Chapter 26 #2
He entered the hall, Ethan stepping in from the other side. Their gazes met but only for a second.
From what he could hear, the house was silent. No footsteps or voices. So the most likely scenario was that the place was empty.
But why would someone book it, just to leave it vacant?
Ethan moved into the kitchen while Zane went to another room off the hall. He opened the door to find an empty bathroom and no sign that anyone had used it recently. There were no drops of water in the sink. No toothbrushes or tubes of toothpaste on the counter.
What the hell was going on?
He headed down the hall to the last unopened door and was just pulling it open when Ethan threw Zane to the floor as an explosion blasted out of the room.
Zane cursed and tucked his head, the floor beneath him shaking under the impact.
Another second passed and he rose and cursed again, flames already burning from the room into the hall.
Fuck.
“Come on.” Ethan ran down the hall.
Zane followed back out the bedroom window. When his feet hit the ground, he sprinted into the trees. He wasn’t taking a chance that something else had been rigged to blow.
Ethan was already on the phone to the fire department.
Zane waited until they reached his car before turning to his friend. “How did you know?”
Ethan handed him a piece of paper.
Boom! Did you make it? Did she?
Zane’s heart fucking stopped. She…
Bonnie.
He pulled his cell from his pocket, hands trembling as he called her.
She didn’t answer. She didn’t fucking answer “I need to get to Noah’s house.”
He went to climb behind the wheel, but Ethan grabbed his arm. “I’m driving.”
Zane didn’t have time to argue. He sprinted around the car and dropped into the passenger seat. Ethan put his foot to the floor and sped out of the forest.
Zane tried Noah’s number next. Again, nothing.
Shit.
He needed someone, anyone, to tell him she was safe. Someone to reassure him that she was alive.
He tried her number one more time, expecting it to go to voicemail again.
“Zane?”
“Bonnie.” Relief hit him so hard, air whooshed from his chest. “Are you okay?”
“No.” Her voice was quiet and pained.
“What happened? Where are you?”
“I’m at the Amber Ridge Hospital. I’m okay but…I need you.”
“We need to get to the hospital,” Zane growled to Ethan.
Ethan turned the car. “We’re around the corner.”
“I’m coming, honey.”
“I’m in the waiting room. I have to go.”
“Bonnie—”
She’d already hung up.
Dammit!
The second Ethan pulled into the parking lot, Zane was out and running. When he stepped into the waiting area, he saw her, sitting on a chair, eyes red, cheeks tear-stained. Noah sat beside her, and Addie beside him.
“Bonnie.”
Her eyes lifted, and she stood before immediately falling into his arms.
“What happened? Are you hurt?”
She pulled back. “He tried to shoot me, but Indie threw herself onto me, and the bullet…it hit her, Zane.”
Indie had been shot. Shot with a bullet intended for Bonnie.
“I don’t know if she’s okay,” Bonnie whispered. “I don’t know if her baby’s okay!”
He cursed and pulled her back into his chest.
She tensed in his arms. “You smell like fire.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Noah’s phone rang. He stood and answered it. “Colt?” There was a short pause. “Thank God!” He hung up and turned to them. “Indie’s out of surgery. Both her and the baby are okay.”
Bonnie collapsed into his side, new tears building in her eyes. He tightened an arm around her, taking most of her weight.
“What’s going on?” Ethan asked when he reached their little group.
“Indie was shot protecting Bonnie.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
Bonnie frowned at Ethan, then him. “You both look like you were in a fire. Where have you been? And don’t brush me off and say nowhere.”
“We—”
The hospital doors opened, and Jesse and Holden stepped in.
“I came as fast as I could,” Jesse said. “How is she?”
“Her and the baby are okay,” Noah replied.
“Thank God. What happened?”
“There was a shooter on the street hiding behind a car.” There was an edge of anger in Noah’s voice.
But also something else. Guilt, maybe? Because he’d been the one who was supposed to protect his sisters.
“I didn’t see him. He was to the side of the street and I…
I wasn’t looking. Fuck, I should have been looking. ”
Jesse gripped his shoulder. “It’s not your fault.”
“I got two texts,” Bonnie said quietly.
Zane tensed. “Texts?”
She nodded and scrolled through her phone. Then she turned the cell so they could see.
Unknown number: Feeling safe?
Unknown number: You shouldn’t be. No one Zane cares about is safe. He lost that privilege when he stabbed me in the back.
He’d gotten her number. Not just her number. Her location.
“Where’s Becket?” Noah asked.
Jesse glanced at him. “He’s at a house fire.”
Bonnie turned to him and Ethan. “What the hell’s going on?”
“Monty set up an explosion,” Zane said through gritted teeth. “He knew we’d search vacation rentals. He rigged the place and left a note.”
“What did the note say?” Jesse asked.
Ethan handed it to the sheriff.
“He’s a step ahead of us,” Jesse growled, frustration threaded through his words.
“He knows me too well.” They were family. But hell, for years they’d been more than that. They’d been best friends.
“So what does he think you’ll do next?” Holden asked.
“I don’t care.” He really didn’t. He only cared about one thing. “It doesn’t matter, because I’m better than him. I’m going to find him. And I’m going to tear him apart.”
“Zane—”
“Nothing and no one can change my mind,” Zane pushed. He meant it. Absolutely nothing would get in his way. Especially after attempting to hurt Bonnie and getting her sister. All it had done was ignite a new fire inside him to murder the man.
“Fine,” Jesse said. “But you’re not alone. We’re all with you.”
“Hell yes, we are,” Noah pushed. “He shot my sister and I’m going to make sure he pays for that.”
“I’m staying with Zane,” Bonnie said quickly.
Zane shook his head. “No, it’s too—”
“Dangerous?” Bonnie lifted a brow. “He almost shot me today. He did shoot my pregnant sister. We’ve passed dangerous. I’m not endangering any more of my family. I’m either with you or by myself.”
Zane didn’t want to agree. Because every part of him knew that something big was coming for him.
But she was right. The danger had found her anyway, and at least with him, he’d be able to protect her himself. “Fine. You’re coming with me.”