Chapter Thirteen
Packing up their bags after another successful mission, Donnie paused, frowning at the strange feeling in his chest. He rubbed the ache, trying to ease it, and closed his eyes.
His chest tightened, and his skin broke out in a cold sweat. He panted as his heart rate picked up and he opened his eyes, glancing around the area and trying to figure out why he was feeling this way.
He gasped, realizing that it wasn’t him. It was Jeremy. Jeremy was scared.
Chester squatted beside him. “What’s wrong?”
Donnie shook his head. “I don’t know. I think it’s Jeremy. Something’s wrong with him.”
“We’ve got ten minutes, then we’re moving out to the plane. Call him.”
Nodding, Donnie pulled his cell out of his pocket and quickly dialed Jeremy’s number. After a few seconds of ringing, it clicked through to voicemail. “Hey, babe, it’s me. Give me a call when you get this message. Love you.”
He hung up and stared blankly at the screen when Chester said, “He’ll call you back, D. We’ll be home in a few hours, and you’ll see for yourself.”
Donnie nodded, but couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. He dialed Jeremy’s cell again and again went through the voicemail.
Pocketing his cell, he finished packing their equipment. They’d be in the air soon, and then he’d try again.
It wasn’t long until Donnie sat on the plane and they took off. As soon as he could, he called Jeremy and again there was no answer. The tightness in his chest intensified, and he struggled to breathe, leaning over in the seat and gasping for air.
“What’s wrong?” Jared asked, sitting next to him.
“I don’t know. Something’s wrong. I know there is. I need to get back to Jeremy.”
“You think it’s him?”
“Yeah.” Donnie nodded, glancing at Jared. “It’s him. He’s terrified, and I can’t reach him.” Donnie ran a hand over his face. “Shit. How long till we land?”
“Another couple of hours.”
“Fuck. Too long. Something’s wrong. I need to be there now!”
He stood, eyes bouncing around the cabin. His chest heaved, sweat breaking out, and he staggered forward a step before Jared and Chester gripped his arms.
“You need to stay calm, D. There’s nothing we can do right now. Let’s land, and we’ll go straight to yours.”
“I need to be there now,” Donnie’s screamed, trying to break free. “He’s hurt. He needs me.”
Chester shoved him back into the seat and stared at him. “Think. What could have happened?” Turning around, he shouted to Ale. “Trace Jeremy’s cell.”
Donnie stared at Ale, watching him work his magic. “It’s at the house.”
“Shit. I’ll call the house.”
Donnie’s hands shook so much he struggled to open the cell and Jared took it from him. “Under home?”
“Yeah.”
He watched and waited as Jared called the number. Jared looked at him and slowly shook his head.
“He never leaves his cell,” Donnie muttered.
“I hate to ask but is everything okay with the two of you?”
“They’re fantastic. He’s buying a new bakery and everything’s...” He stared up at Chester. “Oh, fuck. His ex.”
“What about him?”
“He’s been messaging Jeremy. We had to change Jeremy’s number.”
“Could he have found him?”
“How?” Donnie shook his head. “He moved hundreds of miles away.”
“He got his number after he’d changed it,” Chester reminded him.
“Fuck, Ches. What if he found him? I can’t lose him now.” Donnie struggled to breathe, emotions crashing over him. He couldn’t lose Jeremy. He was his everything.
Squatting in front of him, Chester said, “Try sending him positive emotions.”
“What?”
“I’ve heard that you can send each other emotions other than the general ones you feel. Jeremy could know he’s in trouble and that’s why your feelings are so intense. Send positive ones back. Maybe he’ll understand that you know something’s wrong.”
“Are you talking shit to me right now?”
“Try it. What have you got to lose?”
Donnie frowned but closed his eyes, leaning back in the seat. He thought of Jeremy, his vivid green eyes, black hair and pale skin. He let his emotions for Jeremy rise to the surface and pushed them to him. He almost laughed. He felt ridiculous doing it.
In his mind, he whispered Jeremy’s name, telling him he’d find him.
Don...
His eyes snapped open, and he stared in shock at Chester. “I heard him. I think I heard him.”
Chester nodded. “Good. Try harder.”
He continued to stare at Chester. “You knew this might happen.”
“I’d heard about it being possible, but it was years ago and more rumor than truth.” Chester shrugged. “Try again.”
He closed his eyes again and concentrated on Jeremy. The sound of his voice, the touch of his skin.
Donnie.
He almost cried when he heard Jeremy’s voice in his mind. Baby.
The voice was weak but audible. Patrick...
I know. I’m coming for you.
He opened his eyes, slumping back as sweat rolled down the sides of his face. “Fuck, it’s hard.”
“Did you manage it?” Jared asked.
Donnie glanced at him. “Yeah, he said Patrick then kinda faded away.”
