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47

THE STALKER

I downshift as I turn onto the road across from Maddie’s childhood home, spotting Maddie’s Mustang in the distance. Abby has exited the vehicle and is standing beside it, doubled over and holding her stomach. Her head lifts, her expression one of discomfort when I jerk my truck to a stop a short distance away from her.

Throwing my door open, I run to her and wrap my fingers around her arm. Abby’s shoulders are hunched forward, as she focuses on her breathing. Yet, the first words out of her mouth are about Maddie.

“I’m so… sorry, Jagger.” Tears fill her eyes. “I wish… I could have… followed… them.”

“Abby, stop.” I tighten my arms around her, hearing Jason and Bryce pulling in behind my truck. I look at them over my shoulder, meeting Bryce’s terrified eyes.

“Ben took the I-Ice Q-Queen.” She whimpers, her face scrunched up in pain. “It appeared she was knocked out. H-He carried h-her.”

I nod, my brows drawing together. Ben has Maddie and yet he took the time to grab her mom. What is going on? Why would he take the Ice Queen?

Shoving their doors open, Jason and Bryce’s feet pound over the gravel as they reach us.

“I’m here, Abby.” Bryce’s hands are gentle as I release her, letting him take over.

I look up at the sky. Please, Mom, don’t let anything happen to Abby and Bryce’s baby.

“Bryce, I’m scared.”

“I know, baby.” He lifts her in his arms. “We’re going to take you to the hospital.”

My panicked eyes meet Jason’s. He steps closer, putting a hand on my arm. “I’m staying with you. Bryce can drive my truck to the hospital. I take over searching.”

A relieved breath escapes my lips as I nod, grateful. “Thanks, man.”

“Let me help Bryce get her in the truck. Then we’ll go.”

I watch as they help Abby, my gaze moving between them and the front door of Maddie’s childhood home. Jason lifts Abby while Bryce runs to the driver’s side of Jason’s truck. Once he has her inside, I see him grabbing things from the extended cab before he runs to me, the laptop in his hands, backpack slung over his shoulders.

Jason’s gaze locks on me. “Are you packing?”

I nod. “My gun is in the glove box. One under the seat. And I have my backpack.” It’s the one that houses my supplies for torturing and killing the corrupt assholes in this town.

“Good. I am, too.” He gestures toward his supplies, then we run to my truck. “Let’s head to Maddie’s house. Can you get inside?”

Snorting as I put my truck in gear, my voice is sarcastic. “What do you think?”

Jason laughs before growing serious. “Let’s check it out. So he knocked out the Ice Queen and took her. Why? He already had Maddie?”

“No idea, but they have to be connected.”

Jason opens his backpack and grabs his gun as I move my truck to the familiar spot I’ve parked in when I visited Maddie without her knowledge. As soon as I cut the ignition, we are out the door, stealthily slipping through the woods, walking in silence.

Once we reach the clearing, I hold up my hand. “I’m going to sneak through the yard. I need to climb the tree to Maddie’s room. After I crawl through the window, move through the yard and around to bushes near the front door. I’ll open it and let you in.”

He nods, his blue eyes locked on mine with concern. “I know he left, but be careful, brother.”

I nod, understanding his insinuation. Turning, I square my shoulders, then hurry toward the tree. I scale it quickly, breathing a sigh of relief as I raise the window and it’s not locked, although I was firmly prepared to break it to get inside if the need arose.

As soon as my boots sink into her plush carpet, her smell and memories of sneaking in and watching her sleep, assault me. She had no idea who I was and yet, instinctively, she clung to me or wrapped her arms around me, a soft sigh escaping her when I pressed my lips lightly against hers. Her voice haunts me as it echoes those two words she murmured the first night I snuck in, “I’m safe.”

Closing my eyes against the rising grief threatening to consume me, my hands curl into fists. I’ve always kept my promises to her—until today. And it’s fucking killing me I couldn’t keep her safe.

Opening my eyes, resolve fills me. I need to find her and get her back. Then I can make up for breaking my promise to her.

I’m not letting her out of sight again. I pull my gun from the waistband of my jeans, flick the safety off, then step from her bedroom. My eyes rapidly dart around and my ears strain, but I don’t hear or see anyone as I make my way to the front door. I see signs of a struggle as I pass by the living room that Jason and I can investigate as soon as I let him in.

Jason stands inside the house by the front door, a smirk on his face. “Ben never locked it when he carried the Ice Queen out.”

Rolling my eyes, I nod toward the living room. “Signs of a struggle. Let’s investigate.”

As we head there, Jason says, “Think the Ice Queen has a home office where she kept information that could be helpful?”

“She does.” I nod in the general direction of the house where it’s located. “We’ll check there, as well as her bedroom.”

He nods. “Abby couldn’t make out the license plate when she drove past, but she did catch some of it. I’m using a program Bryce uses to try and see if I can find any hits on the first four letters and numbers she was able to get. It’s a long shot because it’s probably a stolen plate, but it’s something.”

I nod. “We leave no stone unturned. I need to get her back.” Desperation wells inside me, my chest tight, determined to do any fucking thing to get her back.

Even if I die in the process. As long as I save her, that’s all that matters.

My jaw clenches as I picture Ben’s smug face. You started a fucking war, Ben. I’m coming for you. When I find you, you’re gonna wish like hell you’d never met me.