I threw the tray into the sink, and the dishes clattered. I didn’t care if they broke or not. I needed to take my frustration out on something.

“She’s got your number.”

I didn’t have to turn around to know it was my kid brother, Tim, with a smirk on his ugly face. He was entertained by the reactions Laney was getting from me. I’d never come that unglued by anyone, but no one had dared to stand up to me the way she had, either. That wasn’t true. April did, but only at the office. The attacks I received upstairs were more personal.

“What the fuck do you want?”

A loud thud on the table behind me grabbed my attention, and I turned to see what he was doing. He was about to drop the other bag of groceries from three feet in the air. It took two steps for me to grab the bag just as he dropped it. I put my hand around his throat and pinned him to the wall.

“If you would’ve broken the jars all over my table, I would’ve mopped it up with your body.” I dropped him.

“Just fuck her and get it out of your system.”

I backhanded him and sent him flying toward the door. “Get the fuck out if that’s how you’re going to treat me.”

“How I’m going to treat you?” He stood and charged me, rolling his shoulder into my gut. He played football in high school before a knee injury took him out. It sent me backward into the counter.

“You little fucker.” I shoved him off me and pulled my hand back to punch him when my phone went off. Business came first.

“Go ahead. What’s stopping you?” Tim was ready for a fight even though he detested it.

I hadn’t fought with him like that for years. Not since I’d stopped using and gotten clean. What was she doing to me? “I’ll finish this later.”

“Good luck getting me to come back over here to be your fucking punching bag, asshole.”

I shook my head when he slammed the door on his way out. He’d come back. He had to. We were all either of us had. I shouldn’t have hit him, though. He had every right to be angry. My phone buzzed again in my hand.

I stretched my back and groaned. I could feel the bruise coming already from the tackle to the counter. That little fucker would’ve been drafted had it not been for that injury. The person who caused it soon found his own injury off the field. I smiled at the memory.

I looked at my phone and saw the texts from Joshua Mosley, Laney’s father. I’d been putting him off, but it was time to meet up. He was insisting. If I wanted to keep him out of my business, I needed to make him happy. I grabbed my keys.

* * *

“Hi, you’ve reached Laney Mosley, soon-to-be Laney Chase. I’m not able to come to the phone right now, but leave a message, and I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”

I’d left too many messages that she never returned already. I called just to hear her voice. It was the only reason I woke up in the morning and the only reason I remembered to breathe every day. Hope was fading that she’d ever answer again, but as long as I could hear her voice, I could breathe.

I was sitting outside her father’s office, waiting for him to come out. I wanted to follow him as I’d been doing every night since she left, but he never led me to her. He had to be up to something. She wouldn’t have left without saying something to me. She wouldn’t have gone this long without talking. We had spoken every day without fail since we started dating. And nothing her father said to me made any sense.

* * *

I pushed my way through as soon as one of the assholes who worked for Joshua opened the door. I didn’t wait for an invitation. “Where is she?”

“Like I told you the other fifty times you called me today, she isn’t available. She doesn’t want to talk to you right now.” Her father didn’t look up from the television when he spoke. It was as if I was boring him.

I walked over to the television and turned it off. “You’re going to answer my fucking questions. There’s no way she left me.”

Marco stood and Joshua waved him off. “Let me take out the trash.”

Joshua waved him off again. “No, we don’t need to make any trouble where there isn’t any trouble.” He looked at me. “I didn’t say she left you, but if that’s what you want to think, so be it. She needs time, so I’m giving it to her.”

“She doesn’t need time. You’re up to something, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.” I turned to leave and Joshua stood, so I took two steps toward him instead. “Does that make you nervous? It should.”

“Just like I told Marco, we don’t need to make trouble where there isn’t any. Give her a few days.” He bent over and picked up the remote to turn the television back on. “Jesus, you’ve been without her for what, two hours? Grow a fucking set and live the bachelor life again for a little while.”

I stormed over to him and shoved him back onto the sofa. “I will find her, and I will kill you if you hurt her.”

He stood and got into my face. The garlic on his breath from his dinner was nauseating, but I stood my ground and didn’t cower under his attempt to intimidate me. I only stood down for Laney. She wasn’t there to stop me from standing up to him. If I were lucky enough to get her back, she’d never stop me from standing up to him again. I was done with him pushing us around.

“You think you’re a tough guy all of a sudden? What you are is pussy-whipped. Without a strong girl like Laney telling you which side of the pants to put your dick, you’re fucking nothing.” He stood closer and his face became hard. “Take some advice. When you zip up, watch the zipper. The teeth can be murder on a sensitive prick like yourself.”

