The Slade Brothers: A Complete Small Town Contemporary Romance Collection

by Alexis Winter

  Twenty-Two

  Clay

  I pull into the diner around noon for my client meeting with Sam. He wants an expansion built onto his garage. The guys are already at his place taking the measurements and getting the proper permits. Today’s meeting is to find out the details of the job.

  I park the truck and climb out, heading inside. I sit in the back of the restaurant, wanting privacy so Sam and I can hammer out the details without having to worry about talking over everyone. Tessa is working, and even though I know this isn’t her section, she makes her way over with a cup of coffee.

  She smiles kindly. “How is everything?” she asks, placing a napkin and the cup down in front of me.

  I nod. “Everything is great. How about yourself?”

  She smiles. “Wonderful. Jason is officially off to college. School doesn’t start for another couple of weeks, but he wanted time to get settled in and to find a part-time job. He got his full ride.” She beams proudly.

  “That’s great,” I reply, lifting my cup and taking a sip.

  “How are things with you and Autumn?” she asks, placing her hands on her hips.

  “Good. We’re expecting a baby next spring.”

  Her eyes stretch wide and her mouth drops open. “Oh, congratulations,” she says, but I can tell that she doesn’t mean it. Her eyes are focusing on something out the window. She’s surprised and maybe even a little upset given our last conversation.

  “Thank you.” I know she didn’t mean it, but what else could I say?

  “How’s that going to work with her going back to Ohio?”

  I shake my head. “Ohio? She’s not going back to Ohio.”

  Her dark eyes find mine, and a look of confusion washes over her.

  “Why would you think that, Tess?”

  She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. None of this is any of my business.” She turns and tries to walk away.

  I stand quickly, grabbing ahold of her elbow and stopping her. “Tessa, what are you talking about?” I know she must be confused, but I want to hear her say the words.

  “It’s just that her husband was in here the other day. He said that they’ve been talking and that they’re getting back together. He wanted directions to her place to surprise her.”

  “And did you tell him?” I ask, my voice taking on a hard edge.

  “I’m sorry. I just thought that if she left, it would give us a chance to get back to where we were. He is her husband after all.”

  “Are you even sure it was her husband?” I ask, feeling panic and anger wash over me.

  She nods. “His name is Glenn. He showed me a family picture of him, her, and the boy.”

  “When was this? When did he come in here?” I ask.

  She thinks on it for a moment. “Last Saturday, I think.”

  I grit my teeth. “You have no idea what you’ve done,” I say, pushing past her, heading for my truck.

  I hop behind the wheel and dig the keys out of my pocket. Anger floods my body, so much so that my hands are shaking and causes me to drop them in the floorboard. Cussing out loud, I bend down and grab them. This time, I hold them tight as I sort through the keys to find the one to the truck. I jam it into the ignition and twist. The truck roars to life. I shift into reverse and hit the gas. The truck jumping backward until I stomp the brakes and shift into drive. I hightail it out of there so fast, a cloud of dust follows along behind me on the main road. I grab my cell phone and call her number. It rings a few times then goes directly to voicemail.

  “Autumn, if you get this, call me back as soon as possible.” I hang up the phone and toss it into my lap.

  The farmhouse is about twenty minutes from town, but I’m driving fast enough to make it there in ten. I know that if I get pulled over, I’ll be getting one hell of a ticket, but that doesn’t stop me. The thought isn’t even enough to make me slow down in the slightest. All I can think about is getting to the house and making sure she’s okay. I know I could be overreacting, but she said it was last Saturday. Today is Thursday. That means that he’s been watching for days. He’s been learning our routine, learning when she’s alone. I’ve been gone all morning. If he strikes today, there’s no guarantee that she’s even still there. He could’ve taken her, forced her into his vehicle to go get Bryce. They could both be gone and in danger.

