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The streets blur by as I push my foot down; the car whines as it accelerates. I don’t have a clue how fast I’m going, but honestly, if a cop follows me to the school, that would be for the best. Pumping my foot on the gas pedal, I beg the car for a bit of speed. The entire structure shakes around me, but it follows my direction.
“Come on. Come on,” I moan, leaning as far forward in my seat as I can, like a jockey begging a horse for more. Nothing matters right now besides Theo. My heart thunders, and I can’t breathe. This could be a heart attack. And I don’t fucking care as long as Frank doesn’t disappear with my boy.
He can’t get his hands on him. What if he wants to hurt him? Abuse him the way he tortured me. The image of Theo covered in dark bruises has a sob building in my chest, but what comes out is a wild scream that ricochets around the car.
The Elementary School comes into view. A beautiful white brick building where children are playing in the field and on the playground, completely oblivious to the danger. Why aren’t they on lockdown? My panic doesn’t even calm as I roar into the parking lot, screeching to an ear-splitting stop out front. I push out of the car, not even bothering to turn it off or grab the keys. My feet slap on the pavement when I take off sprinting toward the entrance like my life depends on it.
And it does.
My life is nothing without my son.
“Arden.” The crack of my name being shouted halts my mad dash, and I look around for the familiar voice. A voice that has me seeing red.
“What are you doing at my son’s school, Frank?” I snarl, advancing on him. His meaty fists clench, opening and closing until they turn red. The sight had once filled me with fear and cowed me. But I’m so fucking over it. Time away has made me a mama bear, and if I had a gun I would end this without an ounce of remorse.
“Looking for you, bitch,” he snaps, close enough that the stench of his breath strikes me right in the face. Whiskey and stale beer. The smell is powerful, disgusting and nausea fills me immediately. “Thought you could fucking leave me.”
“I did leave you, Frank. You’re drunk. Walk away now,” I demand, holding my ground even when he bumps me with his beer gut. He’s too fucking close, but right now, I’m between him and the school. The one person separating him from my baby, and I won’t let him through, no matter the cost.
“Oh, I’ll leave you stupid cunt,” his mean eyes zero in on me, and a malicious smile spreads slowly across his face. A chill washes over me. Something isn’t right.
An instant later, his hand reaches out, snatching my hair and yanking me against him. The motion causes me to stumble, suddenly unsteady on my feet. My hesitation is just long enough for him to band a heavy arm against my throat. The weight makes it hard to breathe, and I gasp for air, flailing futilely. My elbow connects with his gut, and he grunts, but remains unfazed while dragging me toward his car.
“I’ll fucking leave. But you’re coming with me,” he rants, tugging my hair harder. “You and that boy are mine. Once I remind you of your manners we’ll come back and get him.”
My fingers rake against his arm, but it’s like a band of steel across my throat. He doesn’t even notice or seem to feel any pain. Spots dance along my vision, and I suck in through my nose and mouth, trying for any air. But there is none. Panic fills me, but my energy flags. Unable to breathe, all of my fight disappears.
“I cannot wait to punish you for embarrassing me like this. Ungrateful whore. Then you go fuck some stupid rancher.” We reach the car, and he releases my throat. Air fills my lungs, making me dizzy and I teeter. He pulls the door open. The distraction is my only chance. “Gonna cleanse that cunt, then fill it. Keep you tied up until you give me another son since you fucked up the first one. You owe me, you filthy fucking whore.”
Bunching my muscles, I try to take off running for the street—away from the school. He might follow, but at least Theo will be safe. Pumping my legs, I stumble forward. One step, two, but he’s on me almost immediately. Whirling me around, he slams me hard into the side of the car, forcing all the air from my lungs. Enraged, he spins me and rears back his arm. There is only a second, but the intention is clear on his face. His fist crashes into my jaw, snapping my head to the side as pain blossoms. He continues to pummel me, and I lose track of the hits as black spots dance along my vision. All I can do is take it.
“Let’s go,” he says, tossing me into the car. My arms hang limply at my sides, heavy and completely unable to move. Paralysis takes over. Completely frozen, I watch as he jumps in beside me. My eyes roll in my head, but as we speed away I swear I can hear a dog howl…
Blue.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The truck’s tires spin with a squeal, and a burned rubber smell enters the cab while we rush down the streets. Fuck. I rub my sweaty palms up and down the coarse material of my jeans, the motion not soothing me at all. My jaw clenches so hard that a headache throbs in my teeth, shooting up my temples.
“Stop tapping your foot. It’s annoying,” Adam snaps at me. His reaction surprises me, and I look over at him in question. He rolls his eyes and shrugs. “She’s a talented trainer, and she’s good for you.”
Good for me. She’s so much more than that. She’s everything. Kind, fun, smart, beautiful. Arden and Theo slipped into my life so easily, and now, even the thought of not being with them every day makes me feel sick. My chest tightens as worry consumes me.
“What if it’s a trap?” I ask, barely wanting to let my worries out into the universe.
“Doesn’t matter. Tucker and the cops are coming. We aren’t gonna let him hurt her.” His certainty steadies me in the way only an older brother can. She’s going to make it. We can stop Frank.
The elementary school comes up, and Adam turns hard to bring us into the lot in front of it. Horror turns my stomach into a churning pit of despair when I scan the area. Arden’s grey car sits with the door open, still running—but she’s nowhere in sight. Leaping from the car, heart thundering, I race toward the building when Blue lets out a howl. A series of angry, snarling barks quickly follow, rending the air like a crack of thunder, so I whirl around. My dog doesn’t flip his shit for no reason.
There, in the corner of a lot, a large man cocks back his fist, nailing a small blond woman in the face. My woman. I bellow in rage, rushing toward them, but the distance is too great. My legs burn, but I ignore it, forcing them to churn faster. And for some idiotic reason, I keep going—even when he roughly shoves Arden into a vehicle.
Frank races off, driving the car right over the curb. It bumps and crunches over the concrete—knocking the bumper loose—but doesn’t slow down. Bright orange sparks shoot past the wheels and I hold my breath, terrified of what comes next. Blue takes off like a bullet, wanting to follow the car, but I shout, calling him back. All the hair on his body stands on end, and he remains standing, fully at attention, watching Arden disappear.
“Get the fuck in!” Adam shouts, snapping me out of my panic.
“Blue. Up,” I yell, gesturing at the car. He hesitates, staring at the vanishing car with his teeth bared. Fortunately, his training pays off, and he gets in quickly. Once again, we try to follow but the sparking car speeds up.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” Adam roars and my heart is in my throat, too pulverized to allow words to form. How could I let this happen?
