“Yes… now I’ve got your attention. If we do this the easy way, you say your goodbyes this afternoon and pack some things before heading out with me tonight. The other… more gruesome way… involves me removing your boyfriend’s eyes with my hunting knife before I take his little daughter swimming out ina lake late at night. Tell me,sweethummingbird. Which way would you prefer?”
Panic spread over Lucas like he had never experienced before.
It was one thing to hurt him. He was used to it and could endure the torture if need be. But it was another to hurt Cade and Lizzy. They were both innocent in all of this, and there was no way in hell he would allow Darryl to harm either of them.
They needed to be protected.
“Time is ticking,” he said before pausing for what felt like an eternity. “I’ll be in touch.”
The line went dead.
Slowly, Lucas returned the phone to the base on the wall of the café. The time had come for him to make a decision. Run once again or face his fears.
26
CADEN
“Damn, it.” Caden huffed, ending his call and stuffing his phone into his jeans pocket.
Something was wrong.
He had been trying to reach Lucas all day, but his phone kept going straight to voicemail.
Lucas had decided to go to the coffee shop this morning to grab a drink and clear his head. Caden had offered to go with him, but Lucas had insisted that he needed some alone time and would be back in a couple of hours.
That was eight hours ago.
There had been no call, no text, no stopping by the house to say that he was okay. Just radio silence.
Caden was worried… and a little pissed.
He walked into Ride ’em Hard, hoping to find Lucas sitting at the bar, enjoying a drink with Ace.
No such luck.
“Hey, Alexis. Have you seen Lucas?” Caden asked, the pit of worry in his stomach growing with every minute that passed.
Alexis swirled around, her blonde-and-pink hair slapping against her cheek as she turned. In her hand, she held a pint glass that she was busy drying with a hand towel.
She gave Caden a once-over before deciding that his appearance really didn’t matter to her. He was off-duty, so he had just thrown on a pair of ripped jeans and a muscle shirt before leaving the house. He was worried about Lucas and in a hurry to get to the bar.
“Yeah, he was here about two hours ago. Grabbed something from the back, then left. I think he was heading home to see you.”
He hadn’t.
Wherever he had gone, it wasn’t to Caden’s house.
He checked his phone once again.
Nothing.
“Look, can you ask Nikolai to cover for me tonight? I’m gonna run home and see if he is there. He’s not answering his phone, and I’m starting to get worried about him.”
Alexis gave him a sympathetic look.
“Did you guys have a fight?”
Caden shook his head.
