Page 10 of Uncaged Obsessions

“Wait.” Drew looks at her, then Adam, then back to her. “What do you do?”

“Right now, I’m going to help you guys find my friend,” she says, seriously. “Now, tell me what all you know.”

Adam explains everything he found out about Max during his research, including the family she comes from and who she was engaged to. I realize I recognize the name of her ex fiancé, well his last name. I don’t know anything about the prick, but I know his dad runs some shady shit, so I’m sure the dickhead son isn’t any better.

I know her family is a big deal, which is why I name dropped her to my own trying to get them off my back, but knowing the Bradfords are involved too is a whole other level. It doesn’t make things harder, but it does make me more annoyed.

Mostly because that means we can’t just kill him to get her back because people would notice he’s gone. I clench my fists so hard my knuckles crack.

“Think you can help us?” Drew asks hopefully, once Adam is done explaining.

“Yeah, I know I can. But what’s your plan if she doesn’t want to come back?” Danner dares to ask.

“What the fuck do you mean? You saw the video, she didn’t want toleave,”I snap.

“I’m just saying, if she went back home and realized she wanted to be there, I’m curious what the plan would be then?”

“Who’s side are you on? Isn’t she your friend?” My voice is raised and I don’t care if I scare her. And because of the impeccable timing my family has, my phone goes off in my pocket and I know who it is immediately. I glance at the screen to double check before ignoring it. The last thing I need to deal with right now is them telling me to come back to Chicago.

“Yeah, she is,” Danner agrees, keeping her voice level while she stands tall in front of me, even though she’s only a couple inches taller than Max. “Which means I want what’s best for her, whatever and wherever that is.”

“You saw that asshole drag her away by her hair.” I get closer to her face, trying not to scream at her. “There’s not a chance in hell my girlwould everwant to be where he is. Help us find her, and then I’m bringing her back home.”

“Caine.” Adam’s voice has that warning tone to it again, but Danner doesn’t back down from me.

“Find her, or I’m going to Texas and I’ll destroy every single thing and person in my way until I find her,” I declare, pushing past them and going to the hanging bags because I know I need to get aggression out before I start punching Drew and Adam.

Nothing is going to be the same until I have her back. The harder I punch the more pissed off I get that I let her go home alone in the first place. I should’ve been there. She should’ve never left my sight.

As soon as she’s back, I’ll never make that mistake again.

CHAPTER 6

DREW

We leave Caine to do what he thinks will make him feel better. He acts like we all aren’t as desperate to find Max as he is. We are, but Adam and I are just a bit calmer about the situation. Of course I want to lose my shit and help Caine kill the man that came into her house and put his hands on her. I saw red when I watched the video. Just like when I lost it on my dad all those years ago.

Maybe when I see this Carson fucker, I’ll end up killing him, I wouldn’t be surprised. But for now, I know we have to be smart about this. We don’t know if she’s in any more physical danger, especially if we show up and try to kidnap her back.

Danner said she was going to use her connections to get more information on Max’s family and this Carson guy. At least then we’ll have more of an idea on where she could be other than an entire state.

Caine hasn’t let up on the bag since he started working it ten minutes ago. Adam gestures me toward his office. I follow him because the only other option is to stay out here withthe rhythmic noise of Caine’s fists hitting the heavy bag and knowing that it will drive me crazy after a few more minutes.

Everything feels so out of control right now. There's so much I want to do and nothing that I’m able to at the same time. I want to find Max. I want her to be back here with us. Everything else seems unimportant until she's back here. With us, where she belongs.

Adam closes the door to his office behind me, and I wait for whatever he’s about to say.

“We have to make sure he doesn’t completely lose his shit,” he tells me.

I nod in agreement. “Yeah, but have you met him? He loses his shit regularly over way less than this.”

“I know. We need to get her back and we will, but he can’t end up in jail along the way.”

“His dad is some fancy ass lawyer, I’m sure he could get him out of whatever trouble he gets himself into.” I roll my eyes. Caine’s privilege isn’t a mystery and I’d be lying to say I’m not annoyed that he comes from so much and throws it all away. I like fighting, but it’s a necessity to me, not just something I do for fun.

It’s survival, and it always will be.

Adam and I both came from nothing and that’s something Caine will never understand. Max may not either, but I can tell life hasn’t been the easiest for her either. And seeing the video of her being taken only confirmed some of my suspicions about how her ex treated her.

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