Page 66 of Never Fear (Whiskey Ridge)
My eyes narrowed on him a fraction as he set his hands on his hips. “You’re good to go.”
I didn’t hesitate before shifting into drive and slamming my foot on the gas. Dirt and debris kicked up behind my truck, and I caught him watching me speed off.
I hoped a stick stabbed him in the fucking eye.
I rounded the corner, following McKenna's path, and relief flooded me when I saw her car parked on the side of the road. Maybe I wouldn’t have to punish her after all.
As I came to a stop behind her vehicle, I noticed her silhouette wasn’t in the driver’s seat, and Brynne’s door was open. I shoved the truck into park so hard I nearly broke the shifter and jumped out.
“McKenna!” I shouted, panic etching itself into the marrow of my bones. Where the fuck was she?
I ran to the driver’s side, finding the seat empty, and with a look across the cab, I found Brynne on the other side. Lying on the fucking ground.
I cursed, sprinting around the hood. Crouching beside her, I checked her pulse on her neck. She was alive, but the beat was slow. Faint. Like she was drugged.
I checked our surroundings before brushing the hair away from her face. Her skin seemed feverish, but when I carefully moved her from her side to her back, she groaned.
“Brynne, talk to me,” I coaxed gently. “It’s Austin. I’m here.”
“Booker,” she whispered, face scrunching in pain.
“I know. I’ll call him.” I ran a hand up and down her arm, trying to keep her awake. “Where’s McKenna?”
Her head rolled to the side, eyes barely open as her eyelids fluttered. “Took her.”
My muscles seized with the urge to decimate whoever put their hands on McKenna and put Brynne in danger. “Who took her, Brynne?”
Another moan passed her lips, and her fingers flexed like she wanted to clench something. I remembered her stomach hurting earlier, and could only imagine what she was feeling.
When her eyes closed and she whimpered, I scanned the dirt around her. “Where’s your phone?”
Her finger barely lifted in the direction of the car. I stood, finding her cell in the cupholder. Grabbing it, I typed in her passcode. It wasn’t hard to guess it was Booker’s birthday.
The call rang twice before Booker answered. “Baby?”
“It’s Austin. I think Brynne was drugged and?—”
“Where the fuck is she?” Booker demanded, the sound of wind filling the phone as he was presumably out on his horse.
“I have her. She’s safe.” I explained the order of events up until this point, then said the words I wished I’d never had to. “Someone took McKenna, Booker.” My throat swelled, her name a choked plea on my tongue.
“We’ll find her.” A door slammed and his engine started up in the background. “I’ll be there in five. Do not fucking leave her, Austin, or I swear to?—”
“She’s safe with me.” And it killed me that I couldn’t say the same for McKenna.
Over and over again, she was hurt. I was in her life, and I still couldn’t fucking keep her away from danger. Ishouldn’t have pulled over. Shouldn’t have taken my eyes off her. I should’ve?—
“It’s not your fault, Austin.” Booker’s voice filtered in through my racing thoughts, saving me from the spiral for now.
I lowered myself beside Brynne again, returning my hand to her arm to ward off some of the chill. The sight of her on the ground beside the cold, darkening forest sent a wave of rage flooding through me. “Just get here fast.”
I hung up the phone and lifted Brynne into my arms, holding her close to keep her warm.
I kept my eyes on the road, waiting for my best friend to arrive.
Because the moment he got here, the hunt would begin.
And I wasn’t fucking stopping until every single fucker who thought they could put their hands on McKenna was dead.
