Page 98 of Thornhill Road

“MK? Baby?” he called, his desperation heard even in his own ears.

“What happened?!” cried Tess.

It was then when Mustang heard Trix wailing on the floor and saw her man pacing frantically back and forth across the room, his fingers buried in his hair.

“How many?” he asked Trix.

She looked up at him, tears streaking her cheeks and snot dripping from her nose as she shook her head in reply.

“How many?!” he repeated at a yell.

“I don’t know! I don’t know!”

“Babe,” Tess called, drawing his attention.

She had hold of one of MK’s hands, but her pleading expression was aimed at him.

“She’s calmy and her pulse is weak. What the hell happened?”

“She got into Trix’s edibles,” he spat, instantly irate at the fact that they’d been left in such an easily accessible place.

Tess’s face paled. “Edibles?”

“They’re just weed. They’re justweed!” the man cried.

Tess shook her head, never breaking eye contact with Mustang. “They could be laced with anything, and we don’t know how many she had or how long ago. We need to go. Right now.”

As if on cue, the sound of sirens could be heard as an ambulance approached. Tess started for the door without a moment’s hesitation. Mustang began to follow just as Trix stood to her feet.

His grip around his girl tightened as he turned to face the woman.

His voice low and menacing, he shot her a glare and warned, “You donotwant to see my face again. If you do, and my girl is not in my arms, mine will be the last fuckin’ face you see.”

“Mustang, please,” she begged.

He paid her no mind, turning toward the busted door.

“Mustang!”

He was gone, hurrying for the stairs even as he saw the paramedics headed his way with their gear and a stretcher. Tess reached them first, filling them in on everything she knew. When Mustang caught up, he reluctantly surrendered his daughter into their care.

“There’s room for one in the back. Which one of you is coming?”

Before Mustang could answer, Tess was standing in front of him, her hands taking hold of his arms. “Babe? Babe, listen to me.”

He looked down at her and, for the first time, noticed the calm he saw in her golden-brown eyes. She was steady. Unwavering. His anchor in the storm.

“Let me go,” she continued. “I know you’re scared, and I know you don’t want her out of your sight, but I’m an extra pair of hands, sweetheart. I can help. Please, let me be the one to go.”

It wasn’t until he tried to speak that he noticed his fear had morphed into a knot in his throat and all he could manage was a curt nod—but it was enough.

Tess pressed a kiss on the underside of his chin, giving his arms a squeeze before she joined the paramedics in the ambulance, not even sparing him a second glance. When the doors shut behind her, he ran back to the still running SUV.

She had to be okay.

He needed to believe his MK would be okay.

If she wasn’t, he’d come unhinged.

---