Page 81 of Love in the Wild

Dawson Keller stood over Brett with his weapon at the ready. “Hands up. Don’t move.”

Gage might have had his hang-ups with Dawson over the last few months, but he’d never been more excited to see the guy. It had been Brett’s idea to disclose everything to Dawson and Asa before the meeting this morning.

Asa barged in and marched straight for Brett. “I thought I told you to wait for me.”

“You were running late, and I made an executive decision.”

“We can’t just barge in when there have been reports of gunfire! We had to coordinate the SWAT team and the hostage negotiator.” Asa sighed and jerked his head toward Thea. “You can check on her.”

Brett didn’t hesitate, he rushed over to Thea who was sitting with her back against the far wall with Emerson. Blood streaked down her face, and her breaths were quick and shallow.

Dawson planted himself beside Gage. “Thanks for holding down the fort until we got here.”

“All in a day’s work,” Gage said. “I swear I had no idea Max was here.”

“We considered the possibility. We got word a few weeks ago he was out, so we’ve been keeping an eye out for him. I figured it wouldn’t be long until he lost his cool again and ended up back in custody.”

“Do you have a way to check on Hadley?” Gage asked.

Dawson turned his head and spoke into the radio on his shoulder. Gage tuned out the back-and-forth until the female dispatcher returned with the update.

“She has received medical attention and been released from the care of the paramedics.”

“Where is she?” Gage asked, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

Dawson shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“I need to get to her.” Anticipation tickled just beneath Gage’s skin, begging him to run and find her.

“You’re gonna be here a while, but I’ll tell Lyric to keep her updated on how things are going here.”

A hollowness settled in Gage’s chest. “No. I need to see her. I need to see if she’s okay.”

Dawson gave him a knowing side glance. “I’ll see what I can do. I’d feel the same way if something happened to Olivia.”

Gage and Dawson hadn’t always seen eye to eye, but today, they were on the same team. Gage’s alliances were crumbling and reshaping. This was his first time cooperating with law enforcement, and the level of patience needed was more than he could muster right now.

He had to get to her. With the threat to Thea’s life resolved, Hadley was the only thing on his mind.

24

HADLEY

Hadley stared out the window of Ridge’s truck as he drove. Her left arm rested in a sling, and she cradled it with her right hand. Remaining completely still wasn’t doing much for the lightning-sharp pain shooting from her shoulder.

“Hadley, I don’t think we should go,” Cheyenne said from the seat beside her in the back of the truck cab. “You need to rest.”

“I’ll rest when I know they’re okay.”

“Brett said everyone is fine.”

“No, he said everyone was still alive,” Hadley corrected. “I can read between the lines.”

“He promised no one we know was injured. They’re most worried that Thea could have re-injured her lung.”

Hadley turned to her sister and let a fraction of the ache escape from the confines of her chest. It was growing and poisoning her entire body. “I feel like this is my fault.”

“It absolutely is not,” Cheyenne said.

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