by Kennedy Fox
“But then Mason happened,” he concludes. “We’ve been having a little chat actually.”
I study the device in his hand, and it looks like one of those cheap prepaid smartphones. “How’d you get his number?”
“I’m a lot smarter than you think. You don’t give me enough credit, Sophie,” he spews as a cruel grin spreads across his face. “I mirrored your phone, knowing he’d find a way to track it and then strategically placed it somewhere else. So he’ll go looking for you in one place, but you’ll be in another. By the time he figures it out, your body will be cold. And if all goes according to plan, I’ll have the satisfaction of killing him too.” He flashes an evil smirk, and it’s scary because it’s genuine.
The realization hits me that he’s using me as bait to get to Mason, and I pray Mason stays away and doesn’t try to be a hero. I don’t want anything to happen to him or anyone else. Weston’s death is partially my fault, and I feel guilty about everything that happened. I should’ve left that night without him, called the cops, told Lennon the truth—any of those scenarios would’ve kept him alive and Mason out of trouble. If I’d never dated Weston, rushed into a relationship and introduced him to everyone, things would’ve been so different. Or hell, if I would’ve just left him after the first time he hit me and reported it, maybe none of this would’ve happened. I’m lost in my thoughts, and the roughness of Caleb’s tone brings me back.
“So did you fuck Mason while you were living with my brother?” He steps closer, narrowing his gaze on me like a predator hunting his prey. I can taste the bitterness in his tone as he scowls at me, and I know that nothing I say will satisfy him. My chest heaves with the anticipation of his next move, and the adrenaline rushes through me, but this time, I won’t take his shit lying down. I already did that with Weston, walked on eggshells, and that got me nowhere just as fast.
“I never cheated on Weston. I was faithful,” I tell him truthfully. “I loved him until he started hitting me and choking me and then threatened to kill me.” I wiggle my wrists, struggling against the tape, anger fueling my next words. “Now that I think about it, you two have a lot in common.”
And just like that, his fist comes toward me, and everything fades to black again.
Chapter Two
Mason
I knew I shouldn’t have let her leave with that crazy fuck. The moment he showed up, I should’ve stood my ground and took her to the meeting myself. But the last thing I wanted to do was argue with Sophie before our date.
I don’t want to be the guy who tells her what to do. After the hell she went through with Weston, I don’t want to mirror any of his controlling behavior. I want Sophie to be free to make her own decisions, but I’m kicking myself now for not pushing harder to keep her away from him. That’s when I think about Maddie because she was with them earlier.
“Fuck,” I whisper, then demand Liam call Maddie as soon as possible to make sure she’s okay as I continue to call Sophie.
Back when I first met him as Caleb, I could tell he was bad news. His brother gave me the same creepy vibe. The way he looked at her and used a sob story to gain her trust were red flags from the start, and I’m so pissed because my gut was spot-on. But him being related to Weston? That was one thing that had never crossed my mind.
“She’s fine. At her dorm,” he tells me after a moment.
“Good,” I say, relieved she’s okay because this is messed up as it is. He could’ve taken them both, but I suspect I’m his main target in all of this. Just knowing Sophie’s with Dalton makes me fucking sick. We have to find her as soon as possible. Liam and I stand in the empty parking lot of the church where the grief meetings are held, and I scream her name, praying for a goddamn miracle that she can hear me.
I call her again, over and over and over, pleading for her to call me. But it’s no use. She’s not here.
“This can’t be happening…” I whisper-shriek to Liam, struggling to catch my breath. What the hell am I gonna do? Call the cops? Call my dad? Tell Jerad to put a warrant out for his arrest?
If he has my girlfriend, and she can’t respond to my messages and calls, does that qualify as kidnapping?
Holy fuck, I can’t breathe, and the world seems to be spinning around me. The last time I felt this way was the night I couldn’t get ahold of Emma, and she ended her life. I have zero control of the situation, and it’s destroying me from the inside out.
