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46

THE STALKER

A n annoying pounding on my front door makes me jolt in my chair. My neck is stiff as I lift it from the table, gazing around through blurry eyes. My eyelids are heavy as I blink, the loud pounding on my door continuing, along with Jason’s voice yelling my name.

What the hell? I glance around the room again, my limbs heavy as I push my hands through my hair. “Maddie?” I call out. But there’s no answer. Where is she?

“Jagger. Open the goddamn door!”

After scrubbing my hands over my face, I blink a few times, my vision finally clearing. My gaze lands on a piece of paper lying on my laptop. My heart slams inside my chest, dread hitting me hard, as my hand reaches out, grasping the paper. Lifting it, read the note, my heart heavy.

Dear Jagger,

I’m so sorry for doing what I did. I had to do it. I couldn’t let Ben kill Abby and her unborn baby. I know how much she means to you. You’ve already lost too much.

I know you’re pissed, but you’re the only one who can save me. I’m counting on you.

Please find it in your heart to forgive me. I love you with every single piece of me.

Yours forever,

Baby Girl

W hat the fuck? Rage rolls through me with all the energy of a category-five hurricane. A guttural roar leaves my lips as I realize my cell phone isn’t beside my laptop.

Why the hell did I fall asleep at the table? And how did Maddie escape without waking me up? Since my cell phone is missing, it’s natural to assume she took it and used it to turn off the alarms and unlock the doors.

Jumping to my feet, adrenaline courses through me as Jason and Bryce take turns yelling and banging on the door. Hurrying toward it, I unlock it, then yank it open, causing the alarm to blare at a deafening volume. Turning, I punch the code into the system beside the door, successfully stopping the annoying screeching.

“What the fuck, man? We’ve been calling and trying everything to reach you,” Jason says, standing in the doorway. “You never ignore calls or texts.”

“Maddie took my phone.”

“We’re aware,” Bryce says. “Abby called us. She has your phone, along with Maddie’s Mustang.”

“How the hell were you sleeping at a time like this?” Jason’s eyes roam over my messy hair and exhausted face.

Realizing I’m still holding the note Maddie left me, I thrust it forward. “Fuck if I know. I haven’t felt like this since the last time I took a sleeping pill.” My forehead wrinkles as I remember Maddie going upstairs to get pills for her headache. “Son of a bitch. Maddie must have grabbed my sleeping pills and slipped them to me.” Images of her sliding the iced coffee to me spin inside my head, making my head pound. “Goddamn it!” I punch the wall, spinning and running my hand through my hair. I’m so fucking pissed at her.

“Smart,” Jason looks impressed, but his face changes when I whirl around, shooting him a look full of pure rage.

Dread fills my heart, and chills running down my spine. “Where the fuck is Maddie, and why the hell does Abby have Maddie’s Mustang?”

Jason and Bryce look at one another, not saying anything.

“ Fuck !” I scream, my hands going through my hair. “Fucking Ben has her?” I already know the answer, but I need to hear it from their mouths because the thought is worse than a horrible fucking nightmare. Worse than the ones about my abusive childhood that haunt me, making it hard to sleep.

“He has her,” Bryce says, his voice low and fearful. “We need to go, Jagger. Abby drove the dirt road behind the building, not wanting to leave Maddie behind. She’s a distance away, watching the warehouse that Ben—”

“Let’s fucking go.” Ripping my keys from my pocket, I say, “I’m taking my truck,” as I sprint to the garage.

My breath heaves from my chest, fury swirling through me like a tornado. I’m so fucking pissed at everyone right now, but especially Ben. That fucker knew Maddie would trade herself for Abby.

My hands shake as I open the door, jumping inside. I’m done waiting, Ben. This ends tonight, motherfucker.

As I stick the key in the ignition, turning it over, I whisper a silent plea that I can get to her before he rapes and kills her. Maddie. Jesus Christ, why did you do this? We would have found another way if she’d been a little more patient.

I back out of my garage faster than most people drive forward. My tires bark over the pavement as I shift into gear and stomp the accelerator. As I drive, I reach over and grab my burner phone from my glove compartment. Turning it on, I’m about to dial Bryce when my phone rings. Looking in my rearview mirror, I see them flying down the road behind me.

“Is Abby still watching them?”

“Yes. A white van just went flying out of it. Abby is following it from a safe distance.”

