Chapter 30
THIRTY
COLTEN
Ishould have known she was going to sneak out.
The writing was on the wall after our fight this morning, but the question is, how did she get past Ken?
He’s been sitting in the lobby of my apartment building during the hours I’m not there, and although Lexi is known to have slipped her security over the years, I truly thought she would stick close after the break-in.
That was my first mistake.
My second was leaving the apartment at all.
As badly as I want answers about who is after her, her safety and happiness should be my number one priority, and once again I’ve let her down.
There’s a reason I never thought I was good enough for her.
How could I be when all I do is fuck things up?
I’m pretty sure I know where she is even before I pull up her tracker while I use my laptop to tap into her phone.
She’s at her favorite café a few blocks from my apartment, meaning I’ll be able to get to her quickly, but when her messages load, my stomach bottoms out.
Fuck.
He’s watching her.
Without pausing, I toss my laptop onto the passenger seat and tear out of the parking lot.
I tap the call button on the steering wheel as I run straight through a red light, barely avoiding two cars before I make it to the other side of the intersection.
“Colten,” Lexi whispers, but the fear in her voice makes my chest ache.
I’ve failed her once again.
“I’m on my way, Wildcat. Stay right where you are, okay?” I force my voice to remain even, but inside my emotions are at war. Terror. Anger. Fear. Self-loathing.
“I can’t. He’s here. He’s going to take me.”
“No, he’s fucking not, Lexi. Stay right where you are. If someone approaches you, scream.”
She’s silent for long seconds as she considers what I’ve told her to do. She’s been training for moments like this since she was old enough to walk, but it’s different practicing in a controlled environment than being in a dangerous situation like the one she’s in right now.
“Hang up the phone.” A voice I don’t recognize comes from the other end of the line.
“I’m a few minutes away, Lexi. Scream,” I say. I just need her to hold on for a few more minutes.
“Gun,” she whispers so softly I’d probably miss it if she weren’t on loudspeaker.
“Hand me the phone,” the man demands, and it’s mere seconds before his voice comes through more clearly.
“She’s mine.”
And then the line goes dead.
I blow through another intersection, not bothering to slow down. I had all the families’ main cars fortified to be bulletproof last year, and anything less than a semi-trailer isn’t going to stop me from getting to Lexi.
All those times I thought I was crossing too many lines by putting trackers in her shoes come to mind, and I thank my lucky stars I’m as obsessed as I am, otherwise, there’s no telling what could happen to her.
I push the panic to the back of my mind because all that matters right now is saving Lexi. Everything else can wait until she’s safe.
I double-park out front of the café, not bothering to shut the engine off before I’m out of the car and sprinting toward the doors.
Except when I burst through them, I find twenty terrified patrons and no Lexi.
She’s gone.
I’m too late.
I’ve failed her.