“Oh my god, princess,”my voice cracks. I look at her. She looks tired. I can tell she’s been crying and on the verge of more tears, but she looks absolutely perfect.“How did you get here?”
She points at the door without taking her head from my shoulder.
“Hi, Jake,” a soft voice calls out.
I hand Lyra toMaddox then move to the blond in front of me. I didn’t think it was possible for me to feel angrier, but I do. I’m on her, my hand wrapped around her throat, pressing her against the wall of the hallway. “Where the fuck is she?” I growl.
Her blue eyes are wide with fear. She’s pulling at my handsas tears stream down her face.“Jake,” she chokes out.
“Where is she?” I yell even louder.
The doors of the other rooms open. Everyone is running at me. Dane andHenry work to pull me off her.She slumps to the floor, coughing and gasping for air.
Dane and Henry both have arms around me while Angel jumps in my line of sight. “Jake, stop,” he demands.
“I’ll fucking stop when she tells me where Cara is,” I roar like an animal.
“She can’t tell us anything if you kill her,” Ryder says as he grabs her off the floor, none too gently.
“Take her to our room,” Maddox tells himas he hands Lyra to Cami. “Take Lyra to your room tonight.”
“No,” I yell. “I need to make sure she’s okay.”
“And she doesn’t need to see her dad like this,” Maddox tells me firmly.
I watch as Cami and Josephine go into Cami’s room. My little girl has tears streaming down her face. I need to be there for her. But I know Maddox is right. I am angry. Too angry. I won’t be able to comfort her until I get Cara back.
“We’re going to talk to Peyton and find out where Cara is. But you have to calm down first,” Maddox tells me.
“I’m calm,” I lie.
“You’re as calm as a wolf defending the pack,” Henry tells me.“You want your answers. They’re behind that door, but you’ve got to keep your head.”
I blow out a big breath, rolling my neck.I count to ten. I do everything in the span of thirty seconds to get control of myself.
Nothing works. I’m not more in control. My rage hasn’t calmed.There is no logic.
“You good?” Dane asks.
“No,” I tell them. “But I’ll stand back, so I don’t kill her.”
“You know, you have always called me an irrational hothead. All of you have, and I’m not denying that. But, Jake,you have always been the most volatile. You do a good job ofhiding it, but I’ve known you since you were a thirteen-year-old kid, pissed off at the world. You’re dangerous when you’re like this.”
“I said I won’t touch her,” I grit. “Now, let’s go so I can find out where Cara is.”
They let go of me, but they don’t let me go first. Instead, they crowd me.Dane and Henry in front. Maddox in the back. We walk through the door, my eyes instantly zeroing in on Peyton. I feel every muscle in my body coil.
Ryder is standing over her, tension rolling off him. He’s pissed. They all are, but they are contained. I’m just waiting for detonation.
“Where is she?” I growl.
“I’m sorry, Jake,” she sobs. “I’m so sorry. I just wanted Lyra back. I didn’t know anything about Cara. I didn’t know he would take her too.”
“Why?” I spit. “Why, after you walked away from your daughter, did you decide you wanted her back now?”
“I realized how much I’ve missed,” she tells me, biting her lip.
A malicious smirk crosses my lips.After she lived in my apartment for six months, I know her tells. They were never that hard to read to begin with.I stalk toward her. Dane stands in front of me to stop me from getting too close. “I’m fine,” I tell him.
