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He hands it to me, and I scan the words over and over again, my stomach plummeting. “She’s going to try to leave again,” I whisper.
Rayne nods. “Everett is searching through security tapes, trying to work out when that kid got the envelope, but so far he’s coming up empty.”
If it were anyone else, I would assume they’re doing a shitty job, but Everett is the only person in the city, maybe even the goddamn country, that rivals my own skill, so I know that’s not the case. Still, my hands twitch to look for myself, to hack into every camera within a mile of the center, to trawl through hours and hours of footage. And ordinarily, that’s exactly what I would have done. I would have spent hours, if not days, searching, but that was before I had other priorities.
My gaze darts back into the apartment, where just the top of Emerson’s head is visible over the back of the couch. “You should have called me.”
Rayne nods. “I wanted to. But Mia asked me not to. She said you’d already done so much for her, and she didn’t want to drag you away from work.”
I scoff. If only she knew.
“I didn’t know if you were going to tell her what you were doing, so I did as she asked.”
“Thanks for getting her home, man.” I quietly step into the apartment and immediately make my way to where Mia is curled up with Emerson, who gives me a small smile.
She carefully shuffles out from under Mia, and I move into her place, feeling immediately at ease having her in my arms again.
Rayne drops the note on the cushion next to me on his way out, and as soon as my eyes move over the page, my stomach sinks again.
Kyle may not be able to get anywhere near her, but if he keeps this shit up, she’ll walk right into his trap, and I can’t let that happen.
If Mia thinks she’ll be able to run from me, she’ll quickly learn how much I love the chase.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
MIA
Rough fingers move through my hair, each stroke more calming than the last.
As soon as I started to come to, I knew it was no longer Emerson I was using as a pillow, but Ace. His cologne surrounds me, settling some of the anxiety running rampant through my mind.
He’s always been my safe place. My home.
Pain moves through my chest, taking my breath away at the thought of losing him again after I just got him back. I spent years dreaming of the day we would be back together. Some days, when all I wanted to do was give up, the memory of him was what pulled me through. How am I meant to walk away?
But I don’t have a choice. I can’t allow the people who have given me so much to be hurt because of me.
“You awake, sugar?” Ace rumbles, his voice pulling me away from my thoughts.
The apartment is dark when I open my eyes. How long has he been sitting in the dark?
I stretch my sore muscles out, giving me the impression I’ve been lying in this position for a long time. “I’m sorry. You didn’t have to sit here with me.”
He brushes his fingers down my cheek with his eyes glued to my face like he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he closes his eyes for even a moment. Does he know I’m planning on leaving?
No. He can’t know I’m going to break the promise I made him just a few days ago.
“Why didn’t you let Rayne call me, sugar?”
“You were working.”
He lets out a breath, and if I didn’t know him so well, I would have missed how hard he’s trying to keep the tension from the parts of his body that are touching me. His fingers wrap gently around my chin until I’m forced to look him in the eye. “There is nothing more important to me than you, Mia. If you needed me to tear my fucking heart from my chest to make you smile, I would do it. I don’t give a fuck what I’m doing. I don’t fucking care if I’m lying on my goddamn death bed, if you need me, I’m going to be there.”
I open my mouth to respond but snap it closed again. What am I supposed to say to that?
His calloused fingers move over my cheek, and I commit the feeling to memory. The only thing that dragged me through those years were the times we spent together. I’m going to need that again because this time, when I’m taken to my fate, there will be no chance of coming back. The first time never would have happened if it wasn’t for a twist of fate that found Clara and me in the same place.
“I’ll keep you safe, Mia. I won’t let him take you again.”
