Page 178 of At the Edge of Surrender

I straightened to Raven standing there with a boatload of worry carved into her expression.

She must have seen the same thing reflected in mine because she rushed, “Charleigh said Emery is fine, Kane. You know she wouldn’t mislead us. Go on and take care of her. Otto and I have got Maci for the rest of the night. You don’t need to worry about her.”

“Thank you.”

She slipped back into the driver’s seat, and I ran to the detached garage, punched in the code to open one of the bays, and grabbed the key for the blacked-out four-door Mercedes, knowing if Emery had wound up at the doctor’s office, she’d been injured in some way.

As much as I wanted her body wrapped around me on my bike, I wanted to shield her more.

Take care of her.

Ensure she was safe.

Fuck. I wanted to make sure she was safe.

I shoved it into reverse and went flying down the drive. By the time I got to the end of it, I was right on Raven’s tail. Raven turned right where it would take her up the south ridge of the mountains to where she and Otto lived, and I peeled out as I took the left that would lead me deeper into town.

Sweat beading on my hairline, I weaved in and out of traffic as I took the couple of turns required to get to the medical complex where Dr. Reynolds’ office was located on 9th.

Guts a tangle of nerves and fear.

Thought I was going to come apart when I caught sight of the plaza, just fucking needing to get to her.

To see her face.

To know that she was whole and safe.

The tires squealed on the pavement as I made a quick left into the parking lot.

I didn’t go to the front. I wound around to the back to the private entrance that was only used for Sanctum business.

Somehow, I already knew that was where Charleigh would meet me.

Fear clawed up my insides when I saw River’s bike sitting near the door.

No doubt, thiswasSanctum business.

“Please let her be okay.” It wheezed out of me as I came skidding to a stop beside River’s bike and threw the car into park. I jumped out and flew around the front just as the door whipped open.

“Kane.” River’s midnight eyes were full of turmoil.

“The fuck happened?” I gritted as I stormed his way.

From thirty feet back, I watched his features twine with the disorder as he stood in the open doorway. “Someone tried to snatch her from the parking lot of Moonlit Ridge Grocers.”

Horror punched me square in the face.

A fist that nearly dropped me straight to my knees.

Every muscle in my body went weak for the flash of a second before it rebounded in a fit of fury.

Insides lighting with the instant need for retribution. To make someone bleed. To cut them wide open and watch their insides spill out.

It was those types of monsters that were the most depraved of society.

“Another guy saw the commotion from the other side of the parking lot and went to stop it,” he continued. “The piece of shit who was trying to get her threw her against your Rover before he disappeared into the woods. She hit her head pretty hard.”

Not slowing, I angled through, grating, “Where is she?”

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