“So, his ex found him. Do you have a surname?”
“Patrick Snider.”
“Ale,” Chester shouted.
“On it.”
They sat in silence, and when a mug appeared in front of him, he looked up to see Kerrie holding it out. “Thanks.”
“We’re here for you, D.”
He nodded, taking a shaky breath. He needed to be strong, but damn if he didn’t want to cry.
“The emotions you’re feeling are natural. Your mate is in danger, and you feel helpless up here. Let them out if you need to. No one will think less of you.”
“Got it. About two miles north of your house, D. It appears stationary.”
Donnie blinked, his mouth dropping open. “What? That close? It isn’t moving?”
“Not that I can tell. It’s stationary.”
“That’s good, D,” Chester reassured him. “If he has Jeremy, then he’s close by and within reach. We’ll land, check your place out just to make sure, and then move to where Patrick is.” Chester gripped his shoulder. “We’ll get him back.”
Donnie nodded, almost choking on the emotions inside him and those he’d sensed from Jeremy. Now, there was nothing. His foot bounced and he swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut. He needed to get a grip. Jeremy needed him to be strong, needed him to save him.
He groaned, leaning over. He should have done something when Patrick had made contact with Jeremy. Should have realized he’d try to reach Jeremy. He’d taken the time to track down his number and Donnie should have known that Patrick wanted Jeremy back.
Shit, he’d been on missions where they aided the local police department in situations like this. Sometimes, families would bring them in to assist.
A small hand touched his, and he saw Kerrie sitting next to him. He smiled weakly at her, then looked away. He clasped his hands together, staring at the floor of the plane. Not long now and he’d be home. He just hoped Jeremy would be there to greet him.
❊❊❊
Pulling up outside his house, Donnie scanned the area, noticing that everything appeared normal with no signs of disturbance. He stepped out of his Jeep and again surveyed the area. Chester walked over to him, and they both made their way to the house.
The front door appeared closed, and Donnie opened it, stopping before entering. He closed his eyes and sensed the house. He didn’t hear a sound, and he glanced over at Chester who was frowning as he looked at the floor.
Donnie glanced down and froze, his breath catching in his throat. Blood on the floor. Not a lot but enough.
He stepped in, avoiding the small pool of blood, and walked cautiously into the living room. He saw the smashed cell on the floor by the wall, and more blood behind the sofa.
He made a small sound in the back of his throat, and Chester grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around.
Chester told him in a strong, firm voice. “He isn’t dead. You’d know if he was. Do a quick search, then we’ll regroup outside. You do upstairs and I’ll search down here.”
Donnie barely managed to nod, and his eyes followed Chester as he walked from the room. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm the riot in his stomach, trying to ease the tightness in his chest.
He walked up the stairs and quickly searched the room, but nothing was disturbed. He checked the drawers and wardrobes, but again, everything was as it should be. He even checked the bathroom, but all Jeremy’s toiletries were where they should be.
Nothing was missing, except Jeremy.
Back downstairs, he met Chester, who nodded to the back door. When he got there, he stopped and stared. More blood and marks on the wall.
“Outside.”
Donnie followed Chester outside and stopped again. Blood on the decking in a number of places. More scuff marks on the wood.
“I think the fight started by the front door, no doubt when Patrick turned up. It carried on in the living room and ended out here. He fought, Donnie. He didn’t willingly leave.”
Donnie didn’t say a word; he didn’t acknowledge the words Chester spoke. He simply stared at the blood, clenching his hands into fists, squeezing them so tight the knuckles turned white.
“I’ll kill him,” he whispered hoarsely. “When I get my hands on him, I’m going to kill him.”
Chester gripped his shoulders, shaking him. “No. We go in and we get Jeremy out, and then let the police deal with him.”
Donnie shrugged him off, glaring at him. “What? Are you fucking serious? He’s hurt Jeremy, my mate. Would you step aside and let the police deal with someone who’d kidnapped and harmed your mate? Fuck you.”
Donnie pushed past Chester back into the house and went to the safe he kept in his study. Opening it, he pulled out his 9mm Beretta and the ammo and slammed the door shut.
He stormed out and jogged over to his Jeep, ignoring Chester, who was leaning on it.
“Don’t go in recklessly, D. You don’t know what you’re facing. Don’t risk Jeremy’s life. Breathe, D. Calm down and breathe.”
Donnie rested his arms on the hood of the Jeep and sighed. Chester was right, and that pissed him off. He did want to go there, guns blazing, but he couldn’t risk the man he loved. He needed to stay calm and focused. Once Jeremy was safe, then Patrick was his.
“Ale has the coordinates. Let’s go. We’re about ten minutes away. I’ll call the sheriff on route and let him know where we will be.”