Chapter Nineteen
Carter
I looked out the side window not really seeing anything as we drove.
Fuck, I was whipped.
I haven’t slept in over twenty four hours, but even before that, I could barely get a few hours of shuteye. The bed was too cold, too empty without Harley’s body pressed against mine.
After tossing and turning I eventually got up, and went back to work trying to chase the shadow that was trailing Harley. And once again, it was another dead end.
It was starting to piss me off. This has gone long enough.
I needed to finish it so Harley could breathe free without this threat hanging over her head.
“You okay over there’” Trevor asked.
“Fine. I’m just itching to go back to Harley. She sounded beat down last night. I don’t like the thought of her alone in the eye of that storm.” I said. “I should have never left her.”
My gut tightened just at the memory of her weak tone as she admitted that she felt alone last night.
It was like she was scared of showing any weakness.
However, the knowledge that she didn’t feel right without me in the same way I felt without her made me want to thump my chest and walk back to her at that moment.
“We’ll be there soon enough,” Trevor said, his eyes on the road.
We were an hour away, but even that felt like a lifetime.
We fell into silence, both of us in our thoughts. I had a feeling Trevor was itching to get back to his life for the same reason I was itching to get back to Harley.
I didn’t pry. I learned the hard way that Trevor liked to keep his cards close to the vest. I respected that about him.
My phone buzzed in the cup holder and I reached out to take it hoping it would be Harley. I hadn’t heard her voice since last night.
Disappointment swirled in my chest
It was an unknown number but I answered it anyway.
“Yeah.”
“Carter, Mr.-Mr. Ryan,” A voice whispered in my ear.
I sat up straight in my seat, fear instantly coiling in my gut, “This is Carter Ryan.”
“I-I’m sorry for calling you, it was hard to get your phone number, but I managed to snag it,” I could barely understand the words. The voice was so quiet.
“Who’s this?” I glanced at Trevor only to see he had his eyes on me.
“Oh, I’m, I’m sorry. This is Jude,” everything in me stilled at the name. “Jude Brown.”
“Why are you calling me, Jude?”
A beep sounded in my ear indicating another call coming through, but I ignored it.
“I know I’m supposed to stay away from Harley.
And I promise I am. I’m not going near her.
I don’t want to scare her. Not again. I just want to be in her orbit.
To be close enough for her light to shine on me.
She’s so good, so perfect. She’s a miracle, and she helped me.
Her songs helped me. They speak to me. It’s like she’s the one whispering in my ear that I’m good, and that I have worth. But, I’m not bothering her, I promise.”
“Jude,” I barked, trying to break the man from his rant.
“Yes?”
“Why are you calling me? Where are you?”
My vision blurred at the edges, my breath felt sticky. Panic was squeezing its fits around me. And I was powerless to stop it.
“I’m at the hotel. The hotel Harley’s staying in. But, I promise you Mr. Ryan, I’m not getting close to her.”
“Okay, Jude, okay,” I said as calmly as possible. I needed to stay calm if I wanted to get information from a man whose trigger was clearly tripped. “Now focus, Jude. And tell me why you called. What’s going on?”
“She’s not safe. You need to come. You need to hurry.”
Bile surged up my throat. “What do you mean she’s not safe? What happened?”
“She’s not safe. You need to come, now.” He repeated the words that tore me up inside.
But I still didn’t know what happened.
If Harley was hurt.
“Jude,” I barked. “What is going on?”
But the man was too far gone to give me any more information. “Hurry.”
“Jude, you need to tell me-” The line went dead.
“Who the fuck was that?”
“That was Harley’s stalker we put away two months ago.”
“And he’s calling you because?”
“He’s calling to tell me that he’s in Harley’s hotel and that she’s not safe.”
We made the trip that should have taken us at least an hour in forty five minutes. The whole time I tried to call Harley, but the busy signal bleeped in my ear over and over.
I was out of the car before Trevor could fully stop, running through the lobby.
“Carter,” Trevor called, but I didn’t even pause. I needed to get to her.
Miraculously, the elevator doors slid open just as I reached them.
“Get out,” I barked at the couple and another woman as I pushed my way inside, tagging the button for Harley’s floor with Trevor sliding up to me at the last second.
I counted down the seconds as we ascended the floors.
“We’ll be with her in a few seconds, brother. Keep your cool.”
Fuck cool.
I felt like I was about to climb the walls of the elevator.
I pulled my gun out of the holster and shot out of the elevator the second I could.
Rushing down the long hallway, I clocked the man standing in front of her door.
“Move,” I barked.