  I swear, if he touches a hair on their heads, I will be spending the rest of my life in prison. But at least then I’ll know that he can never hurt them again. As I draw closer to the house, I crack my neck and my knuckles, needing some way to let out the anxiety. I try calling again as I drive, needing to do something. The phone rings until it goes to voicemail again. I turn the last curve and finally, the house is in view. It sits surrounded by green grass, looking perfect and untouched. I speed down the dirt driveway until I stomp on the brakes. The truck comes to a stop, and dust surrounds the vehicle.

  I shift into park and shut off the truck. I hop out, walking through the dust toward the house. I pull on the screen door and twist the knob for the front door, but it’s locked. I sort through my keys until I find the right one. The door opens easily, and I step into the house.

  It’s quiet. There’s no noise at all. “Autumn?” I call out, peeking into the living room to find it empty. I check the kitchen next, but it’s empty too. I run up the stairs, calling her name, but nothing. She never answers as I check all the rooms upstairs. I run back down and into the kitchen, looking to see if she left a note. I know the van was parked in its usual spot, but she and Celeste have been talking more lately. Maybe she picked her up to hang out or something? There’s nothing on the fridge or the counter. I decide to walk to the back of the house where the laundry room, bathroom, and back door are. When I step into the hallway, something crunches beneath my foot. I lift it up and find glass.

  I run further into the laundry room, finding the window on the back door busted and the door left wide open. I run outside, yelling her name again and again. I run down the porch into the yard, looking in all directions for any sign of her. I don’t find anything but an empty yard. I grab my phone and call the police. Waiting for them to show up, I call Drake. As I sit on the front porch steps waiting for someone, anyone, I call her again and again. Drake and Colton make it over before the police do.

  I’m running through everything I know when the police cruisers pull into the drive. I give them the rundown of the situation. I tell them how Autumn has been on the run from her abusive ex-husband and how he’s harassed us with threats for nearly three months. I tell them everything that Tessa told me at the diner today. I give the police their descriptions, and they leave with the promise of finding her.

  I collapse on the porch step, and Colton and Drake sit at my sides.

  “Man, screw the cops. Let’s go find her on our own,” Colton says.

  “What about the kid?” Drake says. “Where is he?”

  “Autumn dropped him off at daycare like she does every day,” I answer.

  “Have you checked to see if he’s been picked up?”

  I stand up. “I’m going to go see. I’m afraid if I call, they won’t tell me.” I make a mad dash for the truck.

  “What do you want us to do?” Drake yells.

  “Just drive around and look around at any place you can think of. Call the girls and see if they’ve heard from her or seen her. I’ll call you guys in a bit.” I get back behind the wheel and drive back to town. My heart is hammering away in my chest the whole way. My thoughts are spinning in a thousand different directions. What if he took her? I pull out my cell phone and try calling her again. Straight to voicemail, just like before.

  I get to the daycare and I run inside. The building is crawling with kids, but I see Bryce playing Legos in the back. A woman comes up to the counter. “Can I help you?”

  “Can I speak with you privately?”

  “Of course,” she says, looking slightly worried. She leads me back to the office and we both take a seat.

 
“How can I help you? Are you looking for a place for your child?”

  “No, I’m with Autumn Delaney. Her son is Bryce.” I wait for her to catch on.

  She nods. “Of course. I’m sorry, but I can’t let Bryce go with anyone other than Autumn.”

  “That’s fine. I’m not trying to pick him up.” My anxiety is through the roof, and I’m bouncing around in my seat like a child who’s had too much candy. “Autumn is missing. I don’t know if you’re aware, but she and Bryce have been on the run from her abusive ex-husband.”

  Her mouth drops open and her eyes stretch wide. “I did not know that.”

  “There have been threats made. He wants them back and said that he was going to come get them. I have reason to believe that he’s in town now. The window on our back door was busted, and she’s nowhere to be found. I know he won’t leave without Bryce. The police are aware of the situation, but if Autumn comes in here to get him, you should not let her leave with him. Call the police.”

