, and I imagine the vein in his forehead is throbbing in frustration right now. His only tick gives away his anger every single time, but it’s been a while since we’ve actually been in the same room.
“Let me get this straight,” he starts, and I know I’m about to get my ass chewed out, which, to be fair, I deserve. “I sent you to protect the only person on this earth I care about, stressed to you how imperative it was to have eyes on her at all times, and you went ahead and lost her?”
“I mean, it’s a little more complicated than that—” I start, but he immediately cuts me off.
“I don’t give a fuck howcomplicatedit is! You had one job. I trusted you with her safety, and you let them take her! Do you have any fucking idea what they’re going to do to her? Salvatore will doanythingto keep his sons believing the lies he’s been spinning them, and that includes torturing Chloe until she tells him anything he wants to hear, including his version of the truth.”
I drop my head, my eyes falling closed as my chest tightens to the point of pain. “I know, okay? Believe me I fucking know how much I screwed up.”
He’s quiet for a beat, the only sound on the other side of the line is his footsteps pacing along hard floors. He’s probably in his office. It’s where he spends sixteen hours a day, tracking down leads, taking jobs, and tracking news cycles to ensure no one picks up on our own sins.
“Where are you now?”
“I’ll send you the coordinates, but they have about an hour’s head start. It took me a while to find cell service.”
He sucks in a harsh breath, only making my chest tighter.
Who knew it could suck so much disappointing your mentor?
This is the first time I’ve ever failed him, and if I have it my way, it’s going to be the last.
“We’ll get her back,” I assure him. “I won’t let them hurt her.”
“Ryker?”
“Yeah?”
“Please tell me you don’t have feelings for Chloe?” he grinds out.
Fuck.
The last thing I want to do is lie to him, but if he finds out I fucked his girl, I can kiss breathing goodbye.
“What makes you think that?”
“Ryker,” he warns. “Answer the fucking question.”
I sigh, rubbing a hand down my face. “I can’t tell you that.”
The line goes dead, and somehow that’s worse than him yelling at me.
Because without words he just told me he’s not coming for me.
But I’m still going to find Chloe. I meant it when I said I wouldn’t let them hurt her, and when I promised her I would protect her?
I meant it with every beat of my cold dead heart.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
CHLOE
THEN
TEN YEARS AGO
“Stop!” I cry, legs kicking out as two of the men I’ve known most of my life drag me down into the cellar.
