No sooner than I had ended my phone call with Dash, Keiran burst through the door with a stormy expression. I could tell by his unkempt hair that he had been running his fingers through it. His jaw was locked and he looked ready to battle any and everything that stood in his way.
It was the last thought I had before my mind drew a complete blank. Following behind Keiran was the only person who ever made my heart race and break simultaneously.
It seemed that God had once again ignored my prayers because here was Keenan Masters, my first love, my first heartbreak, and the father of my missing child, standing before me.
I could tell instantly, without ever speaking a word, he was nothing like the boy I fell in love with. This person who had returned to me four years later was a cold shell of him.
There should have been some profound method of dealing with the day you come face to face with love again. Even one that had been as broken as ours had.
He looked at me with disinterest from his perch by the door. His Mohawk was gone and replaced by a head full of dark hair that still kept its spiky texture. His jaw had lost its boyish youthfulness and he had grown hard. His lips were still plump and perfectly kissable. His eyelashes were long giving his eyes deceptively playful character. Dressed in his signature dark clothing, I could still see that his body was now covered in tattoos. They peeked from his short shirtsleeves, and I had to admit, even those appeared dangerous.
“How are you feeling?”
The sound of Keiran’s gruff voice broke me from the trance I had currently been entrapped in. Keenan’s stare was more than a little disturbing. With one look, he communicated how much he would like to hurt me, but this time with his bare hands. Even after four years, I could still read him.
“A little sore, but the doctor said I should be discharged in the morning as long as I take it easy.”
I agreed even though I knew taking it easy wasn’t an option. How could anyone think I could ever rest knowing my daughter was out there alone and unprotected? I mentally prepared myself for the battle that would disrupt once Keiran found out Kennedy was missing.
“Please, Keiran, you have to get me out of here now.” I decided once we were somewhere more private, I could tell him. Twenty-four hours had already passed and the police had already warned me the first forty-eight were the most critical.
He didn’t seem to hear me as he looked around the hospital room. “Where’s Kennedy? Who is watching her? Was she hurt?” Keiran fired off questions faster than I could answer them. Lake paled as she backed into the corner furthest away from him.
“I—I have to tell you—”
“Who’s Kennedy?” Keenan asked with disinterest.
Before I could answer, the door burst open as my parents and two men I didn’t recognize filed in. They were dressed casually in dark jeans and collared shirts, but the serious looks on their faces said their appearance would be anything but casual.
“Sheldon, these are the men we hired to find Kennedy,” my father stated.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m Greg and this is Vick,” the longhaired blond introduced his partner and himself. “We will be assisting the police offline to find your daughter.” The disinterest in his tone made me wonder how invested in this case he really was. His unkempt attire and scruffy beard were anything but professional. His partner was even worse. It looked as if he had just finished rolling in the dirt. These weren’t the usual men my father hired whenever he needed something taken care of.
“What the fuck do you mean find?” Keiran bellowed.
“Daughter?” Keenan choked. I could hear the anger and judgment in his voice as if he had the right after coming back into my life uninvited.
If I thought the brothers were intimidating before, it was nothing compared to the sight of them both glaring at me now.
“You haven’t told them yet?” my mother questioned.
“N—no. I was just going to before you guys interrupted.”
“Oh, dear.”
“Someone had better start talking in the next two seconds,” Keiran threatened.
“Two men took Kennedy yesterday morning after her eye doctor appointment. A man had appeared out of nowhere and opened her car door when we were parked at a gas station. I was shot trying to stop them from taking her. I have no idea who they were or why they took her—”
“That’s why we are here, ma’am,” the detective interrupted. We need a complete list of friends, acquaintances, extended family members, neighbors, and anyone down to the mailman who may have come in contact with the child before the abduction.”