Page 132 of Mad Love

“Mads, baby, settle down.” Ryan’s voice was soft and calm, gently soothing me the best way he could. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Bex,” I croaked, the image seared into my brain. She must be so scared.

“What happened?” Ryan picked his words carefully, and I had the feeling he was intentionally staying vague. Maybe because Court was nearby, and he didn’t want to worry him.

“He has her,” I whispered. “Gary took Bex.”

“Fuck,” he whispered. “Maddie, we’re on our way, okay? We’ll be there in a couple hours. Royal’s getting us transport.”

I shook my head, but he couldn’t possibly see that. “It’s too late.”

“Is—” His breathing hitched. “Maddie, is she—”

“No. But I have to go.” My insides withered and died along with the future I’d been planning.

“Go where?” He sounded confused and concerned.

I cleared my throat and closed my eyes. “He wants me. He’ll let her go if he has me, Ryan.”

He was silent, and then exploded at once. “Don’t even fucking think about it, Madison. I swear to Christ—”

“I need to go now, Ryan,” I whispered, my heart already aching for the loss of him.

“Maddie!” he roared with fury so potent I could taste it.

“I love you,” I finished and hung up. Almost instantly my phone started ringing, but I ignored it, and turned to Chase. “I need a ride.”

His green eyes were huge. “What in the hell is going on?”

“Gary took Bex,” I explained, my tone even and almost… placid. A numbness had settled in my bones as icy slush filled my veins. “I’m going to go get her back.”

His brows drew together. “He won’t just give her back.”

“Maybe not,” I agreed, “but I have to try.”

Behind me, Tyler was furiously typing on her laptop. “I have Bex on the hospital’s cameras leaving her mom’s room. She turned a corner into a blind spot, and then nothing. Wait. Hang on. Shit. I think I have her on the parking garage feed.” She looked a little sick. “Two guys are carrying… Well, she doesn’t look conscious.”

My phone stopped ringing and started up again almost instantly.

“When will Ryan be here?” Chase asked, his tone urgent as he took my cold hand in his.

“Not for a couple hours.”

He exhaled. “It isn’t ideal, but we can wait for them. I’ll call in favors from my father. I’m sure we can get additional security.”

I shook my head. “There was a text with the photo. I have thirty minutes to get to his house, or he’ll—” I shuddered and swallowed down a wave of bile burning up the back of my throat. “I need to get there.”

Chase gaped at me. “He’ll kill you.”

“Probably.” I was a little amazed at how calmly I was discussing my own impending death.

Shock, a little voice whispered in my head. I’m in shock.

“But I have to try,” I finished. The odds of Bex and I escaping this unscathed were about the odds of a pegasus showing up to fly me to Neverland, but I wasn’t going to let her go through this alone. Gary was my problem, and I’d dragged her into this mess.

Chase gnawed on his lower lip. “I’ll come with you. The men my father sent can take us—”

“You’ll all be shot!” Tyler cried, standing up. “Chase, no.”

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