Page 81 of Every Single Vow
“They think that ranch is so fucking special.” He kicks the coffee table, snapping a leg in half. “What? They have a few bulls that are worth a shit and now have some big name.” He crouches down next to me. “That entire ranch should have burned down with that house.”
I twist my wrists, trying to loosen the rope as he stares daggers at me. “He may get that ranch, Dakota. But he doesn’t get you too.”
He’s even more deranged than I thought.
“What are you doing?” I ask. “What’s the point of all this? You know I won’t go willingly.”
He reaches out to trail a finger along my jaw before I jerk away from his slimy touch. “I’m glad you asked.”
My nostrils flare as I narrow my eyes. “Don’t touch me.”
“Oh, I plan on doing more than touching you.” He grins, the gleam in his eyes unsettling. “First, we’re getting revenge, then, you’re coming with me.”
I swallow thickly, my brows furrowing. “We?”
The rattle of the trailer door makes my blood run cold, and when it opens to reveal the monster that I’d thought I’d slain, my world stills.
The door slams as the tall figure fills the space. He’s older now. Grey streaking his greasy hair. His eyes are hollow, matching the gaping hole in his chest where a heart never formed.
My monster is back.
His smile is sickening before he announces. “Daddy’s home.”
Chapter fifty-four
Cooper
“What’s going on?” Ryder climbs down out of his truck, a blank expression as usual.
I called him the second I found her phone, along with Jefferson who’s standing next to me and my father in the empty parking lot of the carnival.
“Dakota is missing,” I grit the words out with an ache I can’t shake. “She texted me to get Ari out of here, then when I went to find her, all I found was her phone in the dirt. She wouldn’t just leave. Especially without this.”
“Ok.” Jefferson, yanks on his pants. “Is there anywhere she would go?”
“I’m telling you she didn’t leave on her own.” I feel my dad lay a calming hand on my shoulder.
“Did we locate Billy?” He asks.
Jefferson shakes his head. “Not yet. It’s like when he left Cove County, he disappeared.”
“You try Joseph? He used to work with Billy,” Ryder inserts. “Those low lives are two peas in a pod.”
“Someone sent her these.” I hand the phone to Jefferson. “Can you trace it?”
He glances at the picture and curses. “Shit.”
Ryder mutters under his breath and my dad starts to pace.
“This is a clear threat.” I motion. “We need to find her. I know it’s Billy. He’s the only one with a reason to hurt her.”
“Let me get this back to Duncan. Otis isn’t in the office so I can push it. I know Billy worked for Rocky, I don’t want him to try to intervene.”
Otis Bernard is Rocky Bernard's brother. But just because he was thesheriffdidn't mean he was on the right side of the badge.
“How fast?” I urge.
“I’ll head to the station now, you can follow me,” Jefferson says, before he pulls out his radio.
