Page 28

28

Aldous

“ T ell me you’ve found her,” Aldous barked, hurrying into the Silvas compound’s lounge. A crowd of men were coming and going around a central table, but he gazed straight past Dante and Bri’s half-brothers to focus on one in particular.

Roman glanced up at his barked demand. He took his hands away from the table he’d been leaning on. “We’re in the process of finding her.” Excited whines from a spotty source had him crouching down. “ Heyyyy Jas,” Roman whispered, dragging out the greeting before giving Aldous his attention. “We can track her through the seizure watch.”

Aldous blinked. He hadn’t known it was capable of doing that, but then he’d always known where Bri was before. It was probably just one of the numerous features he’d overlooked when purchasing it. “Please tell me she’s at a shopping centre or somewhere completely mundane.”

Dante’s rough voice gave him the answer as he walked into the room with a long leather case slung over his shoulder. “It’s given us an approximate area up in the mountains. That’ll have to do for now.”

Fuck.

He nodded, pulling out his phone and hoping against hope that she’d called him, but his hopes were dashed before they’d even started. Roman caught his eye, and Aldous knew exactly what he was thinking.

Why?

There was no reason that Bri would just up and leave of her own accord. Stuffing his phone back into his pocket, he felt the little medication packet he’d brought with him.

That, more than anything, cemented the fact that she hadn’t left willingly. She hadn’t even taken her tablets with her—and the neurologist had hammered into her that stopping them suddenly could cause the seizures to get even worse.

For Bri’s sake, he hoped the seizure she’d had earlier today was a small one. The one on their wedding day had taken her days to recover from—in a comfy bed, surrounded by him and Roman doting on her.

Dante’s question interrupted his thoughts, sizing him up with an assessing glare. “You ever held a gun, son?”

“No,” Aldous said softly. It cost him nothing to admit.

His grizzled father-in-law shared a glance with his sons. “Perhaps it’s best you stay behind. I can’t promis—"

Fury and possession spiralled into a whirlwind that threatened to ignite around him. “She’s my wife .”

Surprise sparked in Dante’s eyes, but Roman interrupted their exchange. “I’ll look after him when we’re out there.”

Dante nodded with begrudging respect. “We leave as soon as we’ve finished loading up the cars.”