Page 74 of A Pen Pal for Christmas

“Hudson, stop!” Tommy’s command cut through the red haze in my mind.

Someone yelled for us to take it outside, and a heartbeat later, Tommy and Jack were on me. They struggled to pry my hands off Dane so they could drag me toward the door, but I fought against them.

I wasn’t done.

“Outside,” Tommy hissed in my ear. “There’s kids in here, man.”

That was enough to get me to comply. I jerked out of their arms and went through the door, knowing they’d bring Dane outside for me. I didn’t want my hands on him again, anyway.

I wasn’t sure what I would do.

“I don’t know where she is,” Dane said again as the guys brought him out, his words coming fast and frantic. He stepped forward, his hands raised like he thought we might rip himapart. He wasn’t wrong. “I swear. I came here because I think she’s in danger. I’m trying to help.”

“Help? Are you serious right now?” I growled, taking a step.

I didn’t get far. Nick had joined the party outside, and he was currently using his considerable strength to keep me from pummeling Dane.

Dane’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “It’s him. It’s Rex. He’s been watching her. Us. I… I tried to stop him?—”

The unfamiliar name hit like a punch to the gut. My body went still, the fight draining out of me as something colder, sharper, settled in its place. It was the need to listen. To figure it out before it was too late.

Nick’s grip on my arm loosened slightly, his expression shifting from anger to confusion as he shared looks with Tommy and Jack.

“Who’s Rex?” I asked through clenched teeth.

Dane licked his lips, his hands still raised. “He’s… He’s bad news. Worse than I ever was. And he’s obsessed with Sofia.”

“Obsessed?” Tommy sounded dangerous now.

Good.

Jack stepped forward with his palms outstretched. “Dane, explain. Fast.”

Dane nodded, his gaze darting between the four of us as his panic clearly rose. “Rex has been obsessed with Sofia ever since I was in prison. He was my cellmate. It started with her letters. He would take them from me when I was sleeping. It was like…”

He trailed off, and my patience snapped. “Like what?”

“It was like he thought she was writing to him. When he saw her pictures, he said he was in love with her. He got it in his head that they were meant to be together.”

My mind reeled at his words, my stomach threatening to bring up everything I’d eaten that day. And then flashes of images burned behind my eyes. The dance, the smile she gaveme, the way she excused herself to clean her dress. I’d let her go alone.

I let her go…alone.

The guilt hit hard, and I forced myself to focus. I couldn’t afford to lose it. Not now. Not when I had no idea what this Rex guy was capable of.

Sofia needed me.

“Why didn’t you say something?” Tommy lunged toward Dane, but Jack held him back. “Why didn’t you warn her?”

“That’s why I’m here!” he shot back.

The door to the venue creaked open, drawing our attention. Grace stepped outside with Jamie on her heels. Her arms were wrapped tightly around herself, her chin held high, and then Tommy was by her side in a flash.

Jamie entered the loose semi-circle that surrounded Dane, shaking out his hands like he was here for whatever went down.

“Give us the story, Dane,” Grace called out. She looked at each of us, but her eyes held mine the longest as she said, “No one is going to hurt you. Just tell us what you know so we can get her back.”

Dane looked to me to confirm that Grace’s words rang true, and I nodded once. That was all he’d get out of me by way of promises.

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