Right before I have a full-on panic attack, my phone vibrates.
Sophie: An eye for an eye, killer. Murdered someone I loved, now I’m going to kill someone you love. Payback’s a bitch, asshole.
Attached is a picture of my sweet Sophie tied to a chair with duct tape across her mouth, completely unconscious as she sits there so helplessly.
“Motherfucker! I’m going to kill him!” I howl.
Liam looks at the screen over my shoulder and gasps. I type out a response, not able to stop shaking.
Mason: If you fucking touch her, I’m going to kill you. And it won’t be classified as self-defense this time. Let her go, Dalton, or I swear to God, this won’t end well for you.
Sophie: Tsk, tsk, tsk. We’re not playing by your rules, Mason. This time…justice WILL be served. It’s either gonna be you or her. And if you call the police, your father, or any of your little bitch friends, she’ll be dead before you even find her. Your choice.
I feel sick to my stomach as I hand my phone to Liam. His eyes go wide as I try to get ahold of myself.
“What the fuck do I do?” I ask, panting as we walk to the truck.
The wheels are turning in Liam’s head, and I can see he’s thinking of every possible scenario.
“He disabled her location sharing,” he says, sliding his thumb over the screen.
“Motherfucker.” After Sophie moved in, we shared locations with her as a precaution. Knowing Weston’s family might come after me for a wrongful homicide charge, we decided it was better to be safe than sorry since we all worked long hours. Considering what Liam does for a living, we’ve had ours shared with each other for years. He pretends to be tough as nails, but that doesn’t mean I don’t worry about the types of criminals he has to be around.
“Call Jerad. See if he can track her phone number to a cell tower and or even get a specific address since it’s on. If he can pinpoint her location, maybe we can find his car since we know what he drives.”
A million different thoughts stream through my mind, and all I can do is hope Sophie isn’t hurt and is staying strong. Though, by the photo, I know he intends to break her down physically and mentally while fucking with me. He’s a goddamn psycho.
I call Jerad and explain the messages and pictures and what I need from him as we climb inside the truck. Liam instantly starts it, and we begin driving away.
“You’ll have to give me some time, but I can get my guy on it ASAP. You gonna tell your dad or call the cops? Report a kidnapping? You have his license plate number? We could have people all over the city looking for this sick fucker.”
Letting out a smothered breath, I ball my hand into a fist, wishing I could drive it straight into Dalton’s face. “I can’t. He’s threatened to kill her, and after knowing about his wife, I believe him. I can’t get my dad or the police involved, so I have to take matters into my own hands. But so help me God, if I find him and he’s hurt her…”
“Mason,” he warns. “Don’t do anything stupid. I’ll call you when I find out more info. Give me an hour.”
“An hour? A fucking hour? She could be dead by then. That’s too long, Jerad.”
He lets out an annoyed huff. “It’s all I can do. Tracing shit takes time, and I have to go back to the office. It’s not like I can do this from my goddamn cell phone.”
“Okay. Okay. I’m sorry. It’s just every second she’s gone is another second she’s in danger.”
“I get it, but you need to calm down. I get you’re worried, but I can’t snap my fingers and make it happen.”
Even in situations such as this, Jerad remains calm and collected. I know he’s doing the best he can, but I’m frustrated as fuck. The stress of Sophie being with Weston’s brother is already beginning to wear me down, and this nightmare has just begun.
Jerad ends the call with a promise to get back with me as soon as he knows something, and now I don’t even know what to do while we wait. As we speed down the highway, my mind is reeling. Though I want the whole damn city looking for her, I don’t second-guess Dalton’s threats, just as I didn’t doubt Weston had that gun to kill Sophie. Dalton will kill her without a second thought. They’re both psychotics with zero compassion. Dalton’s already gotten away with murder once—hell, maybe more for all anyone knows. He seems like the kind of man who’d pick up a prostitute and leave her dead body in an alley.
