Always you

Chapter 26

The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale, ghostly light over the Outer Banks. Rafe's knuckles were white as he gripped the handlebars of his motorcycle, his jaw clenched so tightly it felt like it might snap. Hours had passed since Sasha was taken, and with each passing minute, his frustration and fear grew. JJ rode alongside him, his usually relaxed demeanor replaced by grim determination.

They had scoured every corner of the Outer Banks, stopping at every hideout, bar, and dive where the gang might be. Rafe had burst through doors, shouted threats, and demanded answers, but each time he was met with either blank stares or defiant silence.

"Nothing," Rafe muttered under his breath as they pulled to a stop outside a dilapidated warehouse near the docks.

JJ dismounted, running a hand through his hair. "They're covering their tracks," he said, his voice tight. "But they'll slip up. Someone always does."

Rafe leaned against his bike, his head bowed as he struggled to think. His mind was a whirlwind of anger, guilt, and fear. Sasha's face—her laugh, her smile—kept flashing before his eyes, and the thought of her in danger because of him was unbearable.

"She's out there, JJ," Rafe said, his voice low and raw. "And it's my fault. They took her because of me."

JJ placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're gonna find her, Rafe. You can't let this eat you up. She needs you sharp, not spiraling."

Before Rafe could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The screen lit up with a number he recognized instantly, and his stomach twisted into a knot.

"It's them," he said, his voice tight. He answered the call, his grip on the phone so tight it was a wonder it didn't snap in half. "Where the hell is she?"

A mocking laugh echoed through the speaker. "Well, well, Rafe Cameron. You sound a little tense. Didn't think you'd care this much about your little girlfriend."

"Don't you dare talk about her," Rafe growled, his voice venomous. "This is between us. She has nothing to do with it."

The man on the other end chuckled. "Oh, but she does now. You thought you could screw us over and just walk away? Nah, this is your payment."

Rafe's free hand curled into a fist. "You're making the biggest mistake of your life. When I find you—"

"You'll do what?" the man interrupted, his tone smug. "Look, if you want her back, you're gonna have to come to us. Alone. No JJ, no backup. You so much as breathe the wrong way, and she's dead."

"Where?" Rafe demanded.

There was a pause before the man rattled off an address. Rafe's heart sank. He knew the place—a decrepit warehouse on the outskirts of town, hidden by dense trees and abandoned train tracks.

"Be here in thirty minutes," the man said. "And just to be clear, if we even think you're bringing anyone else, her blood's on your hands."

"I want to talk to her," Rafe demanded.

The man laughed. "Not happening. You'll see her when you get here—if you get here."

The line went dead.

Rafe stood frozen for a moment, his grip on the phone slackening. JJ watched him, his brow furrowed. "What did they say?"

"They have her," Rafe said, his voice hollow. "They want me to come alone. If I bring anyone else, they'll kill her."

JJ's eyes narrowed. "You're not going by yourself. That's suicide."

"I don't have a choice," Rafe snapped. He turned, striding toward his motorcycle.
~

Sasha sat slumped in the rickety wooden chair, her wrists raw from struggling against the ropes. Her head throbbed where one of the men had struck her, but she refused to show any weakness.

The room was dimly lit, with a single flickering bulb casting eerie shadows on the cracked concrete walls. The air was damp and heavy with the smell of mildew, and every sound echoed ominously.

The gang members lounged nearby, their faces partially obscured by the shadows. One of them, a wiry man with a scar running down his cheek, smirked as he approached her.

"Looks like your boyfriend doesn't care as much as you thought," he sneered.

Sasha met his gaze with a steely glare. "You're wrong," she said firmly. "He'll come."

The man's smirk faltered for a moment before he leaned in closer. "Even if he does, you think he's walking out of here alive? We're gonna make him pay for everything he's done."

Sasha clenched her jaw. "You're pathetic," she spat. "You're nothing but a bunch of cowards hiding behind threats."

The man's expression darkened, and before she could react, his hand lashed out, striking her across the face.

"Big talk for someone tied to a chair," he said coldly.

Sasha's head snapped to the side, her cheek stinging, but she refused to cry out. She turned back to him, her eyes blazing with defiance.

"You're gonna regret that," she said, her voice low.