  She nods vigorously. “Of course. What can I do in the meantime?”

  I take a deep breath and shake my head. “Just pray that we find her. She’s pregnant with my child.”

  I visibly see her swallow, and we both stand as she walks me toward the door. Bryce sees me and he runs over, staying behind the barrier. “Clay, what are you doing here?” he asks around a smile.

  “I was just checking in, buddy. You having fun today?”

  He nods.

  “Go play and I’ll see you later at home. Okay?”

  “Okay, see ya!” Without another word, he runs off, back to his friends.

  The lady follows me to the door. “I’m going to put the building on lock down.”

  “Thank you,” I say, stepping out. I hear her lock the door behind me.

  Twenty-Three

  Autumn

  I can’t sit still any longer. I have to get up and distract myself. I stand up and move to the kitchen sink to wash the dishes from breakfast. My hands stay busy, but my mind doesn’t. All I can think about is how Judith has passed and how Lidia is suddenly gone, business closed, and cell phone turned off. This all seems too perfect to be a coincidence. I decide to tell Clay about all of it when he gets home tonight.

  I finish up the dishes and drain the water. I rinse the bubbles from the sink and begin to dry my hands when I notice movement out of the corner of my eye. I suck in a loud breath and look out the window, finding nothing. My heart is hammering away, and annoyance is pumping through my veins. Why do I keep doing this? Why do I keep scaring myself? This is all getting old very quickly.

  I shake my head at myself and toss the towel onto the counter. Walking into the living room, I take a seat on the couch and turn on the TV. I find some romantic comedy to keep my attention. I lay on my side as I watch the movie. My eyes flutter closed off and on. Finally, I give in and sleep takes me.

  Tap. A sound pulls me out of my sleep a little while later. I look at the TV and see the credits rolling on the movie. I sit up and listen. I don’t hear anything, so I turn off the TV to listen better. Tap. I stand up and walk to the front window, peeking out. The sound of the doorknob jiggling causes my heart to leap to my throat. It’s not the front door. It’s the back. I run to the kitchen and grab a butcher knife. Slowly, I round the corner into the laundry room. Through the back glass of the door, I see Glenn. He looks up, eyes locking on mine. He offers up a smile as the doorknob turns and the door begins to open.

  I jump toward it, slamming it closed. My shaking hands grab the knob, locking it again.

  “Oh, come on Autumn. Don’t be that way. We haven’t seen one another in months,” he says through the glass.

  “What do you want, Glenn?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady, but fear drips from every word.

  “I just want my family, that’s all. Why don’t you let me in and we can talk about it?”

  With one hand on the doorknob, I feel for my phone in my back pocket. It’s empty. It must have fallen out while I slept on the couch. I won’t have a chance, even if I run for it. He’ll have this door opened before I reach it.

  “How long have you been here? How long have you been watching?” I ask, looking around for something, anything that could help.

  “Open the door, Autumn. Let me in or I’m coming in the hard way.”

  I shake my head. “I’m not letting you in, Glenn.”

  “Let. Me. In!” he yells, face reddening.

  I shake my head again. “No!” I yell. “You better get out of here before Clay gets home.”

  He laughs loud and hard. “You think he can take me?” He scoffs. “I’ve been watching you, you know? I saw the treehouse he built for my son. I see the way he touches my wife. I’m going to kill him for taking what’s mine. And then, Autumn, I’m going to kill you too. Bryce is coming back home with me where he belongs.” He rams his shoulder into the door, and it bows with his weight.

  I cry, tears filling my eyes and falling down my cheeks. I yell for him to stop, I beg and plead, but he doesn’t. He just keeps ramming his shoulder into the door, causing it to bang and crack loudly. When it stops for a moment, I stand up right and look out the window. I see him backing up. Then he sprints for the door. I’m too scared to stay in place. I take off, running toward the kitchen. The knife falls from my hands, but I don’t stop for it. I hear the moment he hits the door. It springs open and hits the wall behind it. The window breaks and glass scatters all over the floor. I run toward the living room, my eyes finding the phone on the couch. I move for it, but he tackles me to the floor, knocking the air from my lungs.

