The Chase

“I’m already in the parking garage. I’ll be there in ten.”

Seconds later, Seth heard the beep of Beck’s car over the line, followed by the rev of the engine, then the screech of tires. “I can’t even imagine why she’s at Pike’s. She wouldn’t let him fuck her.”

At least not voluntarily.

“No. And after the way you laid him out at Hammer’s party, he wouldn’t touch her unless he had a death wish.”

But he knew all too well the lengths someone would go to for a vendetta. “If he needs a reminder, I have no problem doing it again.”

“Won’t we need him conscious, at least long enough to answer our questions?”

Probably, and that pissed Seth off. “The only other scenario is that she’s up to something and doesn’t want us to know.” Was she trying to leave them—for good? The bottom dropped out of Seth’s stomach. “Drive faster.”

“I just ran a fucking red light. Believe me, I’m hurrying.” He cursed, then fell silent. Seth could feel his worry. “I’m trying really hard to hold my shit together.”

“Me, too.”

Goddamn it, he should have guessed that, one way or another, Heavenly was going to break his heart. Wasn’t that how this shit always turned out for him?

“Maybe I should I hang up and call Pike,” Beck suggested.

“No. I don’t want to give him a heads-up. I say we go over there and surprise him.”

Seth shut down his computer. He’d text River later. Then he packed up his shit and raced downstairs. “How far away are you?”

“I’m three out.”

He emerged into the sunshine, phone pressed to his ear, and looked up the street. “If you’ll slow to a roll, I’ll hop in.”

Beck grunted. He wasn’t much for conversation right now, either.

An interminable handful of minutes later, Beck came screeching around the corner. Seth hung up as the convertible slowed down just enough for Seth to pry the door open and hop in.

Before his ass had hit the seat, the surgeon floored it. “Where am I going?”

Seth re-pinged her necklace. Still no movement. So he started navigating. Beck followed directions without commentary. What else was there to say? Until they had more information, they were both lost in their own personal what-if hells. Seth didn’t want to think about the worst. He’d seen it, lived it. He couldn’t go through that again…

They stopped at a light. Traffic was thickening. Impatience rode him hard. What if they didn’t get to Pike’s in time to help her? What if…

Fuck, he had to wire his shit tight. He wouldn’t be any good for anyone if he fell apart.

Finally, the light turned green. Beck floored it. “Check her location again.”

Good idea. They were closing in on her, maybe two minutes out.

With a nod, he pressed the button to double-check her position. “Fuck, she’s moving.” Breath held, he verified her path, watching as she turned out of the neighborhood she’d just visited. According to the app, she’d been there a scant twenty-three minutes.

Long enough for something terrible to happen.

“She’s on the same street now, barely a quarter mile ahead of us. We need to catch up.”

“Fuck yes, we do.”

But traffic was nearly bumper-to-bumper now that rush hour was beginning. There was no way for the surgeon to squeeze between cars. Seth wished like hell he hadn’t left his motorcycle at his apartment. And he couldn’t run her down on foot since, even in traffic, she’d still outpace him.

“Thank God no one in LA walks,” Beck muttered, then jerked the right side of his convertible onto the sidewalk. The left remained on the bike lane as he shot down the road.

People honked. The surgeon flipped them off and kept going.