Page 85 of Mending Scars

Walking over to it, I found the source. There, barely sticking up out of the cushions, was Kaiya’s phone.

I picked it and keyed in her passcode—Hayden’s due date.

Why didn’t you tell me what was going on, Warrior?

I went to her messages, hoping I could get some clues from the texts, and found the conversation with the unknown number.

The last text was sent at 10:33 PM, right after I had left.

Unknown: You’re finally gonna be mine

My heart pounded with fear as my stomach clenched.

This is all my fault! Why did I act so stupid? Now Kaiya and our son are in danger, and I have no fucking clue where to find them.

I stared at the text, unable to take my eyes off it. Then, clutching the phone tightly in my hand, I reared back to chunk it across the room. As I was about to let it fly, I stopped. I didn’t want to destroy what little bit of a lead that I had.

“Find anything?” Kamden asked from the doorway.

I held up Kaiya’s phone. “She left it here.”

“Nori told me about the texts.” He walked toward me with his arms crossed over his chest. “Any idea who sent them?”

“No,” I sighed. “I didn’t even know she was still getting them.”

I scrolled through and read all the messages from the unknown number. Kamden was talking, but I zoned out everything he was saying, trying to pick out any detail that might point me in the direction of Kaiya.

Then, I stopped and zeroed in on one text.

No fucking way.

Kamden shoved me. “I’m talking to you, asshole!”

I clenched my jaw as I stared him down. “I found something,” I gritted. I turned the screen to face him so that he could read it.

Unknown: Hope that meathead can protect you

Kamden’s eyes met mine, then creased in confusion. He shrugged his shoulders. “What? I don’t get it.”

“You know who called me a meathead the last time Kaiya and I saw him?”

Kamden shook his head and raised an eyebrow. “No.”

The rage coursing through me was evident in my voice. “Bryce.”

After explaining to Kamden everything that had happened with Bryce, we got in my truck and took off toward Bryce’s condo.

“I still don’t think Bryce would do something like this. He and Kaiya have been friends for years.”

I was almost positive that Bryce had something to do with Kaiya’s disappearance. Not just because of the meathead text, but all of the messages combined. Especially the last one.

You’re finally gonna be mine

Bryce had always wanted more than Kaiya was willing to give, and it seemed like he was going to take what he thought was his.

Too fucking bad—Kaiya is mine.

I was going to make him pay for taking her from me. Slowly and painfully.

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