Chapter 19 Frost
NINETEEN
FROST
Feeling Lexi cling to my body while we soared toward the warehouse was a sensation I didn’t want to give up.
But, with the task ahead, I was quick to pull her right up to the front door.
She pulled my helmet off her head before flipping my visor up, then somehow managed to plant a kiss directly onto the tip of my nose before heading inside.
“You come back to me, okay?” she asked.
I nodded. “I promise, I will.”
Hayley appeared at the door with a smile and a cold drink in an iced glass for her and ushered Lexi inside.
I silently thanked her as she waved me away, as if to tell me that she could take it from there.
So, I tucked my spare helmet into the back compartment of my bike before I putzed over to where the guys were already hanging out over by the tree line.
Then, I flipped the switch in my head that turned me from doting lover to frosty killer.
“All right,” Stone said, “now that we’re all here except for West--.”
I furrowed my brow. “Wait, West isn’t back yet?”
Stone shook his head. “He sent me a text and told me that Chloe, whoever the hell that is, had to go back to her place to pick up some chargers. He said he’d shoot a message once they were back on the road.”
“And how long ago was that?”
Asher placed his hand on my shoulder. “This is West we’re talking about, Frost. You know those girls are okay.”
But I knew that wouldn’t settle Lexi’s gut, and she quickly spoke up for herself. “Yeah well, I don’t know him. So, how long has it been since you’ve heard from him? My daughter’s out there somewhere, and--.”
I linked my fingers with hers. “Our daughter, actually.”
Stone’s eyes widened and Texas’ jaw practically dropped to the god damn floor.
All eyes were on us as Lexi tucked herself against my side and peeked up at me.
I looked down at her, tossing her a reassuring wink that hopefully settled her gut.
And after she squeezed my hand, she turned back toward the throng of men she had bravely walked into.
“Our daughter’s out there,” she said confidently, “so you’re going to do this my way, or I’m going out there looking for her. Understood?”
“You have a what?” Diego asked.
Stone held up his hand. “Enough.”
The room fell quiet as I turned my attention toward him. “How long has it been since you’ve heard from West?”
His hand slowly lowered. “Thirty minutes.”
“Shit,” Lexi hissed.
Texas stepped to the forefront. “Finding these two women is top priority now, Frost. West should’ve already been back by now.”
I drew in a deep breath. “We told them to go back to their apartment and pick up any last remaining things. They could still be there.”
Lexi released my hand. “You know as well as I do that your gut isn’t telling you that, so stop it and let’s figure out what the hell we’re doing.”
Stone pointed at her. “I like her. Keep her.”
Lexi snickered. “He doesn’t have a choice any longer, do you, Frost?”
I grinned down at her. “You don’t have to call me that if you don’t want to.”
Lexi shrugged. “I don’t know, it kind of suits you. You know, with that cold, dead stare you get going sometimes.”
Stone chuckled. “So, you know that stare?”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “I’ve known that stare for years and years and years.”
“I hate to break things up,” Asher said as he cleared his throat, “but, don’t we have a couple of girls to find?”
Stone furrowed his brow. “I know West was on his bike, but what about the girls? Were they driving a car?”
Lexi nodded. “Yeah, they were.”
Texas crooked an eyebrow. “That car got GPS?”
I shook my head. “No, the car they’re in is pretty run--.”
“Find My Friends!” Lexi exclaimed.
She ripped her hand away from me before pulling her phone out of her bra and the guys chuckled.
She furiously unlocked her phone as her eyes scanned the screen, and I quickly worked my way behind her so that I could peek over her shoulder.
I watched as the application roared to life.
It took a second to buffer, but once it did, I saw a little dot on the screen that had the name “Natty” above it.
“There,” Lexi said, “that’s where her phone last pinged. I always fucking forget I’ve got her app connected to mine.”
“Let me see that,” I said as I plucked the phone from her hand.
Then, I walked it over to Stone. “That isn’t far from here. It looks like they were already on their way back.”
Stone’s eyes scanned the screen. “That’s about half a mile down the highway before the exit to our place. We need to go see who’s out there.”
I tossed the phone back to Lexi. “Stone, Texas, and I are going to go see what’s out there.”
Lexi caught her phone without a second look. “I’m coming with you.”
I shook my head. “Oh, no you don’t. It’s too dangerous out there. We’ve already got our daughter and Chloe missing. We don’t need something else happening.”
But I should’ve known she wouldn’t have done well with that argument.
