Page 10 of Back In the Shadows

“I’m here. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Yeah, we’ll see you soon. Hang tight.” Dope disconnected the call as I slowly approached the driveway. I pulled over and parked the car in the thick of the trees. I needed to note the tire tracks of the vehicle Dope mentioned, and if I drove over them it would be much more difficult to get what I needed. Proof for starters. My thoughts teetered on the edge of insanity as I hurried to Ella’s place on foot.

My knife strapped to my leg gave me little comfort as my mind and heart warred with each other. I refused to acknowledge Dope’s words that she was gone until I saw it for myself.

Quietly, I took the steps to the porch and slipped inside her home. My eyes widened in horror as I took in the sight in front of me. Verity’s stuffed bear had been ripped apart with stuffing bursting from its stomach. One eye dangled from a thread as the other stared directly at me. Alaric’s blanket had been shredded, and the pictures of Ella and my children had been smashed and broken. The couch and chair were turned over, and magazines were strewn all over the floor. I removed my weapon and crept into the kitchen, hoping to catch the son of a bitch responsible for entering Ella’s house without permission. A surge of primal satisfaction jolted through my body at the mere thought of carrying out my revenge, my fingers itching with anticipation. I forced myself to maintain composure, to stay laser-focused on the task at hand.

The sound of me clenching my teeth reached my ears while I took note of the kitchen—cabinet doors were open; food and broken dishes littered the floor. My nostrils flared as rage ignited inside me. No longer caring if I was quiet or not, I raced upthe stairs and flung open the door to the kid’s room. Empty. Hopefully they were safe with Lulu, but I had to check the rest of the house before I called her. If the kids were okay, I didn’t want to scare the shit out of our nanny.

The beat of my heart pounded in my ears as I ran down the hall to Ella’s bedroom. The papers that had scattered the floor and bed previously were gone, but so was she. I searched the bathroom, closet, and every fucking nook and cranny upstairs, then downstairs. There was no sign of her. A sharp pain shot through my head as sweat coated my forehead, the fear and anger of losing her ripping through me. I returned to the living room as the blinding agony dropped me to my knees.

“This isn’t the fucking time for a migraine,” I snapped as I pounded on the fucking floor. A feral roar ripped through me as the truth sank in. Ella was gone. Fear taunted me as images of her lifeless body took front and center in my mind’s eye. I couldn’t allow myself to go there. My hands clenched and unclenched as I said, “You motherfuckers better run because I’m coming for you.”

I grabbed my head, groaning as the room faded from sight.

6

SEBASTIAN

The living room blurred in and out as I struggled to focus and stand. The headaches had grown more frequent, and I was worried something was seriously wrong with me. Since my parents had died, I tended to lose time and not be able to remember what had happened. I’d become a pro at masking those gaps, but maybe I should talk to Ella and see a doctor. My mind immediately went to worst-case scenarios. What if the migraines were a sign of something worse, like a brain tumor? I would need medical treatment. I owed it to myself and my family to take better care of myself, to be the best husband and father I could be.

I stood slowly and grabbed the top of the recliner as I found my balance. Frowning, I blinked several times, attempting to clear my vision.

“What the hell?” Toys and books were haphazardly thrown on the floor and the furniture was on its side. “Ella?” I called out.

Confused, I walked toward the kitchen to find an even bigger mess. “What the fuck happened? Why don’t I remember any of this?” Fear shot through me as I ran down the hall looking for Ella and the kids. Not seeing anyone, I rushed upstairs andsearched for them. Once again, all I found were clothes and toys all over the kids’ room and the same in mine and Ella’s. Even with the twins, Ella and I maintained a clean place. This was out of the ordinary and nearly doubled me over with anxiety.

“Ella! Ella!” My voice grew frantic as a harsh possibility slammed into my chest. I dug my phone from my jacket pocket. I always carried a burner with me for the Horizon Society. My first call was to Ella, but it rang and rang before it went to her voicemail.

My forehead creased as I waited for the beep. “Baby, it’s your husband. Please call me as soon as you get this message.” I hung up and swallowed over the lump in my throat.

I immediately dialed Lulu’s number to make sure my babies were safe with her. With the house in chaos and not hearing from Ella, I needed to know if they were okay.

She answered on the first ring. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Sebastian. How are the kids doing?”

“We’re taking a walk in the park. It’s such a beautiful day, I thought they would enjoy the fresh air.”

I heard the kids babbling in the background, and my heart skipped a beat with the knowledge that they were unharmed. Fear tiptoed down my back, as I suspected that unlike my children, their mother wasn’t safe.

“Could you keep them a few extra hours today? I’ll Venmo you the cash.”

“Sure. When would you like them home?”

I didn’t miss the concern in her voice. We rarely asked for extra time, but I needed to make calls and find my wife. If I lost my shit, I didn’t want to terrify my kids.

“In a few hours.”

She agreed and we said our goodbyes. After I hung up, I tried to fit the puzzle pieces together, fearing the worst. Then I remembered when Ella had finally told me the truth aboutStephen coming after her when I was out of town. She promised he was no longer an issue, but I wasn’t clear on what she meant. No matter how hard I pressed her, she just assured me he wasn’t a problem, and he was out of our lives. Jumping to the bleakest conclusion possible, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d found her. One thing I knew, he was a mean motherfucker with zero conscience. Unless he needed someone to reach a means to an end, he’d rather slit your throat than spit on you.

My phone buzzed in my palm, and I answered without looking at the screen.

“Ella?” Hope burst inside my chest, then disappeared as soon as I heard Dope’s voice.

“Bass?” I could almost hear him cringe.

Unable to hide my irritation, I said, “Who else would it be?”

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