“I’ve got your number, you piece of shit. Your balls aren’t as protected as you think, and I’m going to enjoy shoving them up your ass when I get Laney back.”

* * *

I punched her number again and listened to her sweet voice. She was so proud to become my wife and even begged me to elope just so we could be married. She didn’t care what the wedding was like. I didn’t care, either, but I wanted it to be the best wedding for her. I should’ve taken the chance to elope when I had it. I would’ve found some way to make it special.

The door to the building opened, but it wasn’t Joshua Mosley who came out. I looked down to her face on my phone. I’d never believe she left me. Not after the morning we had the day she disappeared. I vowed to never be apprehensive again if she wanted to be adventurous. She’d been held back enough in her life. If I got a second chance to love her again, I’d enjoy the ride with her and follow wherever she wanted to go.

I looked up to the door again. I couldn’t wait for him anymore. I got out of the car and jogged to the door to find out where she was. I needed her, and I was willing to bet, she needed me, too.

I walked in and walked straight toward his office without looking at anyone. The guard at the front desk called out after me. “You’re not allowed back there.”

I picked up the pace and ran to his office. No one was stopping me that day. I would get the answers I needed, and the only one who had those answers was Joshua.

“I’ll call the police if you don’t come back here.” The guard was still after me.

“Go ahead. He’s going to need them.”

I rounded the corner and stopped when I saw Joshua standing outside his office door with three guys behind him. He still couldn’t intimidate me. “Where is she, Joshua?”

His secretary took cover in Joshua’s office as he chuckled and waved the guard following me away. “I have to say it’s heartwarming to see this side of you, Bryce. I didn’t think you had it in you. It looks like we have something in common, after all.” He cocked his head to the side and smiled. “Neither one of us gives up.”

“You can give up any time. I’m not going anywhere until I find out what you’ve done with Laney.”

“Bryce, she’s my baby.” He placed his hand on his chest. “I would never do anything to hurt her. You have to know that.”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t know that. All you’ve done since the moment I entered her life was hurt her.”

“I gave the two of you a hard time.” He shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. It was a big deal to Laney. “I’ve seen the error of my ways.” He took a few steps toward me and his face softened. “Listen, I stopped by the shop to talk to Laney since I’d been scarce lately.”

“Scarce? You missed every appointment you promised to go to. Do you know how she felt when she had to explain to everyone why you were a no-show? She felt insignificant. She felt as if she didn’t matter to you at all and I’m the one who comforted her when she cried when we went home. I’m the one.” I scoffed. “You’d never do anything to hurt her. You hurt her every damn day!”

“I know. I heard her the night you two came over for dinner. I hadn’t realized what I was doing until she got upset with me. Look, I’m not supposed to tell you any of this.” He shook his head and looked down. “She’s going to kill me if she finds out I told you, so you’ve got to promise me that you’ll act dumb.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m keeping my word. I’m going to pay for your wedding, but it’s going to be the wedding of a lifetime. I owe you kids that much. I want to see my little girl happy, and apparently, you make her happy.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Good. That will help make it believable when she surprises you.”

I was growing impatient. “Just spit it the fuck out, Joshua!”

“She flew out early to get things settled. She deserved to have everything exactly like her dreams. I told her to spare no expenses and make it as beautiful as she wanted. You know how much she loves the beach. It’s taking a little longer than we expected to get things set up because it’s a busy time for weddings there, but things are coming around. You guys are getting your dream wedding at a remote area and even I can’t contact you when you stay for your honeymoon. That’s why it interested you so much, isn’t it?”

“You expect me to believe that she left without any word to me at all?”

“She wanted to surprise you. Honestly, I don’t think she thought it would take this long. Neither of us did.”

“This is bullshit. I don’t believe a word out of your lying mouth.”

“Well, believe it or not, it’s the truth. It was your idea for the destination with no contact to the outside world.”

I wasn’t going to get any more information out of him. Not that I was getting anything useful anyway, but I knew he was behind her disappearance. I’d thought maybe if I acted as if I was going along with it, I could gain more info each day.

It was time the tables were turned on Joshua Mosley. He’d controlled people long enough. I had a few secrets of my own waiting to see the light of day, but I had to find Laney before I used those secrets. Her safety was my only concern.

“I did say that would be a great place for a wedding.” I backed down and let my shoulders fall as if I wasn’t threatening him anymore. I was still a threat. I was just going to be a silent one.