“Hey, this is just as much my fault.”
“Trust me, I know, and you’ll pay for it later. But right now, we have to work under the assumption that David has Hannah. It’s the only explanation we’ve got for now, and if it’s true then time is of the essence with that man. He’s completely unhinged.”
“Let me guess. Your sources that shall remain nameless?”
Slash paused. “My source is David’s sister.”
My eyes widened. “Are you fucking kidding me with this shit right now!?”
“Look, we don’t have time to argue! Where are you right now?”
I swung my leg over my bike. “About to head back to the Iron Horse. I need to fill the guys in so we can get a search party out there.”
“You said she’s been gone since this morning? So, that fucker has at least a six-hour head start on us. They could be anywhere by now!”
“You say he’s unhinged, right?”
“Right.”
I cranked up my bike. “If he’s as crazy as you and his sister think he is, then he wouldn’t wait for long before he got Hannah somewhere. If he’s paranoid, he wouldn't stay on the road that long, especially since he isn’t familiar with these roads. I’m sure they couldn’t have gone far.”
“Ash, if something happens to her, I swear to fu—”
“Gotta go. Bye.”
I hung up the phone and raced back to the bar. I didn’t care about speed limits or red lights or fucking stop signs. All I wanted was to shave off a few minutes. Every second counted at this point, especially with the head start this fucker had on us.
So, I cruised into the parking lot and blared my horn.
“Get your asses out here!” I roared.
I revved my engine and honked my horn repeatedly until Link poked his head out.
“The fuck, Ash?”
“We’re at DEFCON 5 right now, Link. Get everyone out here.”
He furrowed his brow. “Why?”
I leveled him with a glare. “Hannah’s been taken.”
I’d never seen him move so fast in all his life. And in less than two minutes, the guys poured into the parking lot with their bike helmets tucked underneath their arms. They all gathered around me as I turned off the engine to my bike so they could hear every word I had to say.
And when all eyes were on me, I drew in a deep breath.
“I don’t have time to explain everything, but here’s the working theory: Slash called me and told me that Hannah’s crazy ex-boyfriend figured out that she was here and that things were going on between her and I.”
Sly interjected. “Wait a second, things are—”
I held up my hand. “Another time.”
Knuckles nodded. “He’s got her, doesn’t he?”
I licked my lips. “That’s the working theory right now. She didn’t go back to my place after she came to see me this morning. We fought, I told her to go home, and she didn’t make it. My car isn’t there, my place is untouched, and there’s no sign or smell of her in my basement. She hasn’t been there since this morning.”
“Fuck,” Link growled.
“What was the fight about this morning?” Bowser asked.
I sighed. “After things transpired between Hannah and myself yesterday, I kind of pulled away. I figured the girl’s been through enough shit, and the last thing she needed to be doing was shacking up with someone like me. I kept telling myself that I needed to make sure she was safe first before I compromised either of us. And now, this has happened.”
“Focus, Ash. You’re not making sense,” Link said.
I swallowed hard. “She came to the bar this morning looking for me just to spend more time with me, and I shooed her away like she didn’t matter. Like nothing we experienced yesterday mattered. She left angry, and the theory is that sometime between her leaving here and trying to go back to my place, she was taken by her ex.”
“That’s a fucking six-hour head start. They could be anywhere,” Knuckles said.
I nodded. “But I’m banking on the fact that this David guy—her ex? —is just as unhinged as people think. Because if he’s that unhinged and that crazy, then he wouldn't be able to keep her on the road long before needing to pull off and get her somewhere. We see it all the time. People are too impatient when they’re riled up like that.”
Sly grumbled. “How the fuck does this shit always happen?”
I glared at him. “Save it for after we find Hannah, got it?”
Knuckles held up his hand, and all eyes were on him.
“What?” I asked.
“Where do we start with our patrol party?” he asked.
“I want everyone to enter my address into their GPS. Link and I will take the main path the GPS layouts, and I want the rest of you guys to split off and take the other suggested paths. Neither Hannah nor David know this town, so I know they’ve got to be using one of those to get around. I’m sure they took one of those routes. And don’t be afraid to look on the side roads and back alleys that branch off your path.”
Bowser pulled out his phone. “All right. Sly, you’re going to be with me. Knuckles, you’re going to take a path by yourself. You good with that?”
Knuckles nodded. “Always am.”
I nodded. “Great. Let’s get our GPS’s pulled up and get the fuck out of here. We have to find Hannah, and soon.”
Link slid his helmet over his head, then flipped the visor open. “Ash, I’m going to call my police contacts while we’re riding the path to see if they’ve heard or seen anything. Them keeping their eyes peeled around town is going to do us some good.”
My phone vibrated in my pants. “You guys get going. I just need to get my GPS pulled up and—”
Bowser’s voice piped up. “What is it?”
I had several missed text messages from Slash. But the one she just sent me was worthy of forwarding to the other guys.
“Check your phones,” I said as I typed in their information, “Slash just sent me a picture of David as well as his last known contact information.”
