Page 31 of Holiday Grief

There was also a bedroom being used by a male, and a bathroom that looked like it hadn't been used in a while, both of which were empty.

They had to be here.

Adam couldn’t accept another option.

“I'm calling backup before we let them out. If Bobby is here, they’re safer in their rooms,” Jessica said although he could tell it pained her to leave what were likely teenage girls locked in rooms unaware they were safe now and minutes away from being rescued.

“There was a door in the kitchen. It could lead to a basement,” he said, unwilling to accept that Jasmine wasn’t here somewhere counting on him to find her.

Jessica nodded, and while she put in a quick call to get more cops on the scene, they headed back downstairs. As soon as they opened the door in the corner of the kitchen, Adam knew he was right.

Jasmine and Bobby were down there.

The unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh had him seeing red.

Knowing it was his girl being hit had his blood boiling.

However much time she needed he’d give her, but he and Jasmine were going to get their happy ever after.

With his partner on his heels, he took the stairs two at a time.

When they reached the bottom, Bobby Johnson turned to stare at them. His knuckles were bloodied as was the front of his white shirt. There was shock on his face that quickly morphed into fury.

Chained to the wall was a naked Jasmine.

Bruises littered her body along with splatters of blood.

Bobby gave them a wicked smile and reached into his pocket.

There was no way he was hesitating when he had no idea whether or not Bobby was armed, and Jasmine’s life was on the line.

Adam fired.

Hit his target a split second after Bobby pulled out a weapon.

Leaving Jessica to check that the man was dead, Adam focused solely on the woman he loved.

Snatching up a key that hung nearby, he unlocked both of Jasmine’s ankles and then one of her wrists and draped her arm over his shoulder.

“I got you, baby,” he murmured. Balancing her with an arm around her waist, he unlocked her other wrist and gathered her up against his chest.

“Adam,” she whispered, her voice laden with pain. “You came.”

“Nowhere in the world I wouldn’t go for you, green eyes. I’ll fight for you forever if I have to. Anything to make you mine.”

Although both her eyes were swollen half shut, and one of her lips was split, a small smile lit her face. “You're not fighting alone. I promise not to give up again. I’ll fight for us, too.”

Nothing she could have said would have made him happier than those words.

Chapter Ten

December 17th

5:35 P.M.

“I think your brother wanted to beat me up when you said you were coming home with me,” Adam teased as he helped her out of the wheelchair and over to his truck.

Jasmine had wanted to argue against the wheelchair. Hospital policy or not, it kind of felt like a weakling move to use it, but even though she’d wanted to rebel against the notion that she needed it, needed anything, the reality was she felt awful. Her entire body was a mass of black and blue. She had a couple of cracked ribs, a hairline fracture in her left forearm, and some bruising to her internal organs in her abdomen.

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