“I hate to break it to you, but I did just fine without you all of these years. I raised your daughter while holding down a slew of full-time jobs and not once have I dug myself into debt because of it. I can hold my own, and I’m going. ”
I walked up to her and cupped her cheeks. “Then, for my sanity, will you stay here? For me? So that I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that one of my girls is safe? Will you do that for me, if not for yourself?”
Her eyes danced between my own. “Fine. But you keep me updated every step of the way, all right?”
I kissed her forehead. “Done. Stone? Texas?”
Stone strode for the front door. “Already on it. Let’s go. Guys! Round up! We’re all going just in case we get ambushed!”
“Ambushed?” Lexi asked as I made my way for the door. “What do you mean, ambushed?”
I turned around as I held the door open for the rest of the guys. “I’m bringing her back, Lexi. Okay? Look at me.”
Her panicked eyes found mine. “Yeah?”
I nodded. “I’m walking back through that door with her. I’m not coming back until Natasha’s with me, all right?”
She blinked back tears. “Promise?”
I grinned. “Always, beautiful.”
Then, as Diego made his way through the front door, I brought up the rear.
Before I made a beeline for my bike.
“All right, everyone,” Stone said as he slid on his helmet and flipped up his visor, “we’re going to be spreading out a bit.
We’re combing the entire highway from the exit to our place all the way north for an entire mile.
If you see anything suspicious, you radio it in on your phone.
Keep your eyes open, you, guys. This could be a trap. ”
As the roar of our engines rose above the chaos of my mind, I led the tribe alongside Stone for once.
We eased out of the parking lot and made our way for the highway, and the entire time I kept my head on a swivel.
I’d slaughter every single one of them. If they had laid a hand on my precious daughter, I’d strangle them with their own guts before stringing them up by their toes for the entire world to see.
However, the second we turned onto the highway, I saw a figure walking off to the left.
“I’m crossing the median!” I exclaimed.
“What the fuck!?” Texas roared.
I diverted my bike and cut off traffic with horns blazing and people cursing.
My tires squealed as I hopped the median and soared over the grassy knoll as the small, slender figure on the side of the road darted into the trees.
I barely got my bike over to the edge of the highway before I dropped it, engine still running and all.
And as I ripped my bike helmet off, I went dashing into the woods.
“Natty!” I exclaimed as my legs carried me as quickly as they could. “Natty! It’s me! It’s your mother’s friend!”
“Frost!” Texas roared behind me.
“It’s her!” I called back. “I know it’s her!”
“Mommy?” the little girl asked.
I skidded to a stop near a rock and found her panting for breath. She had crouched down and wrapped her arms around her knees, tucking herself away into the darkness. I crouched down with her. As I panted for my own lungsful of air, I brought my face into the light so she could see me.
And the second she recognized me; her eyes lit up.
“Where’s my mommy?” she asked.
I held out my hand for her. “She’s safe. She’s back at a really safe place where there’s lots of food and friends. Would you like to go see her?”
I heard Texas rushing to approach us and I held out my other hand, which ground him to a stop. The last thing I wanted was to spook the already scared little girl, whose eyes were as wide as the sun and filled with all of the fear in the world.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, “you’re safe now, with us.”
Her eyes watered over. “So, you’re not the bad guys?”
“Oh, no,” Texas murmured.
I scooted a bit closer to my daughter. “Sweetheart, do you remember me?”
She nodded. “You’re mommy’s friend that was taking us on the vacation.”
I smiled softly. “Yes. And your mother’s there. She’s already there at vacation, and she’s worried sick. But I have to ask you something really important, okay?”
She sniffled as she unraveled herself a bit. “O—okay.”
I sighed. “Where’s your Auntie Chloe?”
The second I mentioned her, Natty threw herself at me.
She sobbed against my shoulder and wrapped her arms tightly around me, which told me everything I needed to know.
I stood to my feet, carrying the little girl with me as she wrapped her legs around me as best as she could.
And when I turned to Texas, he nodded his head.
Before he took out his cell phone and radioed the guys.
“Hey,” he said gruffly as I walked past him, “we got a problem. Keep your eyes open for any signs of a wreck, or a car pulled off on the side of the road. The other woman is still…”
I kissed the side of my daughter’s face. “Can you be strong for me one more time and tell me what happened with your aunt?”
Natty buried her face into the crook of my neck. “They came and took Auntie Chloe. They just took her. I don’t know why. Please, take me to Mommy. I just want my mommy, please.”
And as she sobbed against my skin, my vision dripped with red.
Because that entire crew would pay for fucking with my daughter like that.