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The guilt I felt was consuming me.
The whole time I should have been focused on coming here to Steel Ridge to do what I had to do to keep myself safe, I never once considered my family’s safety. Shouldn’t I have at least told them that they were at risk, too?
I selfishly worried about how the situation I was living in was affecting me, and I didn’t consider how getting out of that would impact their lives. Then, I came here, started doing what I had to do, and got distracted by Kane.
While I had spent the last few weeks laughing and having some fun again, Patrick was plotting to bring harm to the people I loved most in the world. Now, my sister was missing, and I didn’t doubt it was Patrick who had her.
Kane and Leo exchanged looks. I didn’t know how it was possible, but it seemed that they managed to have an entire conversation without even speaking.
“How sure are you that he is the one who took her?” Kane asked me, his voice having dropped several octaves.
“I have zero doubts about it,” I answered.
“I can’t let you go to him, but perhaps we can have you reach out to him,” he started. “Maybe with a mere phone call, we’ll be able to figure out where your sister is being kept and go in to rescue her. But if you’re wrong and he doesn’t have her, we run the risk of you being exposed.”
Nodding, I insisted, “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
There was no hesitation on my part, because that was the truth. I was willing to sacrifice anything for my sister’s safe return. I guess there could have been a small chance that I was wrong, but I could never live with myself if I had a hunch about it, didn’t follow through, and something happened to her as a result.
Accepting I wasn’t going to change my mind, Kane gave me a nod. And as everyone else moved out of the room, he explained, “Okay. We’ll get everything set up, and you can call him. We’re just going to have to hope that he gives us the confirmation we need that your sister is with him. You don’t agree to any of his demands. The only goal is confirming that he has her and trying to figure out where he’s got her.”
“I understand,” I assured him.
For the next several moments, Kane and I remained silent. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but my thoughts were running wild. I was filled with terror for Ainsley. I could only imagine what she must have been feeling.
I was also acutely aware of how this whole situation could, and likely would, change everything about my relationship with Kane. It broke my heart. I knew what was at stake, and though I was well aware of the fact that it would be much more difficult this time around, I had to be prepared to give it all up again.
“Are you feeling okay?” Kane asked me.
“I’m scared,” I confessed.
He dipped his chin and replied quietly, “I know that. I meant physically. You passed out, and I want to make sure you’re okay before you get up to walk again.”
“Right. Yeah. I think so.”
Kane stood, held his hand out to me, and said, “Let’s give it a try, then.”
With that, I placed my hand in his and stood. Almost immediately, I found myself slipping arms around his waist and dropping my forehead to his chest. “Kane,” I cried quietly.
“Are you dizzy?”
I shook my head.
“Please tell me what’s wrong,” he pleaded with me.
I took a few seconds to pull myself together. I didn’t want to do this, but I knew it had to be done. I never should have allowed myself to be distracted by him. I never should have believed that I could get the fairytale ending.
Even though I wasn’t ready for it, there was no more time to waste. So, I pulled my face back from Kane’s chest and looked up at him. “If I’m wrong, I’ll go.”
“Go? Go where?” he asked. “Wrong about what?”
“About Patrick. If I’m wrong and he doesn’t have Ainsley, I’ll leave Steel Ridge. I accepted the risk of reaching out to him. Not you. And as much as it’ll kill me to have to leave you, it’d be even worse for me to see something happen to you because of me. So, if I’m wrong, I’ll go. But I hope you know that you’ve given me the best days of my life.”
Kane’s arms tightened around me. “You’re not going anywhere, Ellery.”
“But he’ll figure it out,” I reasoned.
“And he’ll be the one who pays the price if he dares to mess with you,” Kane promised me. “I made you a promise, princess. I’m going to give you everything. I can’t do that if you run.”
