It’s just a hope.
Mitch isn’t safe. He’s in the clutches of a monster.
“You know that’s not true,” I say softly. “He’s missing and you know it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have invited me in to try to pull answers out of me.”
Tears fill her eyes, but she blinks them back and swallows hard. “This can’t happen again. It can’t.”
But it did.
It is happening again.
“We’re looking for him, Mom,” Dragon assures her. “Koyn is the smartest man on the planet. Trust me. If anyone can get information on this bastard, it’s him. We’ll find Mitch and then I’ll make sure Night Giant pays for everything.”
Violence ripples from him like heat from the sun.
“I’d like to meet this Koyn fella,” Owen grunts. “See who’s been fathering my son in my absence. Sounds like he’s a bad influence if you ask me.”
Dragon winks at me, making my blood run hot. “Nah, Koyn can’t control me. The only bad influence is BP. Right, Baby Prospect?”
My face burns hot as they all watch me curiously. I need to get out of this damn house. It’s too much Dragon at once.
“We should go,” I state. “See what Koyn has for us on Mitch.”
Dragon checks his phone. “Nothing. Filter and Nees went back to the hotel.”
“So if Night Giant has Mitch,” Benjamin says, bringing everyone back to the subject at hand, “does that mean he has Taylor too? He’s not answering my calls either.”
“I don’t remember Taylor,” Dragon says with a frown.
“He’s not a Night Giant lackey if that’s what you’re thinking,” Lindsay mutters, shaking her head. “His parents are decent people. Aimee works at the hospital with Owen. She’s a pediatric surgeon.”
“And Taylor’s father?” Dragon implores.
“Leo is an accountant for the school district,” Lindsay answers. “Their family is like ours. Normal.”
Kai coughs out a “bullshit,” that earns a smack to his head by his mother.
“I’ll call Dr. Eckerd,” Owen says, ignoring Kai being a dick. “See what she has to say about Taylor.” He stands and exits the room, his booming voice echoing behind him as he makes his call.
“We should go,” I say to Dragon. “We won’t find him sitting around here.”
“Absolutely not,” Lindsay hisses. “You two are staying for dinner. Until Owen hears back from Aimee or your boss—”
“Prez,” Dragon interjects.
Lindsay rolls her eyes. “Unless your prez has info and needs you, you’re both staying here. After dinner, if there’s no new information, you’ll stay here. Your room is still here, so you and your boyfriend will have a place to sleep.”
Fucking wonderful.
“You kept my room?” Dragon asks, the boyish softness in his tone a stark contrast to his outward serial killer look he has going on.
Lindsay takes his large, tattooed hand in her small, pale one. “You’re my son. I didn’t want to give up hope. Having your room made me feel closer to you. Sometimes I just sit in there for hours.”
“It’s creepy,” Kai says. “So glad I moved out.”
Owen returns, a somber expression on his face. “Spoke with Aimee. She can’t get ahold of Taylor and is concerned. I talked her out of calling the police.”
I’m curious why they wouldn’t want to involve the police. I mean, I don’t want them to because we’re not exactly on the up and up, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense why this wealthy, upstanding family doesn’t want to involve the police on the whereabouts of their missing son.
“Good,” Lindsay bites out. “They were useless the last time. I begged them to do whatever it took to find Chase and they got nowhere.” She waves a dismissive hand in the air. “If it means getting the help of a ruthless biker gang led by a former billionaire computer hacker and his ex-Fed brother to find my son, I know where I’ll place my bets. We’ll find Mitch, and that sonofabitch who keeps taking my children will pay for what he’s done.”
This family may be rich and loved in their community, but the cruel vibe coming from Lindsay is obviously a trait that Dragon came by honestly.
“I’m going to kill him, Momma.”
“Damn right you are.”
Dragon
I’m drained.
So fucking drained.
Being home is surreal. I never planned to seek them out because Chase died. I’m not the boy they lost. I’m someone different. A goddamn monster.
But they don’t care.
I looked my mother in the eyes and admitted every horrible thing I could think of, daring her to be disgusted with me. However, just like when I was a kid, she didn’t back down from the helluva challenge I threw at her feet.
She was happy to see me.
Overjoyed.
They all were.
I still can’t believe it. That I’m here, in my childhood home, feeling welcomed and loved. It’s hard to merge these two worlds—being Chase and Dragon. Mom says I have no choice now. She’s not letting me go no matter what.