Page 49 of Love Above Law

It falls to the ground with two kicks. Backing away, I turn to Dana. "Come on, you first." Without wasting any time Dana pushes through the hole head first. Once she has cleared the wall, she turns back to me.

"Come on, Leyna."

Just as I am about to put my boots back on, a broken heel and all, I hear booted footfalls coming down the hall. Forgetting about my footwear, I shove my arms through the hole in the wall. Dana stands and grabs my hands and pulls me through, speeding up the process. The moment I climb to my feet, I hear the bedroom door open, slamming against the wall.

"You fucking bitch!" Hugo roars.

Dana and I don't hesitate. We take off running into the woods behind the house. It's pitch black outside, and we have no idea what direction we are heading. At this point, it doesn't matter. All that matters is getting as far away from Hugo as possible.

With my socks being the only barrier between me and the ground, I feel a stabbing sensation with every step I take. I feel each time a pebble or twig slices through my skin, but I refuse to let it slow me down. We run for what feels like forever. Chancing a glance, I look over my shoulder to see a beam of a light in the distance. Dana and I continue to zig-zag through the trees for at least another mile until we come upon a large oak tree that has fallen on the forest floor. Suddenly an idea comes to mind. "Stop!" I whisper hiss. Rounding the trunk of the tree, I motion for Dana. "Come here. I want you to lay down on the ground against this tree. I'm going to cover you with leaves; then I'm going to lead Hugo in the opposite direction."

Dana shakes her head. "No—we stay together."

"Dana, get over here now. This is our best bet. You stay here until you can't hear us. Then you're going to run back in the direction of the house and back to the road. Follow it until you find another house or a town—anything. As soon as that happens you call the police." With tears running down her face, Dana does as I say by laying down on the ground. Shoving my coat off, I place it over the top of her head for protection. "No matter what, don't leave this spot until the coast is clear. No matter what, Dana. Promise me."

"I promise, Leyna," she sobs.

"You're going to make it, Dana, just do as I say." With a final nod, I begin shoveling leaves over her body. When I look over the large tree, I notice the light shining brighter in our direction as Hugo gets closer. Standing, I waste no time darting in the opposite direction of Dana.

My plan works as intended because a while later Hugo's flashlight shines directly on me. I run up a hill and pass numerous trees before the leaves crunching behind me become louder with every step he makes.

"Give it up, bitch, you have nowhere to go," Hugo yells, his steps getting closer.

By this point, I no longer feel my toes and the elements are starting to slow me down. Looking down at my feet my white socks are covered in dirt and soaked with blood. Suddenly, I trip over a tree branch and fall to my knees. But before I'm able to climb back to my feet again, a bright light is shone in my face. Standing ten feet in front of me, red faced and heaving, is Hugo.

25

Lex

Almost three hours have passed since finding out Leyna, and her friend went missing and nearly two since I spoke with her brother and Jake Delane. Since then our entire team along with local law enforcement have been brought up to speed on connecting the two cases we are working on and all the facts leading me to believe Hugo is behind my woman's disappearance. The problem with that is it's only a hunch—a theory we have no way of proving is correct.

The more time slips away the chances of us finding them in time diminishes. To make matters worse, I was ordered by higher-ranking agents to step down; all because I'm too intimately involved with one of the victims. That should be the very reason they shouldn't pull me from the case. Out of any agent or officer involved, I would be more dedicated to finding them.

For now, my only link between the inner workings surrounding the search for Leyna and Dana is Kai. He has kept in direct contact with Kurt for over an hour now as I pace the floor in my apartment going out of my mind. Kai decided he would be more useful in keeping me from going off the rails and doing something that might jeopardize the case or my badge. Nothing I have achieved up to this point in my life or career means shit to me right now. I will risk all of it; my badge and my life to save the woman I love.

I stop mid-stride when someone pounds the hell out of my door. Kai glances in my direction with his phone to his ear because he's on yet another phone call with Kurt. Crossing the living room, I swing open the door shocked to see five faces looking back at me. Men I haven't looked at in months. I've met Gabriel more than once, and briefly introduced to the other men back when I accompanied Leyna to her brother's wedding. How the fuck did they get here so fast? It's a seven hour drive from here to Polson.

"Lex," Jake speaks first. At his left is Quinn and his right Logan. Behind him stands Reid and Leyna's brother Gabriel, whose body language is easily readable with his fist clenched at his sides, nostrils flaring and veins bulging on his neck due to pent up rage. The man is angry. I know exactly how he is feeling.

The last thing either one of us needs now is to lose our heads, so stepping to the side, I invite the Kings into mine and Leyna's home. The five of them brush by me finding their way through the living room and gather around the kitchen island. Kai walks up and shoves his phone into his back pocket as he takes in the men. "How the hell did you get here in under two hours?" I wait for one of them to answer.

"Private plane," Logan tells me. I don't dig any further. How they got here is irrelevant. I turn to Kai whose waiting close by for introductions. "This is Leyna's family, Jake, Logan, Reid, Quinn and her brother, Gabriel. Men, this Agent Kekoa." I introduce everyone.

Kai extends his hand, "Name is Kai," he shakes hands with each of them, minus Gabriel who remains rooted in place with his arms folded over his chest."

Spreading his feet, Jake widens his stance and folds his arms. "Fill us in."

I begin by telling them. "The girls were abducted in the mall's parking lot and all their belongings left inside the trunk of the car."

"Wait—back up a second. You said, women. Leyna wasn't alone?" Quinn asks.

"Leyna went out for lunch and shopping with her friend from work. At this point, we believe they were both taken at the same time—by the same person."

At that moment Gabriel finally speaks. "Why the fuck are you here when you should be out there doin' your job?" he growls.

Before I can respond to his question, Kai jumps in. "Due to his and Leyna's relationship, our superiors turned the entire investigation over to another agent. He's not allowed to assist in any way from here on out."

"You're shitting us right now?" Quinn shakes his head.