Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

C allie leaned into Lock’s side, a smile on her lips.

Man, it felt good to smile. To sit outside with Lock, Jace, and Elle, the warmth of a fire in front of them and a glass of red wine in hand.

A week had passed since the incident with Hamish. He was home and recovering and, according to Eastern, had vehemently denied taking the GHB. Although, he’d also said he had no idea who could have slipped it into his drink. Sugar and Spice had been busy that day, but he claimed he hadn’t gotten close to or spoken to anyone.

She hadn’t seen Hamish since he’d gotten out of the hospital. She wanted to, but Lock had insisted they wait until they found the person responsible for everything that was going on.

Everything had been quiet over the last week, and she’d felt safe with Lock by her side. Or as safe as she could feel with a crazy stalker on the loose.

“You really took his clothes so he had to walk out of gym bare-ass naked?” Lock asked Jace, pulling Callie’s attention back to the conversation around her.

It was Elle who nodded. “He did. Casper was so mad, but he never found out who did it.”

“Trust me when I say he deserved it,” Jace said, sipping his beer. “The guy was a dick ninety percent of the time.”

Callie looked up at Lock. “Did you do stuff like that in high school?”

Jace scoffed. “Mr. Serious over there? He didn’t have my balls or my charm.”

“Charm?” Lock laughed. “I think you’re mistaking your big ego for charm, buddy.”

“I can have both ego and charm.” Jace grinned.

Callie laughed. “So you two were best friends in high school but didn’t date?” It sounded unbelievable, because looking at them now, you’d think they’d loved each other for years.

Elle nodded. “Yeah. It took us a while to get our act together.”

“It took me a while.” Jace slipped his arm around her and tugged her closer. “But we got here in the end.”

As the two kissed, Callie smiled up at Lock. “Sounds a bit like us.”

“I like it when you do that,” Lock whispered.

“Do what?”

“Smile.”

Her smile widened. “It’s what you do when you’re happy. And I am happy. Which is crazy right now, isn’t it? I shouldn’t be happy.”

“Yes, you should. And I’m glad you are.” He lowered his head and kissed her, and she sank into that kiss.

Elle handed her wine to Jace and stood. “I’m just going to use the bathroom.”

“I’ll show you where it is,” Callie offered, handing her own wine to Lock.

Lock shook his head. “I can do it.”

“Don’t be silly. Catch up with your brother. We won’t be long.” She bent down and kissed him one more time before heading into the house with Elle.

“Jesse and Antwan are staying here, aren’t they?” Elle asked.

“They are. Although they’ve gone to Meridian with Aspen tonight. I told them to stay, but I think they sometimes feel like they’re intruding. Which they’re not. We appreciate them extending their stay.” When all three men were in the house, she felt ridiculously safe.

“Does Aspen go out with them often?”

“She’s actually been hanging out with Jesse quite a bit.” Callie had pushed for more information on what was going on between them, but Aspen had insisted they were just friends. She’d then gone on to insist that she planned to be single for the next ten years and adopt five cats.

It wouldn’t happen. Her friend was young, funny, and gorgeous, with long blond hair most women would kill for. There was no way she’d stay single for long.

Callie glanced at Elle as they moved through the kitchen. “You and Jace look happy.”

“I’ve loved him for so long that sometimes I need to pinch myself so I know I’m not dreaming, and he really does love me too.”

“He definitely loves you. Anyone can see that.”

“Thank you. You and Lock seem to be doing great as well.”

“I’m really lucky to have him.” She stopped in front of the bathroom off the hall. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

The door closed after Elle, and Callie was about to head back outside when a cool breeze brushed the back of her neck.

Frowning, she turned. It was coming from Lock’s bedroom. Had he left a window open?

She walked into the bedroom, and sure enough, the window was pushed all the way up. She took a step toward it, only to stop, common sense slamming her in the face.

What the hell was she doing? Lock wouldn’t have left a window open. He was too safety conscious. And she definitely hadn’t.

The hair on her arms stood on end. It wouldn’t have been Jesse or Antwan—their rooms were at the end of the hall, and they never came in here.

So…who had done this?

She was about to turn and rush back outside when a hand slammed over her mouth and a strong arm banded around her waist.

She froze, fear paralyzing her. It took an entire second of being dragged toward the window to realize it wasn’t a hand over her mouth. It was a cloth. And that cloth had something on it. Some sort of chemical that made her dizzy and light-headed.

Shit.

She thrashed her legs, trying to kick the guy behind her. Stomp on his foot. Anything . When that didn’t work, she grabbed at his shoulder, pulling on material and hearing a small tear.

It wasn’t enough. A couple more steps and they’d be at the window.

Her head started to grow fuzzy, a deep exhaustion settling into her bones.

