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S he was finally his. Between Riley and Hanna, he had the perfect combination.

Riley’s disappearance would cause ripples—that, he expected.

But eventually it would smooth out, just like Hanna’s disappearance had.

And he had two to last him for a while. After this, he’d go back to his usual careful self and only prey outside of his hometown.

The problem was Riley’s FBI agent ex-boyfriend.

Sure, they’d had a spat at the bar and had supposedly broken up, but what would he do if she turned up missing?

He couldn’t take any chances.

He pulled his baseball cap down low and inserted the tiny tools into the back door of Ethan’s house.

It was broad daylight, and the worst time to be doing this, but he had no choice.

Now that he had Riley, it was only a matter of time before Ethan came looking for her.

Even if he wasn’t interested in her anymore since their fight, Ethan was a loose end that he couldn’t have floating around.

The lock gave under the pressure and he swung the door open. He had to make this quick. He tucked his chin and made a beeline for the kitchen. His gaze landed on the old gas stove against the wall and he smiled.

Rudy, the property owner, hadn’t changed out the appliances since he’d last been in the property.

For a short time, Michael had managed a few rental properties in town and Ethan’s had been one of them.

Not that there were that many anyway. Michael brought his fingers to the dial on the gas stove and turned it.

Not high enough to start a flame, just enough to let the gas seep out.

In minutes, the house would be as combustible as a bomb.

All it needed was the trigger and boom.

Good-bye, Ethan.

***

The breakfast burrito he’d just run in to grab sat untouched in his lap.

The icy air conditioning blasted over his face, making the sweat at his hairline cold.

He’d tried to call Riley to make sure she’d made it to work, but she hadn’t answered or returned his text.

It’d been almost a half hour since she’d left Brian’s.

Nate slurped his coffee from the driver’s seat. “Is there a hair in your food or something bro?”

Ethan swallowed hard and shook his head. He wrapped the food back up and tossed it in the paper bag. “Nah, just have a bad feeling. Riley still hasn’t gotten back to me.” Acid burned the back of his throat. “Something’s not right.” He turned in his seat to face Nate.

Nate shoved the last chunk of breakfast sandwich in his mouth and wiped the ketchup from his fingers on a napkin. “Did you text her?”

“I sent her a message already and no reply. If you’re done, let’s swing by the restaurant.”

“Sure.” He shoved his wrappers in with Ethan’s food and shifted into gear.

Ethan laced his fingers together and slowly cracked each knuckle. His forearms bunched with each jerk of his fingers. Bile eroded the lining of his stomach.

“Do you have to do that? You’re making me nervous.” Nate nodded at Ethan’s fists.

The corner of Ethan’s mouth hitched up, and then dropped just as quickly. Ethan’s habit had always made Nate squeamish.

“You know I can’t help it.” The effort to keep his voice even strained his throat. The sun beat through the windshield, counteracting the blast from the vents. It was so damn bright and sunny out, yet darkness hung its shroud in the air like an invisible black gas.

Nate ran his hand over his hair. “All right, now my senses are piqued. You’ve always been good at trusting your gut.”

His stomach lurched on Nate’s affirmation. He was right. The restaurant came into view and Ethan shot forward, his palms gripped the scorching dashboard. He scanned the parking lot. The hairs at the back of his neck shifted.

“Fuck,” he breathed. “Her rental car isn’t here.”

Nate slammed the car into park and Ethan whipped his seat belt off.

His feet hit the pavement at a dead run.

His heart slammed against his rib cage, drowning out the rushing of blood through his ears.

His hand closed over the steel door handle, its heat branding him.

He tore the door open and stalked inside.

Cool air washed over his body, and his eyes struggled to adjust to the fluorescent lights.

“Ethan.” Jenny weaved through the tables, a pitcher of water in her hand, her dark, slim eyebrows snapped low over her eyes. “Is everything okay? Riley hasn’t come back.”

His fingers closed around her elbow, pulling her close with more force than he’d intended. “When did you talk to her last?”

Her chin trembled and worry creased the skin beneath her eyes.

“I wasn’t expecting her today, but she came in and then left after I mentioned Brian had been asking about her.

That was about an hour ago. I haven’t heard from her since.

I sent her a text about fifteen minutes ago. You haven’t talked to her?”

