It was then Brantley realized that he wasn’t imagining the chemistry between them. No, maybe Reese wasn’t gay, but he was certainly interested. In what, he didn’t know. And it wasn’t like Brantley would act on it. If and when anything ever transpired between him and his newfound friend, Reese would have to be the one to put the moves on him.
Of course, that thought had his cock thickening behind his zipper.
As though timed to save Reese from an awkward encounter, the man’s cell phone rang. He quickly shut off the water, dried his hands, then grabbed his phone.
“Yeah?”
Brantley watched Reese’s expression turn dark in a matter of seconds.
“Fuck. Yeah, okay. I’ll be right there.”
The phone hit the counter with a clatter and then Brantley was watching Reese dart back down the hall to the bathroom. When he returned, he was wearing his boots.
“What’s goin’ on?”
The man didn’t have a chance to respond before Brantley’s phone was ringing, his sister Bryn’s number flashing on the screen.
“Hey, sis,” he said by way of greeting.
“Brantley, you need to get to Travis’s. Right now.”
His gaze shifted to Reese’s face as he spoke. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Travis’s daughter … Kate…”
“What about her?”
“She’s missing.”
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, his mind shifting into gear, preparing for the mission, whatever that might be. His brain instantly clicked on an image of Kate, Travis’s five-year-old daughter. He could see her smiling face, hear her sweet giggle, and his chest tightened with fear. It was a welcome sensation because he knew it would successfully knock everything else from his mind, bringing clarity so he could do what needed to be done. Again, whatever that might be.
“Brantley? Did you hear me?”
“Yeah. I heard. I’m headin’ there now.” Brantley was on his feet, saying goodbye to Bryn before racing down the hall to grab his boots and his firearm. He was sliding his belt on, affixing the holster when he saw Reese standing in the kitchen, his expression hard.
“You drivin’ or me?” Reese prompted.
He was surprised that Reese would consider going together, but he didn’t question it. “I’ll drive.”
Without a word, Reese started for the door while Brantley snagged his sunglasses and keys, followed his friend outside.
“Who called you?” Brantley asked as his tires kicked up gravel in their wake.
“Ethan. You?”
“Bryn.” He put the pedal to the floor, the truck’s engine roaring with power as he flew down the dirt road that would lead them into Coyote Ridge.
“She give you any details?”
“Nothing except Kate’s missing.”
Reese exhaled and Brantley could feel the calm that was coming over him. The man might’ve been out of the military for some time, but it was obvious he still remembered the tools of the trade.
Reaching for that calm himself, Brantley shoved everything from his mind and focused on driving.
***
Travis Walker stood on his front porch, hands planted on the railing, head hanging down. His mind was spinning a million miles a minute, his heart pounding uncontrollably. His fingers curled around the wood and he could feel the power flexing in his arms. The need to rip the porch apart tore through him, forcing him to take deep, calming breaths.
Fear coalesced with pain as he thought about that fucking phone call he’d received. Mr. Walker, we don’t want to alarm you, but … well, Kate’s missing.
How the fuck could they think delivering that news over the phone was a good idea, much less add we don’t want to alarm you as a way of breaking the ice?
Goddammit.
His entire world had stopped at that moment. The earth ceased to spin, the wind choked out. Hell, he was surprised the sun was still shining and that his heart was still beating.
Inside the house, he could hear his wife’s terrified sobs and desperate pleas for someone to find their daughter, his husband’s gruff voice as he attempted to calm her down. Somewhere behind him, Sheriff Endsley was on his phone, barking orders as he reached out to the appropriate departments for assistance. Although they didn’t have an exact time when Kate had disappeared, they knew it had been at least three hours.
Three. Fucking. Hours.
Every second felt like an eternity as they stood around with their thumbs up their asses. Waiting when they should’ve been doing. And for what? What the fuck were they waiting for? He wanted some fucking answers. Anything to tell them where Kate was. There was plenty of speculation from the principal, the school counselor, even the fucking deputy who’d been jotting down information.
Maybe Kate wanted to play hide-and-seek.
Umm, no. His daughter was a hell of a lot smarter than that.
Maybe Kate saw someone she knew at the capitol, left with them.
Umm, no. Those who knew Kate were a hell of a lot smarter than that.
Maybe, maybe, maybe. What it was was a bunch of fucking bullshit meant to calm the waters.
