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Christ.

“I’ve put a stop to all flights in and out of Tempest. I’ll call back when we have more information,” Liam says. “Sit tight.”

The line goes dead.

Like that last lifeline of hope.

“This is all my fault.” Hassie covers her face, starting to shake. Wells sits beside her, his arm going around her shoulder.

“Fuck.” Ezra sighs and removes his glasses to palm his eyes.

My heart wrenches, violently, and I clench the lip of the kitchen counter, needing something to hold on to.

It’s been three hours since she went missing.

I’ve never felt fear like this. Not when Jack died. Not when my parents were killed. This is soul-deep terror.

Thinking about Delilah being defenseless, hurt, takes my mind down a gruesome path of despair. One I won’t survive if she doesn’t.

“Hang tight, Cole.” Langford pockets his phone. “Agent Byrne will have agents here in the morning.”

“It’ll be too late by then,” I rasp, tearing a hand through my hair.

If we wait until morning, it’ll be a mistake. I feel it in my bones.

“Fuck this.” I grab my keys and my hat off the counter. Without another word, I stalk off toward the front door.

It slams behind me as I stomp down the steps. The night air is cool, balmy. The vanilla and caramel scent of whiskey scents the grounds. In the distance, silhouetted by deep, dark night, a gnarled fang of rock soars.

The screen door slams.

“Where are you going?”

I turn to face Warren and River. I can feel my control slipping, ready to take my rage out on anyone who tries to stop me from getting my girl.

“I have to drive.” I can’t sit around and do nothing while we wait. If I stay here any longer, I’ll punch a fucking hole in the wall.

“We’ll get her back.” River gives me a look of pain and sympathy.

“I should have been here. I never should have left her alone.” I pace away from the house, balling my hands into fists and squeezing my eyes shut tight.

“Cole. Don’t do this to yourself.” A rough sigh escapes Warren’s chest as he scrubs a hand over his face.

But I am.

It’s what I feared ever since Delilah set foot on the ranch.

Tempest takes.

The one person I can’t live without.

I’ll never fucking forgive myself.

“Cole. The phone.”

I snap my eyes open at the sound of a now-familiar chime. River’s pale in the glow of the porch light.

My scalp chills. I rip the burner phone from my pocket.