I clench my teeth to keep from sobbing as he walks to the door, and then I’m alone as he locks it behind him.
I gasp, and then a sob explodes over my lips. After I hear the car leave, there’s only silence. It intensifies my fears, my pain, my despair.
I wish I could feel Christopher’s arms around me.
Desperately, I latch onto the thought.
Christopher.
CHRISTOPHER
God, I’m going to lose my mind. Not knowing where Dash is and what she’s going through is killing me.
We’re all at Alexei’s house. My eyes jump from Aunt Leigh, where she’s sitting with Mom holding her, devastated by what happened. God only knows what’s going through her mind.
Dad’s standing next to Uncle Jax, both their gazes glued to the screens where Tristan and Alexei are doing their best to find Dash. They were able to find out she was shoved into a black SUV with no plates, no identifying markers. Using CCTV footage, they tracked the car until we lost it on the other side of Ojai Valley because there were no cameras in that area.
What the fuck is the use of having all the money in the goddamn world, and it can’t help me find Dash?
God. We have no way of finding her.
My hands shake, and the fist on my heart squeezes all the life from it.
Unable to just stand here and do nothing, I grab my keys and stalk to the door.
“Where are you going?” Dad asks.
“To search for Dash. I can’t just do nothing,” I snap.
“I’m coming,” Uncle Jax says.
When I steer the car away from the mansion, silence fills the cab. I drive toward Ojai Valley, and we check every road and glance into every driveway as we search for the SUV.
“Dash could be in any of these houses,” Uncle Jax mutters, worry weighing heavy in his voice.
It’s been nine hours since I saw Dash. Nine fucking hours. Pulling the car over to the side of the road, I tighten my grip on the steering wheel and close my eyes. I try to breathe through the chaos inside me.
Dash.
Where are you?
A physical ache spreads through my body, making me shudder and gasp for air.
God, she’s in pain. I can feel it in my gut. Whoever has her is going to kill her.
There won’t be a call for ransom.
Is this personal?
“Christopher,” Uncle Jax murmurs, placing his hand on my shoulder.
Pushing down on the gas, I make a u-turn while saying, “Get Tristan on the line.”
Uncle Jax makes the call, then puts the phone on speaker. “Did you find anything?” Tristan asks.
“I think it’s personal. We need to look at anyone she’s had contact with,” I say, my breaths coming fast.
“Clients at Indie Ink?” he asks, knowing we all have the same friends. “Has she met anyone new?”
“No. Grant Sullivan is the only client I can think of.” My mind races for anyone else. “He’s the only one I can come up with right now.”
“I’m on it.”
Tristan ends the call on his side.
“Do you really think this could be personal?” Uncle Jax asks.
“Yes,” I grumble. “It’s either that, or we’ll get the call for the ransom soon.”
Hopefully.
God, what are the chances of Dash surviving?
Would whoever took her kill her?
The thoughts shudder through me.
Please, let me find her.
I just want her back.
Flashes of Dash fill my mind. Of her smiling. Of her eyes filled with love as she stares up at me.
I was supposed to protect her.
God… I didn’t protect Dash.
The guilt rears through me until I feel sick to my stomach.
Chapter 16
DASH
I keep dozing off only to jerk awake. My hands and arms are numb with pain, and my body feels as if it’s about to tear in half.
At first, I cried, but in the early morning hours, my tears dried up. It feels as if I’ve slipped into some sort of zombie state. It’s as if my mind is shutting down and going into self-preservation mode.
Chills keep raking over my body, causing me to continually shiver even though it’s not cold. It’s still hot, the air stale, my skin clammy.
The sound of the door opening has my head snapping up.
“Morning, Dash,” Josh says almost cheerfully as he sets a paper bag down on the wooden counter. “You must be sore from hanging all night.”
My mind struggles to catch up to the friendly tone in his voice.
As he walks toward me, my body tenses painfully. Wary as fuck, my body begins to shake violently when Josh unties me.
There’s a smile around his lips. “I’ve brought you some breakfast. Nothing big, seeing as we need to get your weight under control again.”
His comment chips away at my self-esteem, making me feel exposed without my blouse to cover my stomach. I’m not skinny, but I never considered myself fat, either. During the past two weeks with Christopher, I even felt sexy.