  His body is on top of mine, holding me down. I fight against him. I cry. I beg. But he doesn’t let go. Instead, he pulls his hand back and smacks me hard across the face, silencing my cries. My vision blurs around the edges and my head is spinning. I hear my phone ring from its place on the couch and he stands up, grabbing it. He looks at the screen.

  “Looks like my replacement is calling,” he says, dropping the phone onto the floor and stomping on it. The phone’s screen cracks. He does it again and again until the screen is shattered and black.

  I sit up and start inching myself away from him, but he shakes his head as he walks closer. “Oh no. You’re not going anywhere. We’re going to get my son.” He bends down and grabs me by the arms, yanking me upward. He wraps his arms around me, holding me to his chest as he pushes me toward the front door.

  The sound of a loud truck fills the air around us. It’s Clay! Clay is home! He’ll find us and he’ll save me!

  “Fuck,” Glenn says, yanking me back through the kitchen and into the laundry room. He quickly grabs the knife I dropped, and he places the blade against my neck. “Say one fucking word and I’ll slit your throat. Got it?” he whispers in my ear. I nod my head and he continues to drag me outside.

  “Autumn?” Clay yells from inside the house.

  With Glenn’s hand over my mouth and the knife to my throat, I don’t dare answer him as he pulls me down the steps and toward the barn. Every time I fight against him, he presses the knife into my skin, not enough to cut me, but enough to let me know that he will. He shoves me into the barn, and I fall to my knees, tears streaming down my cheeks. Sobs break free.

  “What do you want from me?” I cry out.

  “Shhh,” he says, peeking out a crack in the barn door, watching the yard.

  “Autumn!” I hear Clay yell.

  My head pops up in his direction, but Glenn gives me a pointed look, letting me know I better not make a sound.

  Glenn doesn’t want me, not anymore. He only wants Bryce. He will kill me in an instant if he has to.

  I bring my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around them, holding myself together as I rest my back against the wall. I want nothing more but to scream out, to draw Clay’s attention to my location, but I know that in this instance, Glenn will be faster than Clay. He’ll have that knife against my throat before Clay could even open the barn door.

  We sit
in the barn for several long minutes. Every ticking second feels like minutes. Every minute feels like an hour. I can hear talking off in the distance, but I can’t make out what they’re saying or who it is.

  “What’s going on out there?” I finally ask quietly.

  “Looks like your boyfriend called the police. And two other guys.”

  Probably his brothers. I wish one of them would think to check the barn. “What’s your plan here? We can’t just sit here all night,” I point out.

  “We will if we have to. When they leave, we’re going to get Bryce.” He looks down at me. “We will be a family again, Autumn.”

  “Then what?”

  He takes a deep, annoyed breath and his hands fly to his head, fingers running through his dark hair. “Just shut the fuck up already,” he rasps.

  It becomes clear that he hasn’t thought this through. He was expecting to sneak in and grab me to go get Bryce without anyone noticing. Now, his plan is shot because Clay has noticed. The police are aware of the situation, and I’m sure they’re filling in the daycare as we speak. I’m sure that the daycare probably won’t even let me leave with him. Maybe that’s my best option. Convince Glenn to let me go inside to get Bryce. Once I’m inside, I won’t come back out. We’ll be safe. I can call the police and let them know that Glenn is outside waiting and they can arrest him. Bryce won’t even know about any of it.

  I force myself to calm down. Glenn can’t hurt me right now. If he does, he’ll never get to Bryce. My plan will work. I just have to remain calm. Moments later, I hear the sound of vehicles starting up. I can hear the crunch of gravel as they drive away. When the land around us becomes deathly quiet, Glenn turns around and grabs my arm again, yanking me to my feet.