The thought of him touching Sophie sickens me, especially since I know she didn’t go wherever he took her willingly. She’s a fighter.
Liam drives across town, and we’re soon pulling into the driveway of the house. I look over at him in confusion because we need to keep looking for her.
“There’s no reason for us to aimlessly roam the city searching for her when we have no idea where she is. We should wait for Jerad to call and at least give us a location. Continue to interact with Dalton so he doesn’t turn off her phone.”
I release a frustrated breath and nod as we walk into the house. “You’re right,” I admit, trying to find the strength to keep texting him. Before I can finish my thought, another message comes in.
Dalton: Wondering if I should fuck her before I kill her. See what all the fuss is about. What’dya think?
A picture comes through of Sophie still restrained to the chair, and he’s pushed her dress so far up her legs that I can see the lace panties she wore for our date. My jaw clenches so tight, I might break a damn tooth. She’s unconscious, and knowing he can do whatever he wants to her creates a feeling inside me that I’ve never felt before.
She’s mine. She’s fucking mine. I don’t want him touching her.
“Motherfucker.” A growl comes from deep in my core. I’m so damn helpless, and he knows it.
“We’re going to find her,” Liam promises, bending down and opening the duffle bag he threw on the floor earlier. “We’re going to find her and make him suffer.” It’s clear he means business as he pulls a Glock from the bag and loads it.
“Shit. You have a gun?” My eyes widen, and Liam nods.
Good, is what comes to mind when I think about what Liam intends to do with it.
Dalton deserves to feel pain.
I want revenge for taking my girl. I want him to be sorry he ever insinuated himself into our lives.
“We’re gonna need backup. Call Hunter and have him meet us here. Do not tell him why. The last thing we need is a frantic Lennon calling the police.” Liam’s coolheaded as he tucks the gun in the back of his pants. “We’ll explain once he gets here.”
Knowing he’s probably right, I call Hunter, who answers almost immediately. “Aren’t you supposed to be on your special romantic date right now?” He chuckles, but it causes my heart to drop because the time Sophie and I were supposed to spend together was stolen from us.
“Can you come to the house and help us move some furniture?” I ask, trying to keep my tone even to avoid any questions.
“Uhh…seriously?” I know he’s confused, and I feel guilty for lying, but if Lennon suspects anything and calls the cops, Sophie could die.
“Yeah, we need some help, and it’s really fuckin’ important,” I snap.
He sits silently on the phone for a moment, and I hear the noise from the TV in the background fade away. “Everything okay?”
“It’s somewhat of an emergency, but I don’t want you to alert Lennon to anything that’s going on. It has to do with Sophie,” I explain carefully.
“Gonna be honest, man. You’re scaring me.” Hunter’s voice is low.
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you as soon as you get here.” Worry coats my tone, and I don’t think it’s lost on Hunter because he tells me he’ll be here in fifteen minutes. We really might need his help if we figure out where the hell Dalton’s taken her. The more people on our side, the better.
My phone vibrates, and I see it’s Sophie’s phone calling. With a thumping heart, I answer and put it on speaker.
“Mason!” She yells my name, and it nearly cripples me. “It’s a trap! Stay away. Please!” She lets out a blood-curdling scream after a loud slapping sound echoes.
“Stupid bitch.” I can hear Dalton’s voice in the background, and my blood boils.
“Soph,” I shout. I’m absolutely horrified.
“Hiiiii,” Dalton singsongs. “Mason. I’m going to have so much fun playing with your girlfriend before I kill her. Probably as much fun as you had when you killed my brother. Let’s play a little game, shall we…?”
Hearing her hysterics and sobs in the background nearly brings me to my knees. “Don’t you dare touch her!”
“I’ve already told you once before, we’re not playing by your rules. You’re not in control here. I am,” he spits out. “My game is very simple. Every time you don’t listen, Sophie gets hurt. It’s up to you…” he taunts, and I see red.