Noise. She needed to make noise! Even the smallest sound could alert someone that something was going on.

Before she was lifted out the window, she used her last scrap of energy to kick the bedside table. A small lamp fell, and the crash of the ceramic breaking echoed through the room.

Then another noise sounded—this time from outside the room. Footsteps.

“Callie, are you— Oh God!”

Elle. The other woman’s voice was the last thing Callie heard before her world went black.

“It’s so good to see you happy, man.”

Lock leaned back in his seat and smiled at his brother on the other side of the fire. “I am happy. I’ve loved Callie for as long as I’ve known her.”

“That’s damn beautiful. It reminds me of me and Elle.” His brother sipped his beer. “Eastern any closer to finding the psychopath who killed the Tate brothers?”

His fingers tightened around his beer. “No. But I’m still not fully convinced it’s not Hamish.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The notes started over two years ago when she was living here in Misty Peak. They align with about the time she met Hamish in a class she was teaching. Then she leaves, locals don’t know where she is, and the notes stop. Right when she gets back into town, they start up again, and Hamish expresses his interest in her.”

“Okay. But Oscar was beaten to death after being chased through a forest. Hamish is big, but he doesn’t strike me as a fighter.”

“Do we really know what anyone else is capable of? Maybe he’s had training we’re not aware of. Or maybe he’s just really fucking strong and fast.”

Jace blew out a long breath. “You’re right. Hell, I almost got shot by this granddad in a bakery during a mission once. Underestimated him for a second and that was all it took.”

Exactly.

Jace leaned forward. “Are you watching your back?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Because if it’s not Hamish, then he was targeted simply for showing an interest in Callie. I hate to think what that could mean for you, the man who’s actually dating her.”

“I can look after myself.”

“I know. I just don’t want you to be so busy protecting Callie that you forget to protect yourself.”

That was his brother…hell, it was his entire family—they watched each other’s backs. “I appreciate it. But even if I miss something, I have Antwan and Jesse here to back me up.”

“I’m—”

A scream suddenly pierced the air. Not Callie’s scream—Elle’s.

Lock shot to his feet and sprinted into the house, Jace right on his heels. They reached his bedroom just in time to see Elle slam into a dresser and a figure disappear out the window.

Jace ran to Elle’s side as Lock flew across the room and leaped outside. The cool evening air hit him in the face as he spotted the asshole in a balaclava halfway across his yard—Callie’s limp body slung over his shoulder.

Motherfucker!

Lock took off toward them, then dove and crashed into his legs just before he reached the street.

Callie hit the ground, and as much as Lock wanted to check on her, he had to focus on the abductor. He flipped the guy over, but before he could pull off the balaclava, or even get a good fucking look at his eyes, the asshole threw a punch that Lock barely managed to dodge.

He grabbed the fist and threw an elbow toward the guy’s jaw, but he turned his head just in time, then lifted a leg to kick Lock off his body.

Lock was only on the ground for a second, but that was all the guy needed. He ran.

“Go after him!” Jace shouted from the window as he dropped to the grass. “I’ve got Callie.”

Fuck, he didn’t want to leave her, but he needed to catch this guy. He needed this to be over.

He rose and ran, sprinting down the sidewalk. The guy was fast, almost a shadow as he disappeared around a corner. Lock pushed his body to move faster, feeling the slap of concrete beneath his shoes. The whip of air across his face.

His hands fisted, and he forced himself into a sprint as Callie flicked into his mind. Her body strung over this asshole’s shoulder, completely limp.

The guy turned another corner, and it made Lock see red. He needed to get his hands on this guy. To know his fucking identity.

He turned the corner again—only to stop at the sight of a disappearing car, its lights off. It turned the next corner so quickly, Lock didn’t even get a license plate.

Fuck !

He ran frustrated fingers through his hair, every muscle in his body tight as rage punched through his limbs.

Gone. The asshole was gone . And Lock still didn’t know who he was, which meant he was still fighting blind. And tonight, he’d almost taken Callie.

With fisted hands, Lock turned and ran back to his house. He had to get back to her. Was she okay? Was she hurt? Why had she been so lifeless?

He reached his front yard to see Jace on his cell, as Elle knelt over Callie’s body.

A sick feeling churned his stomach. She still wasn’t moving, and as he got closer, he could see her mouth was red.

He dropped to her side. “Callie?”

“He drugged her,” Elle said quietly.

“Chloroform,” Jace said as he hung up the phone. “Paramedics are on their way, and Eastern’s meeting us at the hospital. You didn’t catch him.”

It wasn’t a question.

Lock shifted his gaze back to Callie, focusing on the rise and fall of her chest. She was alive. That’s what he needed to concentrate on.

“No,” he finally said. “But I will. And when I do, he’s a dead man.”