Page 41 of Secret Baby for Mr. Grump

Shock was the first emotion that shot through me when I saw it.

Then fury quickly overtook it.

It surged through my entire body, so potent, so strong, that I had to hold myself completely still to keep from losing it entirely.

I had to take a breath before I approached because if I didn’t, I would have killed him—straight up murdered him.

There was no chance I wouldn’t.

Even now, after he’d scurried off, I regretted not at least punching him or getting my hands around his neck. The only reason why I hadn’t was that I wasn’t sure I would be able to make myself stop. The way he was talking to her, the crude laughter, leaning down to whisper in her ear, nearly touching her.

I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I saw the hurt look on her face, and from that moment on, he was a dead man.

I could probably still find him,I thought, a thirst for violence tearing through me.If he’d just left the grocery store, I may be able to find him in the parking lot or on the route leading back to the main road.

It was all I could think about as Allie tried to calm me down. I understood that she was probably worried I would get in trouble again due to my reputation, but I didn’t care about that. They already pretty much thought I was a murderer anyway. This wouldn’t change their mind.

God, I should have hit that bastard.

When she received the call, I thought about going to see if he was still hanging around somewhere in the parking lot. If not, I could always hunt him down somewhere and then maybe beat him within an inch of his life. I wanted to make him hurt for hurting her and torture him for everything he said to her.

But then her expression instantly changed, and thoughts of revenge flew out of my mind.

Something was wrong.

“What do you mean he’s missing?” I winced at the screech in her voice. Her hand, the one clutching the phone, began to shake as the other one came up to her mouth.

I saw the moment panic began setting in and instantly went to her. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

She turned to me, horror clear in her gaze. “It’s my son. He’s…he’s missing.”

Alarm sprung through me. I looked around. There was supposed to be heavy snow tonight, and there weren’t many walkable roads from her house. It was nowhere for a little boy to be wandering around.

“Fuck,” I muttered, then turned to her.

“I have to…I don’t know—” She turned in circles, seeming to not even know where to start or how to get her bearings. The shock was still settling in, and I knew her mind was in chaos.

I gently put my hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes, trying to get her to calm down.

“We’ll find him,” I told her confidently.

She shook her head, her gaze still swiveling around rapidly. “I don’t know…he can’t talk…he might…”

“Hey, listen to me.” I shook her until her eyes returned to me, then I said, “We’ll find him. I promise you.”

She swallowed, and fear was still highlighting her gaze, but she nodded.

“Do you live close by?” I asked.

“Not really,” she answered. “Athena does. She was watching him at her house. She went up to use the bathroom for a few minutes, and when she came down, he was gone. So was his coat.”

“Okay, so it meant he likely wasn’t taken,” I said. “Any ideas why would he leave home?”

“I don’t know.” She clutched her head. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know anything. My son is missing. Oh my God. What if something has happened to him? What if someone did take him?”

“It’s likely not a kidnapping, but call the police just in case. I’ll get a search party out.” Even if I had to fly in my own private search team from out of town.

Jesus. We needed to find her son.

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