Returned (Book 2 of the Stolen Collection)

31

Blake

"Hey," I tried to be gentle as I watched Kore wake up for the first time in seven days. I wanted to scream and demand she tell me where Jade was, but I knew she wouldn't know. We were still searching for Jim. Ronnie led that hunt. He hadn't been home since the day the girls were taken and the men I sent with him said they haven't seen him rest for longer than an hour at a time.

I knew he blamed himself, at first I blamed him too. When the person you care about most in the world is in danger you want to blame anyone and destroy everyone until they're back, but someone had to be here with Kore and I was no good to them hunting Jim. I wouldn't be able to question him, I would just kill him the moment I saw him.

"Blake?" Her hoarse voice brought me back from my thoughts.

"Hey," I repeated. "How are you feeling?"

"She told me you'd come for us," she smiled. Her words felt like an attack to me as I thought about Jade still hoping I'd be there any minute to save her. I didn't want to think about what was being done to her, but it was the only thing that filled my thoughts. "Where is she?"

"Uhm," I felt my voice crack as I pushed my hair back. Her tired face suddenly registered a look of horror.

"Where is she?" She started to sit up and I eased her back into her pillow. 

"We don't know, Kore," I told her honestly. "Did Jim mention anything at all to you about what he was planning?"

"No," she started to sob. "At least not while I was awake."

"Okay," I sighed and plopped back into the chair by her bed. 

Seven days. She could be dead by now. Even if she wasn't, she may wish she was. I pat Kore's leg and left the room, calling her nurse in. I could hear her crying as I left.

I went to my room. In the last seven days, all I had done was wait. There was nothing else for me to do. I had to wait for any word. I couldn't just use force in this situation, no matter how much I wanted to. My phone started ringing. Ronnie.

"Sir?" 

"What news do you have?" I asked.

"Nothing yet, sir." Ronnie sounded tired. 

"Then why are you calling me?" I snapped.

"Is Kore awake yet?" He ignored my tone, knowing it wasn't meant for him.

"She said she doesn't know anything."

"Thank you, sir."

"Ronnie," I said before he could hang up.

"Do not call me again unless you have information."

"Yes, sir." I ended the call and went downstairs. I couldn't sit in this house. I grabbed a set of keys as I entered the garage and got in the car, ignoring my usual driver offering to take me as I got into the black SUV. He opened the garage door as I came to it and knocked on the window.

"Sir?" He sounded nervous. "Is there anything-"

"I'll be back when I get back. No one is to contact me without news about Jade." I sped away before he could answer. I didn't know where I was going, just let my mind wander. I was at Jim's home before I realized it. There were men outside, looking at my car with fear clear on their faces. I hadn't decided if they should be afraid yet or not as I got out. I looked at the men, they looked like they were staring at a bomb that was about to go off.

"Sir," one of them gathered the bravery to step forward. He had cuts and bruises on his face that I knew must've been left by Ronnie. "I'm afraid we don't know where he is or where he took her. We explained all of this to the men you sent. They already tried all of the methods of getting answers, but I'm afraid we just don't have any."

The man stepped back when I didnt respond. I just stared at him for a moment.

"Where do your loyalties lie?" I asked the same man.

"They once were with Jim, but he has betrayed us." The man sounded angry as he spoke and I believed him. "He told no one what he was doing and left us all with the consequences."

"Call him," I ordered the man.

"I'll try again, sir." The man nodded and put his phone on speaker. It went straight to the unavailable message. "I'm sorry, sir."

I walked past the men and went inside. None of them dared stop me. I went to every room. I searched every email on his computer and every page in the office. I searched his bedroom even under the bed and in the closet. Anything for a clue, but there wasn't one. He had been careful.

"Sir?" The man from before asked as I walked out. I felt so defeated all I had managed to do was waste two hours. There wasn't much hope to begin with, but now it felt so much worse. I held my hand up to the man as I passed and slunked down into the driver seat of the SUV.

I finally started the car to leave when my phone rang. I considered throwing it out the window, tired of false hope and no answers, but I picked it up. Ronnie.

"I told you not to call without information." I snapped at him.

"Yes, sir." He said. "That's why I'm calling."