Chapter 18
ETHAN
I felt like a complete and utter ass in the morning after not sleeping a wink all night.
I wasted my last night with Haley. I should have been with her, sending her back to Atlanta, but even now, I battled with my need to be with her.
To stand by her. I wanted her to rely on me and with the first test, I had failed.
I let my anger and hurt get the best of me.
At first light, guilt eating me up, I got into my truck and drove over to Outlaws praying she hadn’t left, that I could still catch her, tell her that…
.tell her…God, tell her that I loved her.
Bolster her for the coming months ahead, tell her that I would do anything for her.
But my heart sank when I drove into the parking lot. It was empty and her car was gone.
Regret eating me up, I got out and stood there for a moment, disappointment heavy on me. Finding the key to her door, I opened it and walked inside. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was doing. I felt I just needed to be close to her.
Once inside I went to the bed. It was made, and everything was neat and tidy. It made me a little sick that she hadn’t left one thing behind. The hollowness grew as I remembered our time together in that bed and what we had shared.
I swore softly under my breath and kicked the leg. But it wouldn’t do any good. She was gone, and I would have to wait until she contacted me. That was going to be excruciating.
I looked at my watch, wondering if I could make it to the airport before her flight. I turned and headed for the door, but my boot kicked something metallic. I looked down and everything inside me locked up.
I crouched down and picked up the Celtic butterfly, frowning. Then I saw the broken chain. I reached for it, and it went through my mind immediately that she was in trouble. I don’t know why I thought that, but I knew it in my gut.
The door opened and Brax looked in. “I thought I would find you out here mooning over that girl.”
“Brax, something’s wrong.”
He immediately came into the apartment. “What?”
“She wouldn’t have left this behind. Even if she was pissed at me because I was a macho idiot.”
“What did you do.”
“That’s not important. I know she’s in trouble.”
“I’ll call Boone and Booker. We’ll find her.”
I nodded, pulling out my cell phone. I pressed the number for Mike and as soon as he answered, I told him my fears. “I think Haley’s husband has kidnapped her, and Mike he’s not looking for any ransom.”
That strung-out fucker wanted Haley’s money and he was going to make sure she never made it back to Atlanta.