21. Hadley

21

HADLEY

" S top! Wait!" Hadley shouted at Abby and Ben's backs. Huffing in as much oxygen as possible, Hadley pushed her legs to keep running.

"Last one in is a rotten egg!" Ben taunted.

"No! It's not a race. It's not a race," Abby whined as she crested the hill to the dining hall, her little legs pumping as fast as possible.

"Abby is right," Hadley panted. "Slow up, Ben."

Little feet pounded a quick rhythm against the wooden stairs as the kids reached the porch.

Gasping for breath, Hadley chased after them. "Running is awful. There's no way something that hurts like this can be good for you."

The kids tore open the door to the dining hall and burst inside. Hadley followed and slowed to a stop as the kids jogged toward Vera's open arms .

"Hey, you two," the older woman greeted them with a smile. "I thought there was a herd of bison outside."

Hadley rested her hands on her hips and bent at the waist. "This isn't over," she panted.

"Yes it is! Winner, winner, chicken dinner," Abby sang.

Colt and Remi's kids were always fun to hang out with. They were nothing like the herds of rowdy kids she entertained at the ranch during the summer. Ten was a challenge, but two were a breeze. If only Hadley liked running as much as the kids.

Thea and Abby praised Vera's chicken and rice recipe, while Hadley blinked back the stars dancing on the edges of her vision. At least she'd get some rest while driving Thea to her doctor's appointment.

Hadley straightened and brushed her hair back from her face. "You two be good for Ms. Vera."

"Yes, ma'am," Ben and Abby said in unison as they darted off into the kitchen.

Vera chuckled. "They're always good for me."

Hadley pointed toward the door where the kids had just disappeared. "Tell her my threat still stands. I will hang her up by her toes if she gets outta line."

Thea laughed as Vera walked off shaking her head. "Vera thinks those kids are little angels."

"Little angels my foot! Trust me, Vera will have something to say if Miss Bossy Pants doesn't get herself in check. "

Thea wrapped an arm around Hadley's shoulders and hugged her close. "Thanks for taking me today. You sure you're okay to do it?"

Hadley gave her friend a squeeze. "Positive. Let's get on the road."

They walked out into the cool March day, and Thea wrapped her arms around her middle. "Brr. I forgot how long winter lasts here."

"I'm still getting used to it. This is a new level of cold up here." Hadley squinted to see a figure running up the hill toward them. "Is that–"

"Hold your horses!" Brett shouted.

"What's he doing here? I thought he had a meeting with Mr. Chambers."

Hadley chuckled at Brett making a mad dash from the stables just to see Thea. "I'll let you two have a minute. I'll be in the car."

Seeing Brett and Thea so happy bloomed Hadley's own hopes. Those two were determined to love each other, no matter what obstacles stood in their way.

The urge to text Gage rose up again. She hadn't heard from him since this morning, and the need to know more about how Brett's meeting with Gage and Thea's family went was crawling up her back.

After a few minutes, Thea hobbled to the car and took her place in the passenger seat.

Hadley turned to Thea as she shifted into reverse. "So, how did it go? "

"He thinks it went well. Everyone walked away unscathed. I heard Gage wasn't a fan of the plan."

Hadley focused her attention on the road ahead, pushing down the gnawing feeling that had been roiling in her gut all day. "He said Bruce has been quiet. Gage thinks something is up, but he doesn't know what it could be. He's working on it."

Thea adjusted her position in the seat. The big boot took up most of her leg room. "What else did Gage say?"

Hadley gripped the wheel as she turned onto the main road. Could she talk about Gage without letting Thea see her nerves? "He hopes this plan works, even if he doesn't hold out much hope. He missed you."

"What about you?"

Hadley glanced over at Thea. "What about me?"

Thea's mouth pulled up into a grin. "Does he miss you too?"

Oh, man. Was she ready to confess her growing feelings for Gage? She hadn't even told him. The thought of putting herself out there brought on the memories of her mom's failed relationships.

The crying. The screaming. The utter depression and rejection.

If Gage decided he didn't feel the same way about her, could she handle it? Or would she end up writhing on the couch for weeks like her mom?

"No. I don't think he misses me. Why? "

"When was the last time you saw him?" Thea asked.

Busted. "Um, this morning."

Thea straightened in her seat, and her mouth fell open.

Shoot. Heat was creeping up Hadley's neck. "Stop. It's nothing."

"You saw him last night, and you still needed to see him this morning. Sounds like something. Are there feelings?"

Oh no. The true answer to that question was a clear yes, and she couldn't keep lying to herself.

But hiding her scary feelings from Thea was probably for the best. Hadley scoffed. "It's been like a week. I'm not riding off into the sunset with him just yet."

She'd been meeting up with Gage for more than a week, but it was still a short timeline. How had things between them gotten so serious so quickly? She'd completely lost control of her attraction to Gage, and she'd done little to stop it from taking over like a wildfire.

"I don't know much about him now, but he wasn't like the rest of them when we were growing up. He protected me. I know he did the same illegal things they did, but you could tell his heart wasn't in it."

Thea's assurances of Gage's character helped relax Hadley's constricting chest. "I believe that. He really cares about you. And your mom. He's doing everything he can to make sure you're safe, especially since you've decided to stay."