Link threw his leg over his bike. “Perfect. I can forward it to the police.”
I pressed “send.” “You guys should have it now.”
Knuckles sighed. “There anything else?”
I shook my head. “If no one’s got any questions, let’s get the hell out of here and find my Hannah.”
It wasn’t until after I spit the statement out that it slammed against my heart. My Hannah. My Hannah. My beautiful, curvy, luscious Hannah was in the hands of a psychopathic ex, and for all I knew she was already dead. I tried not to think about it. I tried not to even entertain the thought. And as all of the guys pulled up next to me on their bikes, Link was already talking to the police through the Bluetooth headset embedded into his helmet.
“Ready, guys?” I asked.
They all nodded before revving their engines. So, I gave them our signal.
I stuck my finger in the air, twirled it around, then pointed out in front of me.
We all started off on our paths and I forced myself to go the speed limit. Right now, speed wasn’t our friend, especially if we had to keep our eyes peeled. I looked over at Link and he gave me a thumbs up before my own Bluetooth headset rang.
“Call from, Link.”
“Pick up call,” I said.
There was a pause before his voice sounded. “Talked to the police. I got Officer Barnum the information you forwarded to us and they’re going to keep their eyes peeled. But right now, they don’t have the resources to divert to our cause. There’s been some gang activity that’s gotten pretty bad over on the south end of town, and all extra units have been preoccupied since this morning. So, we’re on our own unless they stumble upon something while out on patrol.”
I sighed. “It’s better than nothing.”
“You okay over there?”
“Not really.”
“We’re going to find her, Ash. All right? You have my word.”
�
�I know we’re going to find her. I’m just worried about the condition she’s going to be in.”
I sped up and took the left-hand turn the GPS told me to take. This route was the most inefficient route to get back to my place. But it was probably the only way Hannah knew at this point. I kept my head on a swivel and went over to check out every little thing that seemed out of place. A crooked sign or tire tracks in a parking lot. I pulled over and checked every ditch and alleyway for my car or for Hannah’s purse or some shit. Anything that told me I was headed in the right direction.
But the longer I went without finding something, the more frustrated I became.
“Ash, take a breath,” Link said.
I scoffed. “Easy for you to say. Joanna’s safe at home. Or in her office.”
“You need to take a breath not for our sake, but for Hannah’s. Because when we do find something—and we will—we’re going to need you to have a clear head because you’re the one who knows her better.”
“Yeah, well, none of us know David. That’s what pisses me off the most. I should’ve asked her more about him, Link. I should’ve asked more about her, in general.”
He chuckled. “You can beat yourself up later.”
An idea occurred to me. “Link?”
“Yeah?”
“How long have we been back in town?”
He clicked his tongue. “Three or so weeks. Why?”
I skidded to a stop in the middle of the road as cars honked and swerved around us.
“What the fuck!?” Link exclaimed.
“If David’s been in town that long, it stands to reason that he’s been watching Hannah, right?”
“Possibly.”
“And me, right?”
He paused. “Where are you going with this?”
I looked over at Link. “If he’s been stalking both Hannah and myself, then that means he’s probably familiar with the route I take personally to and from the Iron Horse.”
Link flipped up his visor. “Lead the way. I’ve always trusted your gut, Ash.”
It was only a hunch, but if I was right? I knew exactly what happened to Hannah. I turned my bike around and sped down the road, weaving my ass in and out of traffic. I got back out to the main road that cut right through downtown and took a right, soaring into what seemed like the heart of our city.
Then, I took a sharp left and started down a series of one-way roads.
I kept my eyes straight ahead as I shaved time off turns by cutting them a bit too close. I pissed drivers off and heard them honking and cursing as I cut in front of them just to make a yellow light. I didn’t have any more time to waste. I had to get to Hannah, and now.
And I prayed my hunch was correct.
“Want to tell me what’s going on now?” Link asked.
I gripped my handlebars. “One more turn, and I might have an answer for you.”
“What’s your working theory?”
I swallowed hard. “Car accident.”
“What?”
“Hannah left here in my car. And unless she’s stupid, which she isn’t, she wouldn’t have stopped until she got back to my place. So, in order for David to get her out of her car or even get to her—”
“He would’ve had to get her out of the car first.”
I turned the last corner. “He’s going to die when I get to him, Link. You need to know that.”
There was a long pause as my eyes traveled the sides of the road.
“Link?” I asked.
“I think you found what you’re looking for, Ash.”
And when I saw Link point off to the right, my eyes panned to where he pointed.
Before my gaze landed on my mangled, rust-bucket of a car tipped onto its side at the curb.
14
Hannah
The first thing I felt was the searing pain working its way down my spine. It felt like fire washing through my spinal cord, and it made my stomach turn over onto itself. The second thing I felt, however, was the pain in my heart. Deep, deep down in the pit of my soul. My good eye slowly fluttered open and I found myself staring up at the ceiling of a car that wasn’t Ash’s, and then everything came crashing back to me.
David.
