Page 97 of Laila Manning
“Promise me something.” He said, and I rolled my eyes, already knowing what he was about to say. “Be safe. Let me get some crew to come with you.”
“If that’s what you need to do, fine. But I’m not waiting for them to show up. I’m going to claw my skin from my bones if I stay still, Zeke. I can’t describe it or make it make sense—”
“I get it.” He cut me off with the strong, unwavering power I craved and relied on. “I’ll get them to you. Is your location on?”
“For you, always.” I smirked, remembering the way he insisted on being able to find me after the last time I bolted. The last time we argued about Kade.
“Good. I’ll have them meet you. Keep your head on straight.”
“Yes, Daddy.” I purred, feeling brave with his support.
He groaned, and I reveled in the sound. “I love you.”
Now I was melting. Those words.
Something I never imagined hearing from someone with such genuine truth behind them.
“I love you too, Zeke.”
And then I hung up, heading toward the dark alley.
Before I could get there, a truck pulled into the parking lot, blocking the space. Instead of that unusual sense of dread that always overcame me when people were near, I ignored everything else and went to walk around it. Part of me dared someone to stop me. Or even try.
I was too fired up with the need to find Kade and settle the fear building in my chest to let someone get in my way.
“You seen the kid?” A gruff voice called out, and I stopped, looking at the driver’s side window that was rolled down.
“Diesel?” I peered inside, confused to see him in a truck and not on his bike. And then his words struck. “The kid? Kade?” I walked to his window, “No, why, have you? What’s wrong?”
His gnarled face tightened as he looked back out the windshield. “He’s MIA. And I don’t have a good feeling.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve been watching him.” Diesel said, looking back at me. “For Zeke. For you. But he’s gone dark and I—” his jaw tightened and so did his hand on the wheel. “I think he was trafficked.”
My heart sank into my stomach as my knees threatened to buckle. “No.” I whispered, shaking my head as my eyes widened. “Don’t say that. Don’t you dare—”
“He was working for Clarissa Lupold.”
“How do you—” My stomach rolled as the name shattered the hope in my gut, swirling the possibilities around like bile and fire until there could be no other explanation. Clarissa was the senator’s wife. Oh, my god. “No!”
“I found out too late.” Diesel grimaced. “And now I can’t find him.”
I replayed everything Kade said to me the other day at the cafe. He said he worked for a rich lady in East Valley, doing odds and ends around the property.
“Oh, my God.” I gripped the frame of the truck door as my legs gave out. “No, D. No! We have to find him. He’s just a kid.” Tears burned my eyes as I stared at the scary man that had befriended me for some reason. Begging him silently to help me.
“I know.” He gripped my hand and nodded to the passenger side. “Get in. We’re going to find him.”
I didn’t think twice; I didn’t hesitate to worry about being in a vehicle with practically a stranger who was clearly a psychopath. Should I have? Probably. But I couldn’t think of anything but what Kade was possibly experiencing at that very moment because of Lupold and his wife.
I ran my hands up and down my legs as he started driving. “Where do we start?”
“I don’t know.” He replied. “My contacts are digging for info on Lupold’s holding spots, but I don’t know where he’d keep a boy.”
“A boy.” I cried, rubbing my head as panic threatened to take hold. “That doesn’t make sense, he doesn’t like boys.” I didn’t know how much Diesel knew about me and my past, but I didn’t care. “He has a thing for girls. Teenagers.”
“Then why—” Diesel shook his head.
