Beautifully Decadent (Beautifully Damaged Book 3) (42 page)

It wasn’t until we were driving down Rafe’s street that my shock-soaked brain realized I hadn’t called Rafe. It was close to two in the morning, I should have been home hours ago. Those missed calls were likely from him and I hadn’t called him back. Pulling along the curb, he was already coming down the drive—his long legs eating the distance between us.

He pulled me into his arms, his hold so tight it was almost painful. “Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been going out of my fucking mind.”

“Someone took Nat.” I whispered.

He’s body jerked, like he’d just taken a blow. He pulled back, his face contorted with rage. “What?”

“Someone forced her to stop and took her from her car.”

Rafe looked past me to Jax. “What’s being done?”

“We’re running the prints, we’re checking the cameras. They took her, so they likely want something. The two detectives assigned to the case will be in touch.” He shifted a bit before he added, “These two on the case, they’ll want to rule everything else out before declaring it a kidnapping because once it’s ruled a kidnapping, the Feds step in. They’re hotshots, but they’re good at their job.”

“Kidnapping? You’re thinking ransom?”

“Yeah.”

Rafe put distance between us, and not just physically, and that felt like a knife to the heart. He started to pace, the dangerous energy rolling off him worried me that he’d act before he thought about the consequences.

“We have Avery’s car.” Jax said.

Rafe wordlessly moved to the gate and punched in the code before he returned to me and wrapped me in his arms.

And then those kind brown eyes were on me again. “We will find your sister.” I couldn’t respond because I feared the breakdown I was desperately trying to hold off. Understanding looked back at me as Jax waited for his partner to hand my keys to Rafe before they climbed into their patrol car and disappeared down the street.

“You’re soaked.” Rafe whispered as he pulled me closer to offer the heat of his body.

“They took her.”

His body stiffened against mine and yet his voice was soft and reassuring when he said, “Let’s get you warm.”

I wanted to protest because Nat might not be warm; she might be soaked to the skin too, cold and terrified. But getting sick wasn’t going to help my sister. A car pulled up to the curb and Tyler jumped out. Rafe’s hold on me tightened.

Tyler didn’t waste time on pleasantries; I didn’t blame him. “Have they found her?” He looked awful; worry lines were etched over his face.

“No, not yet. Tyler this is Rafe, Rafe this is Nat’s boyfriend, Tyler.”

“I’m sorry, man.” Rafe sounded as if it was his fault that Nat had been taken.

“What’s being done?”

Rafe answered. “The cops are running the prints from the car and checking cameras along the stretch of road where Nat’s car was found.”

“I’m not leaving until we find her.”

I agreed. “No, yeah, you should stay. Take the carriage house.”

“Yeah, okay.” He looked at his watch; I think he was in shock. “I should alert the hospital, get her surgeries canceled. And we have dinner reservations tomorrow…I guess it would be tonight now. I’ll have to call the restaurant, dry cleaning, she actually got some clothes dry cleaned for her visit with you.” And then he cracked. “Fucking hell, she’s alone, she’s scared and I’m not there.”

I choked back the sob and pulled strength from way down deep. I wrapped my arms around him. “The cops believe we’ll be getting a ransom call. They need her alive, so hold on to that Tyler. She’s alive and we will find her. It’s too late to do anything. We’ll show you to the carriage house. Try to sleep.”

He squeezed me before he stepped back. “I won’t be able to sleep, but thanks for the place to crash.”

“Avery, why don’t you take Tyler the carriage house and I’ll move his car.” Tyler handed Rafe his keys before he followed me up the drive.

Once Tyler was settled, I found Rafe waiting for me outside.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call. It was all…”

“Don’t.” The harshness of that one word cut. And though he held me tighter, I felt the distance between us growing. We said nothing else, not when we reached the bathroom and he started removing my clothes, when he turned on the shower, when he joined me—fully clothed—or when he dried me and wrapped me in his robe.

He led me to his bed and lowered the covers.

“I won’t be able to sleep.” And even as I said that, my eyes felt heavy as my body crashed, the magnitude of the evening hitting me in horrifying clarity.

He settled on the edge of the bed and though he didn’t touch me, even as I ached to feel his strong arms around me, I still felt tremendously comforted. I fell asleep with him silently watching over me.

I didn’t know what jarred me from sleep. Glancing at the clock it was almost seven in the morning. Climbing from bed, the hum of voices lured me toward the kitchen until I heard Rafe and my feet just stopped. He was beyond fury and rage, his voice so cold and detached.

“Even if I have to put a fucking gun to his head.”

Another voice, his father. “That’s not the answer.”

“You didn’t see Avery last night.” His voice cracked, his next words a harsh whisper. “You didn’t see her. They have her sister, they fucking took her sister.”

“We don’t know that. Did Avery sit with the sketch artist?”

“Yeah, Josh hasn’t gotten the sketch yet, the guy got sidetracked. He’s sending it over now. We need to talk to Morton. That fucking prick is behind this or knows who is.”

