34. Adam

I was running, probably too fast, down the steps at the offices just as Kenan was coming up.

“Are you okay?” he asked the minute our eyes met.

“Something happened. I’m going to meet Tessa at work.”

“Should I come with you?”

Even though I had no idea what was going on, my gut knew it was bad. I didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

Moments later, I almost caused a car accident by pulling out without looking.

“Ease up,” Kenan said.

I took a breath and slid my gaze to his. “I will.”

“Should I drive?”

“No.” I didn’t want to wait for us to switch seats.

“What the hell is going on?” he asked a moment later.

“All I know is Tessa texted me and said she needs someone to stay with her tonight. Considering that she dumped me because of Rich, I’m pretty sure something big is wrong. She didn’t ask if I would stay. She said she needed someone to stay with her.”

My brother nodded. Four minutes after I had received Tessa’s text, I came to a jerking stop in the parking lot at the local news station. It was a satellite office for the broadcast station in Juneau and Anchorage.

“Have you been here before?” Kenan asked as we climbed out.

“Actually, no. I’m assuming we go in there.” I gestured to a side door.

There were several police cars in the back, one of them leaving as we arrived, and a pair of officers coming out the side door.

I wanted to ask what was going on, but they were hustling. I was already feeling amped up higher.

“Fuck, I hope Tessa’s okay,” Kenan muttered under his breath.

“She texted me, so I’m assuming she’s physically okay.”

Jerri Patson, who I knew in passing and knew she worked here, was walking down the hallway. “Adam! There you are. Follow me.”

A moment later, we were in a conference room. Colin Blackthorn was there, and two police officers along with Tessa. She was twisting a napkin in her hands.

As soon as she saw me, she leaped up. I rounded the table and pulled her into my arms. She was trembling and freezing cold. She buried her face against the curve of my neck, and I smoothed my hand over her curls. “It’s okay,” I whispered into her hair.

She kept trembling, and I could feel her trying not to cry, trying not to fall apart.

When she finally lifted her head, I still held her but loosened my arms slightly. “I don’t know what happened, but it will be okay. I’ll make it okay.”

She blinked her tears away and sniffled. I lifted my hand, sliding my thumb across her cheekbone. She opened her mouth to say something but closed her eyes again and took a shuddering breath.

Tessa stepped back a little, and I reached for her hands to discover they were icy cold.

I glanced around, my eyes landing on Jerri, who had returned to the room. “Do you have something hot Tessa can drink, tea maybe?”

“Tessa, what happened?” I asked when Jerri turned to get something for Tessa to drink.

“I don’t know what to do. The police said—” When she started speaking, it was as if the words alone were too much effort for her. She finally gestured over toward Colin where he was seated at the table, conferring with one of the police officers and Kenan.

Jerri reappeared with a cup of tea. “You need to sit down,” she said to Tessa.

With Jerri guiding her on one side and me on the other, we got Tessa situated in a chair by the table. I sat on the other side. I glanced at Colin and the police officer. “Tell me what happened.”

“This station received a message here on their main voicemail for Tessa. He has their son and is threatening to keep him if she doesn’t come to him.”

Tessa had her hands curled around the steaming mug of tea. I slid my gaze to her. She stared woodenly at the table. I sensed her almost locking herself away inside. I slid my hand up and down her back in a soothing pass, wishing I could impart some warmth to her, some calm. Yet I knew this was her biggest fear, that Rich would use Eric as a bargaining chip to get her back.

“So what’s the plan?” I asked.

“We’re working with the tech team and coordinating on the geo-location. The call came in from a cell. We should be able to locate him. In the meantime, we need someone to stay with her,” one of the police officers explained.

“Tessa can stay with me,” I said quickly.

“They said it’s best if I go home because Rich might look for me there.” Her eyes lifted to mine.

I didn’t like that. At all. “Sweetheart, I don’t want you in danger.”

“I need to get Eric back.”

I glanced at the two police officers seated near Colin. “Is it safe for her to go home if I’m with her?”

The police chief, Mike Taylor, looked at Tessa before meeting my eyes again. I knew Mike well as he was born and raised here like me, but he had also married Fiona’s mother recently, so he was part of our extended family. “We think so. It would be ideal if it appears as if she’s home alone. We will be parked nearby monitoring. She said she has security cameras on the front and the back of her house.”

“She does.” I glanced at Kenan.

“I’ll stay with both of you,” he offered.

“More is better, right?” I replied.

Tessa looked from me to Kenan to her attorney and to the police. “Just tell us what to do.”

“If it appears you’re home alone, Rich might come to your place. We want to limit who is at risk,” one of the police officers cut in reluctantly.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. There’s no way we’re leaving her alone,” Kenan said.

Mike looked between Kenan and me. “I know you all have a hard time staying out of things.”

Kenan shrugged. “We take care of each other. I already texted Rhys,” Kenan replied. “Wyatt wants to be there to help too.”

Mike sighed. “You can’t all drive over there. How are you going to do this in a low-key way? We’ve already done a sweep to make sure he hasn’t hacked into any of her security cameras or put anything extra on her property. If he calls, keep him talking. What we want is an opportunity to negotiate.”

I felt Tessa’s tremble beside me and turned my attention back to her. “What do you need?”

Her eyes lifted to mine, and the pain and fear flickering there cleaved my heart. “I just want Eric home and safe.”

She looked over at Colin. “Please tell me after this that I’ll finally get full custody.”

“You will,” Colin said simply.

I could feel the shudder in her breath. My heart ached, and emotions tangled inside. I felt relief that Tessa had called me, as well as fear and a raw anger toward Rich for playing these games with Eric and Tessa. They didn’t deserve this. No one did. I felt an old sense of helplessness from childhood rising up underneath it all, back when I’d been too little to stop anything. I didn’t want to hurt anyone; I never had. I just wanted those who did hurt others to fucking stop and for the truth to be out there about who they were.

“Adam.” Kenan’s voice broke through the emotional cacophony creating static in my thoughts. I looked over at him. “Wyatt and I will meet you there. We’re gonna park over at Haven and Rhys’s house. We can walk through the trees to where Tessa’s place is.”

I held his gaze and nodded. “I’ll drive over with Tessa.”

“No, you won’t.” Mike’s voice cut through.

“Why not?”

“We want him to believe she’s alone. You go with your brothers. All of you can walk through the trees. We’ll check the area again to make sure he’s not nearby before you do,” Mike explained.

I gritted my teeth, but I knew Mike had a point. I leaned close to Tessa. “Are you okay to drive by yourself over there?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

At that moment, Rosie arrived in the doorway, hearing my question. “Maybe we leave Tessa’s car here, and I drive over?”

Jerri chimed in. “Rosie called over here because they heard something on the scanner at the ER. I filled her in when Mike said it was okay.”

Tessa glanced over. “Thank you, Jerri.”

“I’ll drop Tessa off,” Rosie said firmly.

“That’s a good plan.” I caught Rosie’s eyes, mouthing, “Thank you.”

It physically hurt to part from Tessa in the waiting area a few minutes later. I placed my hands on her shoulders. “I love you. We’re going to find Eric, and Rich won’t get away with this.”

Tessa’s cheeks were pale, and her eyes red. “Okay.”

“I’ll see you in about a half an hour. I love you,” I repeated.