Page 52 of Their Wicked Secrets: Untouched, Vol 5 of 6

“Why don’t you stay with me at Caden’s?” I think of all those empty rooms. “They have a staff, but there are so many unused rooms. Mrs. Ross said she and Mr. Ross were leaving on a trip.”

Mom shakes her head and gives me a sad smile. “I don’t think that will work, but I do have one person I can ask and I’m sure she’ll say yes. But that means you’ll have to come with me. It wouldn’t make sense for you to stay somewhere else.”

“Is it safe?” I glance at Kenz. She can’t mean Kenz’s house. They’re overflowing with people already. I don’t know how the guys will feel about me staying somewhere else. Somewhere they might not have access to.

Mom brushes my hair behind my ear and smiles. “I’m sure you’ll approve, but let me check with her first.”

“So, what happens next?” I draw in a breath.

“We deal with everything that’s coming at us and find a way to make sure we’re both safe to go back to our house.” Mom squeezes my hands. “But right now, you go to Nico’s and check on him. I have work tonight, but I’ll let you know where we’ll be tomorrow.”

“How? Text isn’t safe. Phone isn’t safe.” This is too complicated.

Mom smiles. “I’ll have someone you trust tell you.”

When I glance at Kenz, she gives me a smile. For a second, I think about telling my mom about the trail cam, but I don’t want to get her hope up if all that’s on it are leaves and squirrels. Besides, Kenz doesn’t know anything about the fathers’ involvement. I just can’t wait to have Mom back, so I can tell her everything.

CHAPTER 17

The No-Fly Zone

Eli

“You’re sure?” I ask again over the speakerphone in my car.

“Yeah,” Nico says. “I took pictures to see which way she was headed until the dot blipped off the map.”

“Fuck.” I turn the wheel and pull the car onto a little gravel road. After a minute, Kenz’s car comes into view. “I don’t think they had a flat.”

“My mom told me that’s what Kenz’s mom texted her.”

We all know Harper can fix a flat. It’s not unreasonable to think they called someone if Kenz didn’t have a spare, but I don’t like it. Especially with Harper’s location. That’s not on the way to Nico’s.

I’m in the middle of nowhere. I park behind Kenz’s car with its four fully inflated tires.

“Still nothing?” I turn off my engine and run a hand through my hair. It’s dried with sweat. I didn’t even take time to change out of the clothes I practiced in. At least I’m not covered in mud and grass stains.

“Still nothing.” Nico sighs. “I could have come with you.”

I shake my head and grab my AirPods out of my glove compartment and tuck my phone in my pocket. “You need your rest. You did what you could. Angela delivered your message.”

“I owe her a favor.” Nico huffs out a breath. Obviously not excited about that idea, and he shouldn’t be. A favor from a horseman is a big deal in the school.

“Yeah. We need to get you more trustworthy people to text.” I get out of the car and stare down the road. The dots went toward the woods, so that’s where I go.

“That would have been awesome an hour ago.”

Even though I’m worried for our girl, I chuckle, because Angela is going to be persistent. But I’m trying to stay positive. Harper has faith in Kenz. She was with Kenz. Though we don’t know if anyone else was with them.

That’s the real worry. That they both got taken.

There aren’t a lot of good reasons to bring someone to a deserted area like this. There are fields on either side of the gravel road. It isn’t even on the map. It disappears into trees at the back of the fields.

I drag in a breath.

Only one way to go. I grabbed my retractable baton to bring with me. I can’t take on a lot of guys at once, but I won’t go down easy. Nico will have my location and hear everything.

I stop and forward a couple of phone numbers to Nico’s phone.