“I-Is Abby okay?” I feel like an asshole, so worried about Ben having Maddie that I didn’t even ask about my sister.

“She’s fine.” There’s a note of pride in his voice when Bryce says, “Your woman impressed the hell out of Abby. Maddie had a knife that she stabbed Ben with. She screamed at Abby to run and take her car.”

Pride fills me at my smart, badass woman fighting back. At the same time, she doesn’t have enough fighting experience, just the little bit of training we did, and Ben got the upper hand. “Then what happened?” I grit out.

I’m greeted with nothing but silence.

My knuckles tighten around the steering wheel, turning white. “ What. Happened ?”

“Abby saw Ben hit her as she got in the car.”

I suck in a breath. How dare he touch my fucking woman. I’m going to torture and kill that motherfucker.

“But Maddie wasn’t done yet. She rammed the knife into his thigh.”

Fuck. My baby girl is tough . Tears fill my eyes. I’m glad she fought Ben. But she needs me. She can’t handle him on her own.

Heaving out a sigh, I say, “Did Abby see anything else?”

Silence comes through the line, the road noise beneath their tires the only thing I hear.

“Tell me now , motherfuckers.” My voice is cold and filled with enough rage to terrify anyone, even my own brothers.

Bryce’s voice trembles as he says, “As Abby was peeling away, she saw Ben hit her, and Maddie slumped to the pavement, unconscious. She wanted to turn around and get her, but Ben lifted and carried her inside the warehouse doors. Abby knew she couldn’t fight Ben and then carry Maddie out.”

Son of a bitch. I’m going to drive a knife through his fucking balls, then light them on fire. My hands grip the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turn white. Then I’m going to cut his motherfucking arm off and beat him unconscious with it.

My monster throws his head back and, like a dragon, lets out a huge streak of fire that fills me, burning my insides. He deserves the worst fucking torture we can think of for hitting our girl , I growl to my monster. His eyes glimmer maliciously, rage burning in his eyes. That motherfucker is going to endure unspeakable pain before I kill him.

“Jagger, Abby is calling. Hold on, and I’ll connect her to us.”

Blowing out a breath, my heart pounds inside my chest. I slam my foot down on the accelerator, knowing it’s risky as hell to be speeding like this along these curvy mountain roads. But I need to get to my baby girl.

“Jagger, can you hear me?” Abby’s panicky voice comes through the line.

“I hear ya, Abby. How—”

“Please don’t be mad at Maddie,” her words come out in a rush. “Though I wish she didn’t jeopardize herself, I understand why she did it.”

“Abby, I—”

“She was such a badass with that knife. The way she sliced Ben’s arm, then drove the blade into his thigh so I could escape. You would have been so proud of her.”

“I wish I—”

“She wanted to save me. I saw it in her eyes. She did it for you as much as me. She didn’t want you to lose me.”

“Abby, I—”

“Now we just have to save her from—”

“ Abby, I fucking love her ,” I scream, tired of being cut off. “Right now, I just fucking want her back with me, safe and sound.”

Silence hangs in the air, all three collectively holding their breath from my outburst. None of them know how to deal with me right now. I’m emotional as hell, not at all like my usual calm and collected self. But I’m desperate to find the only woman I’ve ever loved. And will ever love.

As I approach a red light, I press the brake, gliding to a stop. Closing my eyes, I do the one thing I did as a child when things were shitty. I prayed to my mom that I get to Maddie in time. I’ll die if anything happens to her. I can’t fucking live without her. I don’t even want to try.

And for the first time in my life, I understand how my dad felt when my mom died.

Jason’s voice penetrates my thoughts. “I know how much you love her, Jagger. We’re going to get her back.”

“We’d better,” I say between clenched teeth. “I’d die for that woman, Jason.” Tears prick my eyes, and I blink rapidly, trying to keep them at bay.

“You’ll get her back, Jagger,” Abby’s voice is calm and reassuring. “I know you will.”

“I have to. There’s no other option.” My words hang in the air, penetrating the line between us. The three of them have no idea I’d nearly killed myself once before, or they’d be losing their minds at the thought of what I might do if Ben kills her.

I heave out an aggravated sigh, staring at the light, pleading with it to change. I’m about ready to run the motherfucker.

Abby’s voice is full of quiet conviction. “Love always wins, Jagger.”

The light turns green, and I gun the engine, accelerating. I don’t say anything to Abby, though her words have touched me. It’s not in my nature to be soft for anyone except Maddie. “Bryce, do you have my cell phone location?”

