“Elle, it’s Mom. Where are you? Call me as soon as you get this.”
Heart pounding, hands shaking, I grab my keys off the kitchen counter. I’m halfway down the stairs to my car when I realize I have no clue where to look for her. I don’t know where Killian lives. Do I even have his number?
Dropping down, I sit on the step, my head between my hands. Deep breaths.
Good thing you’re infertile. You can’t even handle the one kid we have.
“Please, no. Not now.” Brought to my emotional knees. I’m not strong enough to fight the mental assault. I thought I could do this. I thought I could take care of us. No food in the cupboards, I’m having to take handouts, and I’m losing track of my daughter. I dig my hands into my hair and tug. The stinging pain on my scalp pulls me back to my reality. Where could she be?
I lift my gaze and clear my head. Jonah, he might be able to get ahold of Killian. But how do I get in touch with Jonah? I flip open my phone and scroll through my contacts to Raven’s cell number. I’m about to hit send when the rumbling of a truck engine grabs my attention.
Is it her? I push my ass off the step and down the stairs, resolving to hug her to death and then kill her.
Oh no.
The black Rubicon’s headlights flash off, the driver’s side door opens. Blake. And just like every other time I see him, I’m struck silent. His narrowed glare , rigid jaw, and solid frame targets me. He prowls forward. The ferocity of his gait sends my feet a few steps back in retreat. Running into the bottom step, I swing out my arm to catch myself from falling back onto the stairs.
Oh, God. He’s really mad. His green eyes burn into mine while his huge body closes in.
I walk backward one step at a time until I’m at his eye level.
He steps up to me and then stops. “Mouse.” His scowl moves from my hair to my cheeks, and relaxes into something softer by the time he meets my eyes. “What the fuck?” His voice is absent of its earlier irritation. “You okay?”
I blink at his sudden concern, surprised he didn’t call me out for kicking him in the balls. “No.”
He brings his hands to either side of my neck, forcing me to look at him. His thumbs run along my cheekbones. “Talk to me.”
“Elle. She’s not home. I don’t know where she is.”
Fire flares behind his green eyes. “She usually home by now?”
I nod into his hands.
“Did you talk to her after she got home from school today?”
“No. She’s been getting rides home from Killian, and sometimes they’ll grab a bite to eat or go study, but she always calls to let me know.”
“And tonight?”
“No call. Nothing.”
“Up.” He moves his hold from my face to my hips, turning me to guide me up the stairs.
I scurry up to my apartment, Blake following behind me.
Before he’s even inside, he has the phone to his ear. “Hey man, you got Killer’s number?”
I grab a piece of paper and a pen out of the junk drawer and hand them to Blake.
“It’s for Layla. She’s looking for Axelle.” He scribbles a few things on the paper. “Nah. We got it. But I’ll let you know.” He smiles at me in a way that I’m sure is supposed to be comforting, but the hint of fury that still works behind his eyes makes me squirm. “Later.”
His eyes drop to his phone. He punches in numbers then brings it to his ear. “Killian. It’s Blake. Listen, you take Axelle home today?”
I move in close and lean my ear toward the phone. Blake’s arm wraps around my shoulder and pulls me to his side. Gosh, that feels good. I nuzzle in, dropping my worry for what he might think the action implies, and soak up his comfort.
Killian’s voice mumbles through the cell phone, but I can’t understand a word. I peer up at Blake. “What’s he saying? I can’t hear him.” Panic throbs behind my ribs.
“You sure about that?” The arm around my shoulder pulls me tighter, and he nods. “Right. Thanks, man.”
He ends the call and shoves his phone into his pocket.
“What?” I pull back and cross my arms over my stomach, suddenly freezing cold. “Did he take her home?”
“Let’s sit.” He moves me into the living room and sits on the couch.
“I don’t want to sit, Blake.” Why do I need to sit? My head gets light, and my teeth chatter. “Is it bad? Are you afraid I’ll pass out? Just tell me, I’m freaking out here.”
“Come here.” He holds out his hand.
I don’t move.
“Everything’s okay, just come here.”
Closing the space between us, I grab his hand and he pulls me onto his lap.
The thought that I’m sitting on Blake’s lap in my living room tickles at the back of my mind, but the thought is shoved aside by my panic. “There. Now tell me what’s going on?”
He pushes my hair over my shoulder and lets his hand rest against my back. “Killian didn’t take her home today.”
“What!” I push off Blake’s lap, but he grabs my hips and pulls me back down.