Chapter 20
“I can't believe they're really gone.” Kate lay in the guest bedroom at Noni's house, snuggled with her cheek to Ethan's chest, his hand completely covering hers.
“They're not gone, just missing, and we'll get them back, I swear to you.” Ethan's chest vibrated as he spoke.
“I should've realized something was up. That limo driver—”
“We should have all realized it. Liam worked for Cotter for over a year. Grey vetted him. He fooled us all.”
The strong steady rhythm of Ethan's heartbeat beneath her cheek helped calm her frayed nerves. “I feel like a complete failure,” she whispered.
“Don't you dare say that. If Liam hadn't drugged you, you would've totally kicked his ass.”
“You're probably right,” Kate reluctantly admitted. Still, Ethan's confidence was only a Band-Aid to her constant worry the past two days as they scrambled to search for clues over her missing friends.
Ethan chuckled and traced his fingers down her spine. “That's better.”
Outwardly they all tried to put on a strong front, but every single one of them felt the loss straight down to their marrow. They'd been too confident, too at ease that this was a simple babysitting mission, and they’d been totally unprepared for the surprise attack from within.
Kate tensed and Ethan pulled her tighter against him. “Hey, I told you, we will find them.”
“I'm going with you.”
Ethan snorted. “Over my dead body.”
Kate rose up over him, her eyes narrowed down at the man who held her heart. “That might be something I can arrange.”
“Come on, Kate, be reasonable. You were recently drugged and nearly kidnapped. You need time to recover.”
Kate dug a finger in his chest. “And you, Ethan Slade, need to realize a little poison isn't enough to keep me down. I'm going after my friends, whether you like it or not.”
Ethan groaned and fell back onto the mattress. “Is this what it's always going to be like between us? You not listening to me?”
Kate brushed a shaggy lock of dark hair out of Ethan's face and leaned down to press a soft kiss to his lips. “You can bet on it.”
THE END