“Of course, Jagger. Do you still have eyes on the building, Abby?”

“Yes, I can see it. But I’ve got a bad feeling. Ben was aggravated as hell that his plans were falling apart. He didn’t like that Maddie fucked things up. When she answered your phone and started barking orders at him, he was shocked, then pissed. He didn’t expect her to come alone.”

“He’s spiraling,” I say, speeding down the road. “That’s bad for my girl.”

“I’m still behind them but can’t determine the license plate number. Should I try to get closer?”

My heart beats frantically inside my chest. “No. He’ll either speed away or go after you again. Stay far enough away that you can keep an eye on him.”

“Okay.”

“What road are you on? Anything identifiable you can make out, Abby?” Bryce’s calm voice comes through the line.

Abby tells him what she sees around her and ahead. The sound of Bryce’s fingers on the keyboard comes through the line, all four of us waiting with bated breath.

“Oh wait,” Abby says excitedly. Maddie was using her GPS in the car. I just realized it’s still on.”

“Good. I can access it.” A couple of beats pass before he says, “Got it. Okay, Jagger. Here’s where they are heading.” He gives me the information, and my mind spins frantically. Despite how fast I’m driving, I’m still about twenty minutes away from them.

“Any ideas where he may be heading, Jagger?”

My thoughts whirl. After a few beats, it hits me. “He’s heading in the direction of Maddie’s childhood home.” Why the fuck would he be going there? That’s way too fucking risky with other houses nearby. But as Bryce keeps tracking Maddie’s GPS and Abby updates us on the road and her surroundings, it becomes apparent that’s exactly where Ben is heading. Why?

“Okay, Abby. I will need you to follow my instructions so you can keep an eye on them without Ben seeing you. You’re going to turn onto the next street. There’s a spot you can park that the woods will help shield you, but you’ll be facing her front door.”

“Got it, Bryce. Just tell me where to turn.”

As Bryce guides her, I tune them out, my thoughts spinning. We’ve been researching Ben, but his background is still a mystery. Jason, Bryce, and I are convinced Benjamin Cromwell is not his real name. While we’ve dug up information on him in Falls Creek, there’s no trace of him before that.

Just as Abby gets into place and is parked at the edge of the woods, a loud moan comes from her lips.

“Abby?” Bryce’s voice wavers with concern.

She moans a few more times before she says, “No, no, no.”

“What’s going on?” Fear grips me, my breath bursting in and out of my nose and mouth.

“I-I think I-I’m in l-labor.” Abby’s voice quivers from pain, her shallow breathing coming through the line. “I-I was h-having…” she breaks off, another light moan leaving her lips. “Tightness in the warehouse. As I drove…” her deep breaths fill the line. “The cramping started. I-I think…”

“Oh shit. Are you in labor, baby?”

“I-I think I am.” Her voice is weak, full of dread.

“Stay calm. Breathe with me.” Bryce’s soothing voice comes through the phone. “We’re close. Everything will be alright.”

“I-I’m still w-watching.” Deep breaths rasp in and out of her. “B-Ben went inside. H-He d-didn’t take Maddie.”

My brows furrow. What the hell is he doing?

“He’s moving fast. Looked very panicked. Ouch.” Her voice cuts off.

“Keep breathing, baby.” Bryce coaxes, panic evident in his voice.

Fuck. Sweat rolls down the back of my shirt, sticking uncomfortably. Reaching over, I turn down the heat. As I move, I feel the familiar ache inside my head, indicating a headache is brewing. Not now. I don’t have time for this.

I’m torn. I need to get to Abby and ensure she’s okay, but I must also rescue Maddie.

“We’re about fifteen minutes away,” I hear Bryce say.

Fifteen fucking minutes . I slam my hand on the steering wheel, my vision tinted red from my rage.

My ribs are tight, and my body feels hollow. Fifteen minutes is plenty of time for Ben to get a nice head start.

Time seems to slow down as frustration fills me. My thoughts are full of self-loathing and inadequacy, my dad’s words, and every other motherfucker who thought I was nothing but a worthless piece of shit circulating inside my head.

For the first time, a gnawing fear settles into my spine that I won’t be able to save Maddie. Emptiness fills me, and for the first time since I’ve been a kid, I feel completely powerless.

My heart sinks, and my body goes numb.

I’ve failed her.