Masterson’s dark eyes snapped to me. “I’m going to need more than that, boy.”
I quickly explained everything that had happened to her parents. Willa got out of bed and came over to soothe her daughter, but she was openly crying herself and that didn’t help Mila’s tears any. Masterson grew more and more tense with each passing minute. Tanner came in behind me once I was done telling them what happened and handed his cell to the enforcer.
The rest of the night was mostly a blur after that. Several of the MC brothers had gone to a hotel for the night, so they were only about a mile away, and they all started a search party for Monroe. But in my gut, I knew they wouldn’t find her. By dawn, Mila looked like a zombie with her tear-swollen red eyes and the dark circles beneath them. She was pale and quiet, way too quiet.
With nothing more I could do, I told her parents I was taking her home. My parents and Aunt Emmie had gone back to my house the night before, but they’d left my SUV for me in the parking lot. I drove her home then had to tell my family what had happened to Monroe.
My stomach in knots, because I didn’t want to do this but knew there was no way we could continue making plans when Mila’s twin was missing, I told Aunt Emmie to put all wedding preparations on hold until this was all over.
“Lyric,” she murmured. “We’ll find her. Don’t worry, sweetheart.”
“A wedding is the last thing Mila’s going to want to deal with right now,” I told her, scrubbing a hand over the stubble on my jaw. “She’s already too stressed out over her sister. I’m not going to put more on her shoulders.”
“We understand, son,” Dad said, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing. “You just take care of Mila. When she’s ready, we’ll be here to take care of everything.”
“I’m calling Barrick,” Aunt Emmie said, pulling out her phone. “We’ll get the girl back, Ric. I promise.”
All I could do was nod, too exhausted to waste my breath with words I wasn’t even sure I believed. I’d seen the look in Fontana’s eyes when he’d had Monroe in his arms. They were those of a predator, ready to destroy anything and anyone who got in his way. But there had been something else, too.
Love.
Obsession.
Monroe was his, and he’d come to claim her. The only way we would get her back was if Fontana was dead.
And I was sure her dad would be all too happy to put a bullet in his skull.
Chapter 24
Mila
“Babe?”
I clenched my eyes closed tighter at Lyric’s voice, wanting to block out everything until I could hear Monroe’s voice again. But I knew that was just hiding from reality.
Gian Fontana had stolen her from me the night before. She was gone, and I didn’t know if I was ever going to see my other half again.
Regret twisted and churned in my stomach, making me so nauseated, I couldn’t breathe for a moment. I never should have kept her stalker a secret from our parents. If I’d known it was Fontana who was following her around, even though he was protecting her, I would have.
Hindsight was 20/20, though. I couldn’t turn back the clock and tell anyone. All I could do was pray she was okay.
He’d spent years protecting her. He wouldn’t hurt her now…
Would he?
No. I had to believe he would protect her with his own life as he’d done all this time.
Plus, he was her baby’s father. He wouldn’t let anything happen to his unborn child.
Please, God. Let them be okay.
“Mila, baby,” Lyric said again, and I heard the door shut behind him as he crossed to the bed.
Forcing myself to open my eyes, I looked up at him as he switched on the bedside lamp. I lifted my hand, needing him to hold me. The night before, he’d taken care of me, let me cry until there were no more tears left. He’d run after Monroe, tried to get her back for me. I knew if he could have, he would have taken on Gian Fontana to save my sister because he knew I couldn’t live without her.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he bent and touched his lips to my forehead. “I need to tell you something,” he said in a quiet voice.
“Okay.” My voice was hoarse from all the crying I’d done the night before, and I cleared it, hoping to make it sound stronger. “Tell me.”