Page 87 of Unbearable

“What do you mean she isn’t there?” he asked, his voice tense.

Noah’s voice came through, frantic. “She texted me her flight details. It landed over an hour ago. I was waiting for her, but she never showed up. She’s not here. Her calls are going straight to voicemail. I don’t know what to do, Dorian. I’m ready to get in my car and drive to Woodstone.”

An icy fear gripped my chest, tightening with each passing second. I stood and started pacing the room, my mind racing through worst-case scenarios.

Colt was already on the phone.

“Looks like we’re heading to the airport,” Sawyer said, before disappearing upstairs to grab his things.

Colt briefly moved the phone away from his face and said, “I’m calling my contact in Seattle now,” as he walked into the other room, speaking urgently.

“I don’t think you’re overreacting, Noah,” Dorian sighed. “But stay put for now until we figure out what is going on. Call me if anything seems off. Don’t open the door for anyone except Dotty. I’ll check with the airline to confirm if she boarded. Once I know, I’ll update you.”

“Okay, thank you.” Noah’s voice trembled with fear.

“Let’s go. Now,” I said, my voice hard with determination.

Sawyer returned down the stairs with a duffle bag. “Let’s not waste any more time. I already talked to Dad. He’s watching Gracie.”

“Let me put her in her bed upstairs, then we’ll leave,” Dorian said, walking over to gently lift his daughter from the couch and carry her upstairs.

My palms were sweaty, my vision blurred. I couldn’tfocus on anything except the horrifying thought that someone had taken Dotty.

MyDotty.

The love of my life was missing and in danger, and I couldn’t think a single coherent thought.

“I’ll drive,” Dorian said when he came back down. “Put your shit in my car.” I grabbed my bag from my truck, and we piled into Dorian’s car.

The drive to the airport took forever, even though we made it there in half the time. Every second ticked by with agonizing slowness. My mind was a whirlwind of fear and anger.

I couldn’t lose her. Not again.

Not like this.

As we sped down the highway, my thoughts kept returning to her last words to me. I clung to them, hoping against hope that we’d find her safe. That we’d bring her home.

The car was filled with a tense silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. Dorian’s grip on the steering wheel was white-knuckled, and Colt kept checking his phone, waiting for any updates from his contact. Sawyer stared out the window, his jaw clenched.

We had to find her. We had to bring her back.

And I would make sure whoever had taken her would pay.

Dorian confirmed that Dotty never boarded. We raced to the airport, cutting an hour-long drive in half. Colt kept in touch with the police on the way.

The sky remained shrouded in darkness, a starkreminder that Dotty had already been missing for several hours.

With each passing minute, my fear continued to grow. I tried to convince myself there was a simple explanation for why she never made it onto the plane, but it was a stupid attempt to quell my anxiety. My mind raced through a million worst-case scenarios, each more terrifying than the last.

We finally pulled into the airport parking garage, and before the car was in park, I jumped out. I needed air, space, and something I couldn’t put my finger on.

Except I knew exactly what I needed.

I needed Dotty. I needed her in my arms, telling me she was okay.

I needed this to be over.

“Slow down, Trent,” Dorian called from behind me.

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