“When I find you, I’m going to make sure you—”
The call ends before I can finish my sentence. I slam my fist into the wall and let out a deep groan. Instantly, my knuckles throb, and I want to find him and beat the fuck out of him. I’m so livid and don’t know what to do as my world spirals out of control.
Dalton: Mmm…she tastes as good as she looks. I’m almost sad she won’t be around long for me to play with her little pussy longer.
My fingers fly over the screen as I hold my breath, afraid I’ll scream and otherwise lose my shit.
Mason: Stay away from her. I mean it…
Dalton: I can’t help myself…spreading her blood around and licking it off her is just too good. Fuck, she likes it too. She’s a kinky whore.
Mason: What the fuck do you want?
I grit my teeth so hard, the shooting pain is a welcome distraction while I try to sort my thoughts.
Dalton: Aren’t you paying attention, asshole? Revenge. You get to watch me torture her, and knowing you’ll never find her in time to save her will be the cherry on top. Killing her will be revenge for killing someone I loved. Then you’ll be next because justice will be served. But I might make her suffer for a while…it’ll be fun watching your reaction as I describe your girlfriend’s last moments breathing. Perhaps I’ll have her mouth around my cock first. I’ll take some pics for you.
Liam stands in the kitchen, watching me as I lose my fucking mind. “What is it?”
With shaky hands, I hand him the phone with the messages on the screen. I’m shaking so hard, and my heart races so fast it threatens to give out. I can’t believe this is happening. This sick asshole has my entire world and could literally end it all. Needing to chill out, I go into the bathroom, glancing at an unrecognizable version of myself, and turn on the water. I splash my face, trying to get control. Nearly ten minutes pass before I walk back into the kitchen where Liam is and grab my phone from him.
“You okay?” he asks.
Before I can speak, there’s a knock on the door. I walk over, and when I open it, I see Hunter with worry in his eyes.
“Explain,” he orders, pushing past me. Liam meets us in the living room, and I start from the beginning when I found out who Caleb really was and give him all the details of what’s happening. His facial expressions go from shocked to upset to raging pissed.
“So you have no idea where she could be?” Hunter asks, pacing the room. I can see the pulse in his neck erratically beating and know it mirrors my own.
My nostrils flare when I think about how that asshole could’ve taken her anywhere. “Not a clue. Not until we get a location from Jerad.” Pulling my phone from my pocket, I open the text messages I’ve received from
Sophie’s phone and show Hunter.
“That motherfucker,” he barks after reading the thread. “He’s stolen my fucking sister!”
I appreciate how protective he is of Sophie too. He’s marrying her sister and has known her as long as I have. When I glance back at the picture of her tied to the chair, it makes me sick to my goddamn stomach. Her lips are busted, and her face is already bruising. When I find him, he’s a dead man.
“You can see why we can’t tell Lennon or Maddie right now,” I say so he doesn’t message them.
My phone buzzes, and it’s Jerad. I immediately answer on speaker.
“I’ve got some info,” he greets.
“Tell me,” I demand.
“Okay, so I was able to track her number, and it looks like she’s on the north side of town. It’s picking up at the cell tower over by Glenwood Meadows. So she’s got to be in that area.”
“Glenwood Meadows?” Liam confirms, and I nod. He immediately heads out the door, and Hunter and I follow him.
Jerad continues. “If you need backup or want me to put out an alert, please call me, Mason. I don’t want you getting into any more trouble or, hell, hurt. It’s the last thing you need right now. You need—”
“I got it,” I interrupt. “If I need anything else, I’ll let you know,” I tell him. “And thank you, man. I appreciate your help. I’ll keep you updated.” I end the call before jumping into the truck.
Liam speeds out of the driveway, and my phone vibrates again with picture after picture of Sophie crying and screaming. His fucking sick messages have tears threatening to fall because I can’t even comprehend what she must be going through or how she’s feeling. I’d give up everything just to get her back, even my own life.