I check the number at least three times as Cade drives us away from the restaurant. I can't piece anything together because tears are threatening my eyes, and my throat feels like it's going to close up. Why would Adam do this to me? What have I ever done to him? The theories on why race around in my mind, and block out everything else, so much that I don't even realize when we're at Adam's apartment. Cade instantly gets out, and I snap back to reality. I beat him to the stairs and stop him from going up. "You've been in too many fights, Cade, plus, you're crippled right now. We can't just walk in with gun's blazing." "The hell we can't," he spits. "Your brother has been threatening you and sending out nude pictures? What kind of sick crap is that? I can't let him get away with that." "You don't even know if he's here. He was just arrested, I'm sure my dad has him on a short leash right now." Cade gri

Pins and needles dance along my spine when Johnny walks into the garage on Monday. I'm the worst at lying and hiding my feelings, but I try my best. Johnny knocks his knuckles against my desk, as he always does, and smiles. "Hey Girlie. How was your weekend?" I bite my bottom lip. "Good. Good. How about you? What did you do this weekend?" I pry, but he doesn't bite. He shrugs. "Watched some football and hung out." Yeah, at his secret restaurant. I smile, but it doesn't reach my eyes. "Where is Cade?" he asks, buttoning his uniform. "In the back," I say, turning on the computer. "He's all better, finally got his cast off." Johnny nods, still working his buttons. Pursing my lips, I continue to scroll over appointments, and say, "I wish they would have found the thugs that did that to him. Scumbags." Johnny finishes his shirt, and gives me a smile. "Yeah, he didn't deserve that." I watch him walk toward the back, not giving me a second thought, which is bittersweet. I don't want

The sound of crickets wake me. It's too loud for it to be from outside, and it shakes me to the bone. A door or window must be open, and I can't imagine why Cade would do that in the middle of the night. I reach over to feel for him, but he isn't there. I swallow my insecurities and sit up on my elbows, giving my eyes time to adjust to the room. Nothing stands out at first, and I feel myself relax. I slide my feet from the covers, and tiptoe toward the light. I flip the switch and walk to the kitchen. "Cade?" I say. No one answers. I swallow my nerves, and walk back to the bedroom to check in the bathroom. He isn't in there either. I walk back into our room, searching for my phone in the covers, and catch a glimpse of movement in the mirror beside our bed. A sound I've never made releases from me, and I turn around in time for something to cover my face. Survival kicks in, and I swing my arms wildly, kicking and screaming, but my voice is muffled.

The warehouse is set back from the main road, hidden underneath shrubbery and years of overgrowth. The wind rattles the doors against the side of the building, and it sends chills up my spine. The windows are far gone with ripped plastic swaying from where someone tried to patch them up. It looks like an abandoned packaging plant with rusted equipment and aged boxes littering the concrete floor. Damien forces me into the threshold and ushers me toward a chilled metal chair. I sit down, watching as he makes himself comfortable on top of a conveyor belt, and takes out his cell phone. After several silent minutes, he glances up at me. "I’m calling your Dad. I'll ask for my money, and you'll confirm I have you with me, and if you try anything, I'll not only kill you, but I'll knock off that goofy brother of yours. He should be here, not you, but that's not how it happened." Speaking of brothers. I wanted to choke Adam. He caused all of this. Doing drugs? Going in

I don't want to do this, but Cade is on a mission, and I'm beginning to think it's a suicidal one. I've never seen someone so determined to find a person that could kill them. Johnny follows behind us in an undercover SUV, while I'm led blindly into the lion's den. Cade's fingers tighten around the steering wheel, and I trace his tattoos with my gaze. How I would love to just have some alone time with him, without all our problems looming over us. "What are you going to do when we get there, Cade?" I ask, trying to keep my irritation out of my voice. I don't want to be mad at him, because I know it's important, but I want to be finished with this. Cade glances over at me. "I'm going to walk in, ask for Henry, and make him tell me." "Okay," I say. "What about after that? Are you going to chase down some criminal?" He reaches over and runs his fingers against my thigh. "What's the matter, Jaden?" I hold back my emotions and my b