“Don’t fucking lie to me. I’ve never hit a woman before, doesn’t mean I won’t,” I growl and wait.
“She came in here an hour or so ago,” Dee confesses. “I told her you’d just gotten out of the shower and she could wait to talk to you, but she took off.”
Geary’s hand is suddenly on my arm as I lunge toward the bed. I roar and curse loudly while Olivia tries to calm me down enough to talk to me.
“The car is still outside. What about a horse? Would she have run to the stables and taken one out?”
“I don’t know, Olivia.” I grab the strands on my hair and pull, the pain helping me to focus. “Geary?”
“I’m here. Do you have a plan?” He glances from Olivia before his eyes stay on mine.
“For once, no! But I think we need to check if all the horses are accounted for before we mount up and go looking.”
“I’ll go check now.” Geary races out of the house.
Olivia moves to the window and watches. “She’ll be okay out in this? Madison…”
“Your cousin will be fine.” My heart thuds. “She has to be.” Minutes later, I assure her, “Geary is used to this weather, so he’ll be fine too.”
She nods, her arms wrapped anxiously around her waist, and that’s how she is when Geary comes back into the house soaked to the skin. “Horses are all accounted for.”
“So, she’s on foot.” I glance out, more worried than I’m letting on for Olivia’s sake, and maybe because I know I’m going to completely panic if I let go.
“She’ll be fine, Derek. Madison is anything but reckless.” Olivia wraps her fingers around my arm.
“The creek will have flooded by now,” Geary tells us. “That’s where I’m going to start looking for her. Lots of places to get caught when you can’t see where you’re going.”
“Oh God!” Olivia’s hand trembles. “She can’t swim.” She glances between Geary and me, and then decides, “I’m going to get dressed and help look for her.”
I shake my head. “We don’t need to be looking for you as well, Olivia.”
“I can team up with one of you. Please, I can do this,” she pleads.
“You stay with me and do as I say.” Geary holds her gaze.
“I promise.”
“Get dressed.” Geary turns to me. “Do you think she’ll have moved away from the buildings in this weather?”
“She was upset, I’m guessing she could have gone anywhere.” I run my fingers through my hair before I start pulling on rainwear, and then grab the medical box.
“Ready to go?” Olivia stands with her hands on her hips, wearing a pant suit and heels.
“Boots,” I hiss to Geary.
“On it.”
“I know I’m not dressed for this, but my case is in the car with my jeans in, and yes, I actually own a good pair of walking boots, that have been used numerous times.”
“Okay, city girl, let’s get these on you,” Geary says, and she bristles. Smirking, Geary carries on.
It doesn’t take long to get Olivia ready to go outside, and then we’re off.
49
Madison
I’m cold, soaked, hungry, and upset. Also, unbelievably stupid and reckless. I’ve called myself that since I’d ran off and gotten lost, which is when I realized what a fool I’ve been. There is no way Derek would have let me come back to find Dee in his bed, whether he still wanted me or not, he had more manners than that.