Footsteps pitter-pattered around the car and I eased myself off the floor. I didn’t feel the need to vomit any longer, but the taste in my mouth made me nauseous all the same. I looked around for something to swish. Some water or a flat soda. Anything to get rid of the taste of bile at the back of my throat. I didn’t find anything, though.
The only thing I found was David pacing quickly around the outside of the car.
I took a chance and peeked out the window, just to see where we were. And it looked like we were at some sort of abandoned rest stop. Everything was taped off with caution tape and not a soul was around us. I turned around and peeked out the back windshield, gazing between the trees as I watched cars pass by on the highway.
And I noticed some crushed traffic cones over near the entrance to this place.
Good. Maybe someone will notice us.
I eased myself back down onto my ass and looked out the front windshield. And when I did, I yelped. David, with his hands on the hood of the car, glared at me through the cracked piece of glass. The look in his eye shivered me to my core. He looked positively wild. But it was very clear to me he didn’t have a plan of any sort.
He hadn’t thought about the next step after he got me into his car.
Maybe I can use that to my advantage.
Even though my head throbbed with pain, I still tried to think my way out of the situation. David went back to pacing around the car, though I noticed he peered in to look at me a bit more than usual. I didn’t like that, him keeping track of me. Because the first plan that popped into my head was making a dash for the woods behind this rest stop.
I knew I wouldn't make it, though. Not with David and those Daddy Long Legs of his striding behind me.
Fuck being short.
I closed my eyes and tried to still the storm in my gut. I had to keep my head screwed on straight if I was going to think myself out of this situation. I moved my hand around to my back pocket, trying to see if my phone was still there. This didn’t look like a place where I’d have service. But it was worth a shot.
However, I didn’t feel my phone anywhere.
Are you kidding me?
I peered out the window and saw David’s back turned to me. So, I took the opportunity to pull myself up a bit and look around. I spotted my phone in the cup holder up front, but I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough time to snatch it. The fact that it was still with us was a good sign, though. That meant my phone could be tracked.
If I can get to it, though, I can call Ash.
I drew in a sobering breath and reached my arm out. But David turned around too quickly. I ripped my arm back and cast my eyes to the ground, hoping and praying he didn’t see what I’d been trying to do. I closed my eyes and braced for it. For whatever anger he was about to throw my way. But his footsteps circling around the car like a vulture resumed.
And I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Come on, you can do this,” I murmured to myself.
I opened my eyes and tried reaching for my phone again, but it was no use. It was as if David had a sixth sense about when I was moving and when I wasn’t. I mean, the second my fingertips were outstretched, he went to turn around again. And I had to yank my hand back to my side just to keep him from getting upset with me. God damn it, why the fuck didn’t I have a knife on me or something? It wouldn’t take much energy to plunge it into his side and take off for those fucking woods.
The car door opening ripped me from my thoughts, and I watched David slide back into the car.
Before he turned around and sighed.
“You can’t leave me, Hannah. I can’t live without you.”
I scoffed. “That a promise?”
He shook his head. “I don’t get it. Why the hell can’t you love me the wa
y I love you?”
“Because I don’t want to ruin your life.”
He scoffed. “My love hasn’t ruined your life.”
“Look at me, David!”
I pointed to my face and he quickly turned around.
“This is what your love has done to me! I’ve probably got some sort of a concussion, and I can’t see out of one of my eyes. I’m sick to my stomach. My back hurts. You did this to me, David. Your—quote, unquote—love has done this to me. Is that really how you want anyone to love you?”
He whipped back around. “Well, if you just would have listened to me in the first fucking place—”
“Listened to you when? When you told me I wasn’t allowed you leave!? You can’t dictate that about someone else’s life, David. You want to control me, not love me. And I’ll die before you ever control me. You got that?”
He shook his head. “I won’t let you die. That man you’re with? He’s no good for you.”
“Oh, and you are?”
“Listen to me!” he bellowed. “His life is going to get you killed. The lifestyle he leads is going to put you right in the position your own fucking cousin put you in.”
I pointed at him. “First off, I agreed to go along with Slash’s plan. And secondly, Ash is the one that saved me from all that bullshit.”
“Yep. And now, I’m saving you from him.”
I kicked the back of his seat. “Well, I don’t need your saving, you fucking psychopath.”
His hand reached around, gripping my ankle. “Do that one more time and I’ll snap your foot.”
“Why, because you love me so much?”
He shoved my foot away and fell against the driver’s seat.
“David, I know you know this is wrong. When we were together, you were nothing like this. You were headstrong, sure. Stubborn, yes. But you weren’t obsessive. And you certainly weren’t abusive. What in the world happened?”
He snickered. “You left, and my world crumbled, Hannah. That’s what happened.”
“Your world didn’t crumble. You just allowed it to.”
“I was going to propose, you know.”
I paused. “I’m sorry, what?”
He slowly turned around. “Yeah. I had it all planned out. I was going to fly you to that place in Italy you always talk about going to. First-class and all.”
Ash (Dragon Riders MC Book 3) Page 10