Page 168 of The Reluctant Hero

“You didn’t say anythin’? Why?” Ace asks in disbelief.

“Because he’sobsessedwith Amanda.Waybeyond anything I’ve ever seen. I told him what happened, and he was pissed at us. Even with me telling him we were bringing her home regardless. I haven’t heard from him since. We’re lucky he hasn’t come in here to kill us.”

“Try him,” Mikael grits out so low it’s a bass rumble.

“Shit. Pick up, Jake,” he mutters and dials. He puts it on speaker as it starts ringing.

“Good morning,Cadey,” Jake’s voice is furious. It sounds like he’s in a vehicle.

“Where the fuck are you?” Ace barks out as he paces. “We need you here.”

“I’m not interested in your unique interpretation of my imp,” His tone turns silky with menace.

“We need to find Amanda. She’s out, and she’s in trouble,” I tell him as calmly as I can manage.

“Oh? What clued you in?” His dry question makes my teeth grind.

“Shade and Tera,” Cade admits, sounding ashamed. We all are.

“Of course. Next stepsmeine Seele. Which way did you go? Oh, yes,” Jake mutters, then calls out in his normal chipper voice, “Hey, we’re going the wrong way. Sorry, man. My plans have changed.”

Someone answers as Cade scowls.

“Where are you?” Ace scowls impatiently.

“Hunting for my imp. She’s rather resourceful when she plays hide and seek.”

“You’ve been on this track longer than we have,” Mikael braces his hands on the desk, squeezing his eyes shut. “Tell me you have a lead on her.”

“If things would stop breaking around her, I would have her by now. She closed her bank account this morning, so that’s a dead end. She won’t go back to her place after thatverdammter Drecksackleft it a mess.”

“How did you know about that?” Cade asks warily. “We just found out.”

His voice is overridden by Ace. “Fuck.Fuck!”

“I’m not a second-rate stalker,” Jake sounds smug while I’m falling apart.

“She’s leaving,” I choke out weakly. She can’t. Not without us.

“Wrong,” Jake says blandly at the same time as Mikael barks, “No!”

“She’s a fighter,” Ace mutters weakly. “My girl’s a fighter. She ain’t rollin’ over for anyone.”

“And she’s wanted one thing since she met us,” Jake prompts silkily.

“Blake,” Ace snaps and turns on his heel to run for the stairs.

“Soniceof you guys to join the party. I can’twaitto see you all again,” Jake says darkly and the call disconnects.

We hurry to the elevator. Mikael chooses the stairs when it takes longer than he likes.

“We fucked up,” Cade whispers, his face still chalk white.

“We can beg for forgiveness,” I try to keep my voice calm, but it shakes horribly.

The ride feels like it takes an eternity. Mikael is coming out of the stairwell, barely out of breath as we step out. Cade and I start running after him, ignoring someone calling out my name. I recognize the woman as the screamer Amanda has been taunting for weeks. I thought I fired her.

The absent thought comes to a screeching halt, much like my feet when I take in the complete wreckage of the vehicles.

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