Thea groaned. "I can't thank you enough for doing this. I know it's dangerous being with me, and I hope you know I really appreciate everything you're doing."

Hadley reached for her friend, resting a hand on her arm. "I'd do anything for you. You and Brett deserve this happiness. We'll make sure everything works out."

A truck rounded the corner and slowly drifted into Hadley's lane. She leaned on the brakes, but the truck was gaining speed. Releasing Thea's arm, Hadley gripped the wheel.

Think, think! Deep ditches lined both sides of the road, and there wasn't anywhere else to go.

Pressing harder on the brakes, Hadley braced for impact. "Hang on!"

The truck slammed into the car, jolting everything back and then forward. The world jerked again and again, throwing her shoulders and head against one hard surface after another.

When the car finally came to a stop, thick dust clouded the air and clogged Hadley's lungs when she gasped for breath. The adrenaline coursing through her masked any pain in those first few seconds as she turned and coughed. "Thea. Thea. Are you okay?"

Could Thea even hear her? Hadley could barely hear her own voice. The ringing in her ears drowned out everything else.

"Yeah. You?" Thea asked.

An ache in her left arm grew as if numbness was wearing off. The pain mounted as Hadley gripped it with her other hand. "My arm."

Everything in the car was scattered, and Thea searched through the haze that still hung in the air. "Where's my phone?"

"Mine is in the console," Hadley said, gesturing to the closed compartment between them.

Tires screeched on the road nearby. "Help!" Hadley shouted.

A few seconds later, someone pulled on the passenger door. After a few jerks, the metal creaked and the bent door opened. A man with greasy hair and a sadistic grin came into view.

"No! No!" Thea screamed.

A tightness gripped Hadley's throat. The man wasn't here to help. He'd purposefully crashed into them, and Thea knew him. "Thea!"

Thea reached for Hadley, grabbing onto her. Her other arm stung with pain as she tried to use it to latch onto Thea. The man jerked her whole body, dragging her from the car with ease. Hadley's grip on her friend slipped as Thea kicked against the man .

"Thea!"

Hadley jerked against her seatbelt, flinging it off. She grabbed the door handle, but it didn't move. Pressing her shoulder into it, the pain burned hotter down her arm. She pushed the bile rising in her throat back down and screamed for Thea again.

"Cain, stop! Bruce, no!"

Thea's shouts drifted farther away as Hadley continued pushing against the door. She had to get out of here before they took Thea. Cradling her left arm, she pulled her legs up and draped them over the console. With her good arm, she lifted herself up over the console and into the passenger seat.

The roar of a truck engine rumbled behind her, and she fought to suck air into her paralyzed lungs. The airbag must have done some damage when it deployed onto her chest.

"No, no, no," Hadley chanted as she climbed out of the vehicle, but the truck was already speeding down the road headed back toward the ranch.

"No!" she shouted as the truck disappeared around a corner. Ducking back into the cab, she swiped her hand over the mess. When she found her phone on the passenger floorboard, she called Brett. She gripped the phone as it shook in her hand.

He answered quickly. "Hey, everything–"

"They took Thea!"

"What? No," Brett said, clear disbelief lacing his words .

Hadley turned, looking down the road both ways. No sign of any other cars. "We wrecked. A truck ran us off the road. We're in a ditch on Pickens Road, and someone just pulled her out of the car and…"

Her sobs took over. Thea was gone, and the ugly truth welled up like a balloon inside Hadley's chest.

"And what?" Brett prodded.

Hadley gasped for air. "Someone pulled her out of the car."

"Who was it?" His words were strong now, determined and bold.

"She said Cain. Bruce too. I don't know where they took her."

"Where are you?"

Hadley glanced down the road again. "I'm on Pickens. Just past Kennedy Road."

"Are you hurt? Is she hurt?"

Her breaths were coming in such short bursts. She needed air. "I…I… I don't know."

"Breathe, Hadley," Brett ordered.

"I don't know if she was hurt. It all happened so fast. I called you first."

A door slammed on Brett's side of the call. "Sit tight. I'll send help. You call the police, and I'll call Asa. Maybe he can get a head start."

"Okay." Her words were still shaking, but knowing help was on the way was helping .

"Which way did they go when they took her?"

Hadley took a second to breathe. "They went back toward the ranch. I don't know."

"Just sit tight. Help is on the way," Brett promised.

"I'm sorry," she said, sniffing through her hot, angry tears.

"It's not your fault. Make the call, okay?"

"Okay." Hadley lowered her shaking hand and did as Brett said. She called 911 and waited a few rings before a woman answered.

"911. What is your emergency."

"I was in a wreck. A truck hit my car head-on. Then they took my friend and drove off."

The dispatcher went through question after question, and the call stretched on for agonizing minutes as Hadley tried to relay the information. It was as if her brain had temporarily shut down, and she wasn't sure of the answers to some of the questions.

"What are your injuries?"

"My arm hurts, but my friend is the one in trouble. You have to find her. Two men named Bruce and Cain Howard took her. They're dangerous. Please send people to find her first."

"I'm connecting the police department with our call. Can you hold a moment?"

"Yes." Hadley could do without the formalities if the woman would just get help heading Thea's way. Where had they even taken her? Would someone find her in time?

Taking the moment to ground her racing and jumbled thoughts, Hadley prayed. Thea was gone, and time was running out.