Page 79 of Her Devoted HERO

Get rid of the SEAL and go.

Hunter sat up. He was looking at her suspiciously. Oh God. She had to get it together. The phone beeped.

“Is that Denny?”

“Yes,” she said quickly. Her palms were slick with sweat. “He’s in the car with his mom. They’ll be here any minute. I need to go to the truck and get the peanut butter cookies I made for you.” She started to get up.

He put his hand on her arm. “I’ll get them.”

“No, I will.” She was loud and harsh.

“Kenna, what’s wrong?”

She took a deep breath and thought fast. “I think you were right, the sun is getting to me. I’m getting kind of a headache. I’m probably dehydrated.” She took out a bottle of water for herself and took a swallow. “I’ll go get the cookies.”

“I’d prefer it if you’d stay where you are, especially if you’re not feeling well.” He smiled at her. “I’ll go to the truck. Just sit back, watch Austin and Wyatt. This way I can eat a couple of cookies on the way back.” He got up smoothly and left for the truck.

The phone beeped.

Go!

She took one last look in Hunter’s direction, then picked up her backpack so that she had her phone and kept Austin’s phone in her left hand and walked quickly toward the concession stand. Both new phones had tracking, she just needed to keep them with her.

As soon as she got past it, she saw the piece of shit Monte Carlo. She got in the passenger side door. There was a phone on the bench seat, and it was ringing; she answered it. As soon as she heard the raspy voice, she had to choke back bile and tears.

“Don’t hurt Austin, you―”

“Don’t anger me, Kenna. I might do something you won’t like. I’ve got a rifle trained on him at this very moment.”

She looked around. Where was he? How could he see her? Then she saw the little camera up above the rearview mirror.

“Kenna, what’s in your hands?”

She looked down at her backpack and Austin’s phone.

“Throw the phone and the backpack out the window now. They probably have trackers in them. We don’t need your bodyguard finding you.”

Kenna rolled down the window and threw them onto the cement of the parking lot, wincing when she heard Austin’s cell phone shatter.

She swallowed a sob. “Good girl. Slide on over to the driver’s seat and start the car. We’re going for a drive.”

***

Dex listened carefully to Hunter. His friend was clear and concise. As soon as the words, “Kenna is missing,” were uttered, Dex was in an altered state. He was now a SEAL in the middle of a mission. Fear, panic, and guilt had no place for what needed to get done. Hunter was in the same mode.

“Somehow, he must have convinced her that he’d take out her mom or Austin,” Dex said grimly.

“That’s my take. But Wyatt called Penny, she’s fine. She’s also armed. Aiden’s on his way there now.”

“What do you know about Kenna’s abduction?” Dex asked.

“We found her backpack and Austin’s broken cell phone on the ground of the East parking lot, near the only empty parking space. I was parked in the West.”

“Where is Austin?”

“We just got into my truck, and we’re hauling ass to the base, he’ll be safe there.”

“As soon as you’re done doing that. Meet back up at Jack’s,” Dex commanded. “I’m calling the two cops working the case. Gray is out with Captain Hale, but Griff and Dalton will be there too.”