Quinn
I’ve been lying in bed for nearly eight hours in tears. My heart feels like it has been ripped out of my chest. The sobs won’t stop.
I know him. I know him inside and out. He has tried to keep himself from me, tried so hard to keep his darkness away, but I see him. I see his fight and his struggle. I know his fear.
He’s terrified, saying things he doesn’t mean because of his skewed view of himself. Because he thinks he’s not good enough to be a parent.
He was trying to hurt me.I know his comments about Zoey and other women aren’t true in my heart. I know he loves me. I can feel it in his touch, see it in his eyes.
But I don’t know what to do if he pushes me away. He has the means to vanish, and I can’t follow him.
Another round of nausea swims in my belly. I lay still,hoping it will go away. After a few minutes, it still hasn’t subsided, so I decide to go after some crackers and ginger ale I know Verity has kept on hand.
When I open the door, I realize Maddox was right about soundproof rooms because the yelling and shouting couldn’t have been missed otherwise.
“Where is he?” a deep raspy voice demands.
“How in the fuck do you even know he’s missing?”
“So heismissing?” another voice questions.
“Yes, but I reiterate, how do you know?”
I step quietly into the room, not wanting to eavesdrop or interrupt but desperately needing the crackers and ginger ale. I keep my head down, like that will make me less visible or something, as I move across the room.
“You,” a gruff voice calls out. “Who are you?”
I freeze in my track as heat crawls up my face, embarrassed to be called out asI have. I turn slowly and meet the eyes of a very pissed off Ryder Jamison. Dane Pierce and some other guy I don’t recognize stand behind him with concern etched on their faces.
“Leave her alone, Ryder. She doesn’t know anything,” Bastian warns him as he drags his hands down his face.
Ryder ignores him, coming to where I still haven’t moved. “You’re her, aren’t you?”
“Excuse me?” I ask, not knowing what he’s talking about while also knowing this has something to do with Maddox. Worry fills every inch of my body as I realize something is wrong. Something is very wrong.
“You’re the girl he was telling me about,” Ryder says again. “The one he said he hurt.”
Bastian’s eyes fly to mine in question. “What happened, Quinn?”
“I don’t understand what’s going on,” I tell them.
“Maddox has vanished. Right out from under your fucking nose,” Ryder growls, getting in Bastian’s face. “I ask you to help him, and now you’re telling me you don’t have a goddamn clue where the fuck he’s at.”
“Ryder, it would be in your best interest to chill, man,” the guy I don’t know warns with a hand on his shoulder.
“Yes, Ryder, it would be in your best fucking interest,” Bastian spits.
“Fuck, you Bastian. Your reputation precedes you, but you don’t know shit about me. I trusted you.”
“He was here last night, Ryder. When I came home, the Ducati was gone, and he’d beaten the crap out of Christian and Drew.I’ve called Zoey. She said she hasn’t seen him since she was here a few weeks ago. I called Delaney, and she hasn’t been him either but I’ve got people looking.”
“Why would he do that?” Dane asks. “Maddox doesn’t just beat people up like someone else we know.” He turns a pointed glare to Ryder and the other guy.
“Fuck you, Dane. I’m working on it.”
“Yeah. Working on it,” the other guy agrees.
“Look, it hasn’t been that long. He can’t have gone far,” Bastian says. “Are you sure you don’t know, Quinn?”