My legs went weak, my hand reaching out to keep my balance. Shock had kept me from connecting the dots last night. My legs were unsteady as I made my way back to Rafe’s room and reached for my phone.

I called Jax and didn’t let him speak before asking, “Do you have anything new?”

“No. When we do, you’ll be the first person I call. The detectives are running the scenarios. It hasn’t been ruled a kidnapping yet, but they’re leaning that way, which means they’ll be camped out in your house until this is over. Hang in there, we will find her.”

After updating me on what they were doing, he ended the call but not before promising to call with updates.

“Avery?”

Rafe stood in the doorway. He looked terrible; when he realized I was crying, he looked gutted.

“They took Nat for the disc?”

His jaw clenched, the battle he fought for control over his rage was very easy to see. “I think so.”

“So they’ll call.”

“Yes.”

“Why haven’t they?”

“I don’t know. I will get your sister back, Avery. I swear to God, I will get her back.”

“This isn’t your fault. You know that, right?”

Stricken was how he looked now because he didn’t agree with me. “Rafe, you are not responsible for this.”

He lost the battle, as his fury erupted like a geyser. “Your sister was taken, likely held at gunpoint, alone, terrified and with no idea what was happening or why and all because some fucks want something from me. And every time I think of yesterday and the banter between the two of you over a car, and someone took that moment and twisted it into a fucking nightmare. You were both pulled into Hell because of shit in my world. The fuck I am not responsible.”

“You can’t do that to yourself.”

“You are the most vivacious, feisty, brilliant light I’ve ever known. Your energy and thirst for life damn near blinds a person and last night that light was gone. My shit did that to you.” In a pained whisper, he added, “I’m so fucking sorry.”

And then he was gone; the sound of the back door slamming closed followed shortly after.
I
followed after him, but was sidetracked seeing Tyler pacing the driveway, his phone to his ear. He saw me, held up a finger and finished his call. He disconnected as he walked over to me.

“All of Nat’s surgeries have been canceled. I feel so fucking useless.”

“There’s nothing we can do. We just have to wait.”

“The cops called me. Not even sure how they got my number, but they want me to look at some mugshots to see if anyone looks familiar, if I remember any of them around Nat. They’re grabbing at straws, but at least I’m doing something.”

I reached for Tyler’s hand, his immediately closed tightly around mine. “We will get her back.”

“She’s a tough cookie, your sister, but she has got to be terrified. I can’t stand the thought of her alone and afraid and I’m unable to go to her.”

“You’re here and when we get her back, you are the one she’ll want comforting her.”

“If something happens here, call me.”

“I will and you do the same.”

He nodded and walked to his car. He was determined to do what he could and I loved that. I also loved that he was here, that he dropped everything for the woman he loved.

Rafe stood on the other side of the living room. Shortly after his eruption, Trace and Lucien arrived along with Josh. They were strategizing and though I didn’t know the details of their plan, they were at least forming one. Rafe hadn’t spoken to me since that moment in his room. It broke my heart that he was carrying a burden he had no business carrying, but I also knew trying to talk reason into him when his temper was up would be completely pointless.

Having to tell Mom about Nat had been hard, but my mom didn’t freak out. She asked questions, wanted to know what was happening, even demanded Jax’s number so she could pepper him with questions. She and Harold would be arriving any minute.

Ember, Darcy and the gang arrived a short time ago. The counters in the kitchen were suddenly loaded with trays of food; those big coffeemakers ran along the one wall, paper cups, creamers and sugar next to them. Bizarre how in times of crisis people brought food. Logically, I understood the reasoning behind it, but eating was the last thing on my mind.

I could panic, felt a good attack coming on, but that wouldn’t help Nat, so I sat there staring at the wall.

The sound of a familiar horn had the tears that were brimming my eyes, rolling down my cheeks. Mom was here. Jumping up from my spot, I ran out the door and down the drive just as they were parking. I reached her side; she jumped out and pulled me into a hug.

“She’s going to be okay.” And that was Mom, strong and solid.

Sobs that I had held in for hours, burst out of me now that my mom was here. She held me closer. Harold wrapped us both in his arms, and there we stayed for a long time. When we finally disengaged, Rafe was there. And if I thought he looked broken before, he was now shattered.

Mom being mom pulled him in and held him close. “I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, but it’s wonderful to finally meet you.”

Rafe’s arms moved around her, his eyes closed and a single tear rolled down his cheek. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Seeing big, strong Rafe cry had a sob ripping from my throat even as Mom held him closer. But it was Harold who pulled us back from our emotional brink. “We don’t know everything, but we know enough. This isn’t your fault, son, and putting that on yourself is foolish and unproductive. We’ll get her back and we’ll do it together.” Harold could always be counted on to be the voice of reason. “Let’s get inside and then you can fill us in.”

Introductions were made before Mom, Harold and I settled in the living room.