AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Donovan was troubled. That’s why he chose to see a psychologist.”
“Are you blaming the victim now?”
Shit, she had to tread super carefully, like tiptoeing through a minefield. “No. I’m trying to put the situation into perspective. He struggled with demons that no one could exorcise.”
“You mean you couldn’t.”
“I couldn’t, you couldn’t, he couldn’t. Believe me, I wanted to pull him out of that dark, desperate place, but he’d fallen into a deep pit of depression and couldn’t find a way to climb out. Though, he tried.”
“Not enough. Maybe if he’d had the right encouragement…”
Sage looked the woman in the eye. She had to make it about Mallory to delay things, to increase her chances of surviving. “What encouragement do you need? What will it take to help you heal?”
Chapter Ten
Alexander dropped Chase at his home, got him settled and returned to Sage’s place in the best mood ever. His closest friend was fine, and now, if all went to plan, he could celebrate all night with his woman.
He parked in the driveway and entered through the front door, eager to rejoin her in bed. “Sage?” He strode into the bedroom, the covers thrown aside, the place pin-drop quiet. No fucking sign of her.
Maybe in the en suite? “Sage! Where are you, babe?” He searched the whole house, stomping from room to room and…
Empty.
She’d gone.
Fucking gone. He shoved both his hands in his hair and tried to breathe. Tried to get the required oxygen levels into his lungs.
Why?
Where?
She’d promised to stay put. What had made her change her mind? Had to be something significant if she’d left of her own volition. Unless she’d been kidnapped?
Fuck.
He breathed out hard and tried to hold himself together, which was difficult as all fuck when images of his past kept barraging his brain—negative, life-ending images that still haunted him. He’d just reconnected with her, reconciled. No way could he lose her now. No fucking way.
Garage. Was her car there? He rushed to check.
Nope. Wherever she’d gone, she’d taken her car, or someone had taken her in it.
Tracker.
Yes.
He could find out where she’d headed, where she was assuming the devices hadn’t been intercepted. The likelihood remained small unless the person behind the threats had a special military or police background. The perp had to know how to do a thorough sweep. Some of her clients may understand what to look for. He had everything crossed the dude didn’t.
Alexander whipped his phone out and shit. She’d called and left a message. He’d put his mobile on silent in the hospital and got distracted getting her brother sorted. He had a listen and fuck. Fuck!
Logging into his tracker app, he quickly determined her car had been ditched by her work, but her bra tracker took her into the outer north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The spot had remained static for several minutes, making his blood pressure shoot through the roof.
He jumped into his car and sped, following the trail, hoping he wasn’t too late. His pulse pounded, and he broke out into a sweat. It was the longest, most nerve-wracking drive of his life.
Alexander parked in the street, out front of a charming, picturesque property. The whole thing looked wrong, incongruent, kind of like a clown. That fake, painted-on smile seeming to hide inner darkness…evil. He fucking hated clowns.
He crept along the dirt driveway, distant voices drifting to him. Next to the kidnapper’s silver car, he grabbed some discarded handcuffs, ready to restrain the prick. Using his commando skills, he charged forward, in the quietest way possible, following the track into a large backyard.
His beautiful Sage stood under an enormous tree, her hands behind her back, a stepladder in front of her and Mallory standing at her side.
