Always you

Chapter 25

The night was alive with music and laughter as the bonfire blazed against the backdrop of crashing waves. The flames cast flickering shadows on the beach, highlighting the carefree faces of everyone gathered. Sasha stood close to Rafe, his arm draped casually around her shoulders as they laughed at one of Topper's over-the-top stories.

The party was in full swing, and Sasha couldn't deny she was enjoying herself. The warmth of the fire, the smell of the sea, and the easy camaraderie made everything feel almost perfect. But as she leaned against Rafe, her phone buzzed weakly in her pocket, and she realized it was about to die.

"Ugh, my phone's dead," she muttered, pulling it out to confirm.

Rafe glanced down. "Need my charger? It's in the car."

"Yeah, I'll grab it," Sasha said. "Be right back."

"You sure? I can go with you."

She smiled, leaning up to kiss him softly on the cheek. "I'll be fine. Don't let JJ take your beer."

Rafe smirked, watching her head toward the dunes where the cars were parked. Sasha waved briefly at Kiara and Sarah as she passed them, their laughter blending into the hum of the party.

The path to the cars was darker than she'd expected, the music and light from the bonfire fading as she moved farther away. She unlocked the car, opened the door, and rummaged around the glove compartment for the charger. Just as her fingers closed around it, a hand clamped over her arm, yanking her backward.

"What the—" she gasped, twisting in alarm, but another hand pressed a damp cloth to her face.

The smell was sharp and chemical, overwhelming her senses. Sasha struggled, her muffled cries swallowed by the darkness as her limbs weakened. She felt herself being dragged, her feet scraping against the ground as her vision blurred.

The last thing she saw was the dark outline of an SUV waiting nearby, its back doors open.

Back at the bonfire, Sarah glanced around, her brow furrowing. "Where's Sasha?" she asked Kiara.

Kiara shrugged, holding a beer. "She went to the car for something, didn't she?"

"That was a while ago," Sarah said, her concern growing. She scanned the crowd, finally spotting Rafe near the fire, laughing with Topper and JJ.

"Rafe!" Sarah called, hurrying over.

He turned, smiling at her, but the look on her face made his smile vanish. "What's wrong?"

"Where's Sasha?"

"She went to the car for a charger," Rafe said, straightening.

"Well, she's not back yet," Sarah said. "I've looked everywhere."

Rafe's expression darkened immediately. "What do you mean she's not back?" He pulled out his phone and tried calling her, his jaw tightening when it went straight to voicemail.

"Her phone's dead," Sarah reminded him, her voice rising in panic.

"Where's the car?" JJ asked, appearing at Rafe's side, his easygoing demeanor gone.

"Over there," Rafe said, already striding toward the dunes.

Sarah and JJ followed closely, the urgency of the situation sinking in. As they neared the car, Sarah spotted something glinting on the ground. She hurried forward and picked it up.

"It's Sasha's phone," she said, holding it up. The screen was cracked, the case scuffed as if it had been dropped.

Rafe froze, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell?"

He ran his hands through his hair, pacing. "This doesn't make sense. She wouldn't just leave her phone here."

JJ crouched down, inspecting the ground. "There's no way she just dropped it. Look at this." He pointed to faint scuff marks leading away from the car, as if something—or someone—had been dragged.

"Someone took her," Rafe said, his voice low and furious.

Sarah's eyes widened in alarm. "What? How do you know?"

"I just do!" he snapped, his fists clenching.

"Okay, calm down," JJ said, trying to keep his own panic in check. "If someone grabbed her, we need to act fast. Did you see anything earlier? Anyone suspicious?"

Rafe shook his head, his mind racing. "No, but...dammit, I know who it is."

"Who?" Sarah demanded.

Rafe didn't answer, his eyes blazing with barely controlled rage. "Just stay here," he said. "Call the cops if you need to, but I'm finding her."

"You're not going alone," JJ said, standing and gripping Rafe's shoulder. "You have no idea what you're walking into."

"Neither do you," Rafe said coldly, but there was a flicker of appreciation in his eyes.

"Guys, stop," Sarah interjected. "We don't have time for this. If you think you know who did this, then tell us!"

"I'll explain later," Rafe said, already moving toward his motorcycle. "Right now, I'm getting her back."

Inside the SUV, Sasha's head throbbed as she slowly regained consciousness. Her wrists were tied, and the taste of chemicals lingered in her mouth. She blinked against the dim light, her surroundings coming into focus.

She was lying on the floor of the vehicle, her body jostling with every bump in the road. The men she'd seen at the bonfire and the race were sitting in the front seats, speaking in low voices.

"Why'd we take her?" one of them asked, his voice gruff.

"She's leverage," the other replied. "That boyfriend of hers owes us, and if he doesn't pay up, she's our insurance."

Sasha's heart sank, panic rising in her chest. She tried to stay calm, forcing her breathing to steady as she tested the ropes around her wrists. They were tight, but not unbreakable.

The SUV came to a stop, and Sasha heard the doors open. The men dragged her out roughly, ignoring her protests as they led her into what looked like an abandoned warehouse.

She was shoved into a chair, the ropes around her wrists tied to its arms. One of the men crouched in front of her, his face inches from hers.

"You're going to sit here nice and quiet," he said, his breath reeking of cigarettes. "And if your boyfriend knows what's good for him, he'll show up with what we want."

Sasha glared at him, refusing to let her fear show. "He'll come for me," she said, her voice steady.

The man chuckled darkly. "Oh, we're counting on it."

Back at the beach, Rafe revved his motorcycle, his jaw set with determination. JJ climbed onto his own bike, nodding toward Sarah. "Call us if you hear anything."

"Be careful," Sarah said, her voice trembling.

"We'll find her," Rafe promised, his voice hard. He sped off into the night, JJ close behind, both of them racing against time to bring Sasha back.