Her eyes flicked over his and a spear drove through his solar-plexus.

“I saw her at Brian’s about a half hour ago. She left before I did to come to the restaurant. If you hear from her, call me.” He dug a card out of his pocket and shoved it into her hand. He charged across the parking lot and slid into the passenger’s seat.

Nate gripped the steering wheel, his brow furrowed. “She’s not there?”

“No.” Ethan slammed the door and clicked his seat belt into place. “We need to get to her house.” Fear trickled down his back like icy water.

Nate peeled out of the parking lot and onto the road. The back tire caught the curb, careening them forward. “She could have gone anywhere.”

Ethan shook his head. “She wouldn’t have gone anywhere without telling me.”

“I know, but shit happens. Hell, she was just at Brian’s without you knowing. What if she forgot her phone? Is there anywhere else she could have gone?”

Air expanded in his chest. She wouldn’t have just upped and gone somewhere.

There was nowhere else…except his house.

She’d brought a bag over the other day. It was possible she could have left something she needed for work there.

And, by a stretch of the imagination, she could have left her phone by mistake.

It was a long shot, but they needed to look everywhere.

“She could have gone to my house.”

Nate slapped his shoulder. “See, that’s a possibility. We’ll check out her house and then go to yours.” He took a quick right, pulled down their street and Riley’s house came into view.

Ethan’s pulse vibrated in his throat and fear bit hard into his stomach muscles. He never should have left her alone…if something happened to her, it would be his fault. The muscles in his face clenched.

Nate took a sharp left and Ethan’s shoulder connected with the passenger side door.

Her rental car was gone. Nate swerved the truck to the curb and shifted it into park.

He leapt out of the seat and pounded across the pavement and over the perfectly manicured grass.

Nate charged up the steps behind him. His footsteps shook the old wooden porch as he advanced on the front door.

He closed his hand over the handle and froze. Ice water rushed through his veins.

The door was open.

“What the hell?” Nate breathed behind him.

Ethan eased the door open the rest of the way and slid his Glock out from the small of his back.

Nate drew his weapon too and squeezed into the open doorway.

Ethan hovered his fingers on the warm wood as he slowly closed it, careful not to latch it fully so as not to make a sound.

The gentle hum of the air conditioner greeted him and made the hot sweat go cold and turn to ice on his skin.

His eyes fell to the small wooden table next to the door. Riley’s purse sat there, the strap tangled around it as if she’d dropped it quickly. He swallowed and opened it. Her phone lay tucked inside, as did her wallet.

The house was quiet. He moved away from the door and balanced his weight on the balls of his feet.

Nate jerked his head toward the bedrooms, indicating he’d inspect there first.

Ethan nodded and moved carefully over the old hardwoods. His gun nestled securely in his palm, his arms outstretched, and his peripherals taking in every inch around him.

Nothing.

He breezed through the kitchen and checked the back door.

The dead bolt remained latched tightly as he’d left it this morning.

His shoulders sank and he lowered his weapon to rub the palm of his hand over his eyes.

Jesus Christ. She was gone. He didn’t have to wait for Nate to tell him the bedrooms were empty, his instincts rang through him, washing away his hope.

His chest rose and fell as he sucked in deep, angry breaths.

He’d kill him. From his time at the FBI, he knew that if a victim wasn’t found within hours of an abduction—they wouldn’t be. A growl erupted deep from his chest.

He wouldn’t let that happen. He charged through the living area and checked the windows. No sign of a struggle or forced entry.

Not a damn thing.

Frustration stung the back of his eyes.

Nate came out of the spare room and met him in the hall. Deep shadows hung beneath his eyes and he shook his head.

“I can’t find any sign of forced entry,” Ethan said. His tone had dropped to the level of bleakness that was settling around him like a thick cloud of smoke.

Nate nodded. “With the door ajar like that, I’d say someone came and she opened it.”

Ethan forced the clutches of despair from around his throat and swallowed. He needed to focus, to use his damn head and think, not fall into the pit of hopelessness that kept sucking at his ankles.

“Why the hell did she come back here? She should have gone to work, it doesn’t make sense. And how could he have taken her from her doorstep in broad daylight?”

Nate cupped the back of his neck with his palm and blew out a breath. “She must have gone with someone—”

He shook his head. “No. She’s not stupid.”