Page 50 of Simply You & Me

Gathering my anger and courage to sit up, my left hand pushes into the ground while my right one clenches around something solid. Panicking for a beat, I worry I almost shot myself or something, but look over to see it's a phone. Not just any phone, but mine.

I hold the power button down, praying like hell it isn’t broken. The screen lights up like it's happy to see me and show me all the missed calls and messages. Wyatt, Zach, Tate, and Julian have each called me many times, but the name I click on instead of theirs makes my eyes water.

The guys have Rory, and there's no way I'm letting her see me like this. I refuse to scare her. And I really don't want to see the guys. They may not have done this to me, nor thought this would ever happen, but it can never happen again. I have a baby and a daughter to think about. And this is no life for them or me.

Terror floods my veins as I curl in on myself with my phone clutched to my ear. I tune out the familiar sounds of the call, waiting for the only person I trust to answer me.

"ADDIE! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Rylee's scream down the line hurts my head like a bitch, but relief washes over me in the same beat. "R-Rylee." My voice is nothing but a scratchy whisper.

"Babe, where are you??" She sounds terrified, making my heart thunder just a touch harder. Exhaustion wiggles its way into my heavy limbs.

Behind Ry's frantic voice, a male voice shouts, "I FOUND HER!"

"Shit, okay, Addie. Hold on just a little longer. Wyatt has your location. They're coming for you!"

My eyes shoot open, panic flaring in my chest and bypassing my damaged throat. "NO!"

"What? Why? Addie, what's going on? You're scaring me!"

"N-not them. P-please," I whimper, hoping my best friend won't ask me any questions right now. It hurts so bad to talk.

It's silent for a moment, making me think she muted herself. Sound floods back in. "Can JJ and Marc come get you? Julian and Zach have to come for safety reasons, but my guys will be there too, okay?"

Shivering, I burrow further into the ground. Forgetting she can't see me, I nod. When she says my name, I whisper, "O-okay." Because what choice do I actually have? Rylee's guys may be fairly decent with guns and their fists after what happened to Rylee four years ago, but I would never forgive myself if something happened to them because I'm too angry to see the guys.

"Rory?" I mumble, grass tickling my cheek with each movement. I don't think the guys would ever hurt me or my daughter, but?—

"I'm here with her. She's sleeping in Tate's room with Layla right now. I promise I'll stay and keep an eye on her."

"Thank you." I don't know if the words actually come out; I'm fading fast. Tonight was too much. Time for a little rest.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Zachary

"She doesn't want us," Julian whispers beside me in the passenger seat.

My knuckles whiten against the steering wheel.

Following Jackson and Marcus to the location Wyatt sent us is not how this should be happening. Fuck! They shouldn't be here at all!

The traffic lights become few and far between the further out of the city we get. I have never felt so sick to my stomach before.

I mean, shit! I lead this family because I can control myself and my emotions better than the other three. But, not knowing where Addie was or what was happening to her and our baby? Nothing in the world will ever compare to the fear and torment ripping apart my insides and mind.

It's almost two in the morning. Wyatt spent hours trying to get a hit on her phone, but whoever had her knew to turn her phone off and remove the SIM card. I know it's someone after us from Seattle, but I don't know who, and it's driving me crazy.

I can't protect anyone if I don't know anything! The only way we will figure it out is if Addie saw them or if Sophia finally pinpoints who the Heads sent after us. Us. Not Addie. Not our damn baby.

"Why did Addie say no, Zach?"

My throat thickens with emotion at the heartbreak in Julian's voice. I don't have a response, just like I don't have an answer.

Fuck knows this is our fault. It's our fault Addie was barely conscious to speak to Rylee. She called Rylee. That was the first hint that she knew this was our problem. A dangerous fucking problem we dumped at her feet.

I hear Julian inhale a shaky breath like he wants to ask me something else, but he doesn't get the chance as Jackson turns the hazards of his vehicle on and pulls into the shoulder lane.

---