He turned, saw me coming up with a gun raised and his face transformed from bored into combative in a blink of an eye.
He reached behind his back, probably to take his gun, but Trevor called behind me, “Reid, move out of the way.” Reid didn’t hesitate a second as he heard Trevor’s command, and by the time I got to the door, he was already out of my way.
I raised my foot, and kicked it against the wood.
The flimsy door flew open.
“Harley,” I called creeping inside the suite, checking each corner, and going deeper inside.
I could feel Trevor and Reid stalking behind me doing a more thorough sweep.
“Harley,” I yelled as I went into the bedroom.
Nothing.
Everything was clear. No sign of her.
“Weird,” Reid frowned. “She came in just a little over an hour ago, and didn’t come out.”
“Are you sure?” Trevor pushed.
“Of course.”
I didn’t stop my search for her.
There was one more room left.
I walked to it, my gun raised, and called softly, “Harley.”
That’s when I heard it.
A soft whimper came from inside the bathroom.
I grabbed the doorknob and turned, but it was locked.
“Harley, baby, it’s me. Carter.” I said. “Can you please open the door?”
I waited for a minute but nothing happened.
“Okay, baby. Okay.” I closed my eyes. “Move away from the door. I’m going to kick them in.”
I stilled for two heartbeats then stepped back. Again, I raised my leg and slammed it against the door.
At what awaited me inside, my chest cracked open and I had to struggle to keep my breathing under control. It wouldn’t do any good if I lost my shit then.
Harley needed me.
There in the far corner of the bathroom, Harley huddled and folded into herself.
She held a lamp raised above her lowered hand. I didn’t know how she managed to keep hold of it, she was shaking so bad.
I holstered my gun, crossed the room and dropped on the tile next to her.
“Harley,” I called softly. I didn’t want to touch her until she saw it was me that was kneeling behind her.
I knew she was scared that her mind was playing tricks on her and that was why she refused to look up. Fear and terror had that nasty little gift.
“Oh, fuck,” Reid muttered peering in from the bedroom.
“Dynamo, please look at me,” I pleaded softly.
“Carter,” She looked up.
I pressed a kiss to her forehead, “It’s me, baby. I’m here.”
Her pupils were dilated and her body was quacking.
“Call down to the reception and get a doctor.”
Reid jerked his head and went to do as I asked.
Trevor came then, his fury filling the bathroom, “We need to call the police.”
“Do it,” I said, not looking away from her.
“Are you hurt?” I pushed the words out with difficulty.
She shook her head as tears filled her eyes and spilled over.
“You’re here,” she croaked.
“I’m here,” I said softly.
“You came back,” her chin wobbled, breaking my heart in two.
“I’m back. And I’m not going anywhere.”
She moved then. Her hands went to my shoulders, grasping at my T-shirt. She jumped in my lap and shoved her face in my neck.
My arms closed around her body, and I pulled her into me.
“Shh,” I soothed. “I’m right here.”
“Please,” she whispered.
“I got you,” I slipped my hand under her hair, and squeezed the back of her neck.
“Please,” she whispered.
I tilted my head down, so my lips were at her ear, “What do you need, Dynamo.”
“I want to go,” she circled my waist with her legs as if she was trying to get my body to absorb hers. “I don’t want to be here anymore. Please, take me away.”
I didn’t hesitate. I stood up, holding her trembling body to mine.
“Please, take me to the cabin. Please, take me home.” Her words were barely audible but I heard them clearly like she shouted them in my ear.
I strode with her in my arms out of the bathroom.
Trevor and Reid were standing in front of a table, looking in a box.
Trevor’s gaze met mine. And at what I saw swimming in his eyes, I winced. But still, it didn’t make me stop.
I needed to get Harley to safety.
“We’re going,” I grunted.
“You need to see this first,” Trevor flicked two of his fingers to indicate the box.
I glanced at Reid's face. It was washed red with anger.
“No,” Harley whimpered and squirmed in my arms as I took two steps in their direction.
My heart constricted painfully.
“I have to, Dynamo. I have to take a look.” I palmed the back of her head, and pushed her face into my skin. “You turn away. You don’t have to look at it. Not ever again.”
I took a peek inside the box standing two feet from the table.
Bile surged up my throat.
There was a card near it.
You’re not alone. I’m closer than you think.
Goddamnit he was in her circle.
“Call the cops,” I glanced at Trevor. “But first, call Chace. He’ll know what to do.”
Trevor jutted his chin already making the call.
Without a moment's hesitation, I turned and walked from the room.
And took my Dynamo home.