CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
Wolves Don’t Give Up
Dylan
The whole pack is waiting for me when I return. I keep my eyes on the ground, not wanting to see their surprise or
disappointment.
They all expected me to return with Kenzy. We were sure Raymond had kidnapped her.
He clearly has, but not by the means we’d thought. He doesn’t seem to be using physical force to contain Kenzy’s or she would have leaped into my arms. She knows
I’m strong enough to protect her.
The only thing I can think of is blackmail.
He must have something on her. That’s the only way she’d be with him.
Unless I’m wrong.
Unless Kenzy’s clue’ was nothing but the truth.
Am I imagining she’s trying to send me a message just because I so desperately want her to? What if she really does love Raymond?
I brush off queries coming from all sides.
I know I’m being ungrateful. The whole pack helped me find Kenzy I wouldn’t have ever tracked her to Raymond’s house without them.
Not only is it the last place I thought to look, but I don’t have the skills to pull flight and taxi records.
Derek isn’t having any of my nonsense. He lets himself in before I’ve even gotten into a proper moping position.
I’m becoming more and more sure by the moment that I’m imagining the whole thing, that Kenzy really does want to be with Raymond.
What happened?” Derek shuts the door behind him and stalks over to me.
I flop onto the couch. “She’s with Raymond.”
We know that, Dylan! I mean, why is she with him?”
I sigh and relate the encounter. I tell Derek the thoughts I had about Kenzy trying to tip me off that she’s lying.
But I was probably imagining it. I was desperate for her to… to want me. Clearly, she doesn’t.”
Clearly, you are in shock and not thinking properly. It sounds quite obvious to me that Kenzy is acting under duress. Now get your ass off that sofa. We have work to do.”
Give me a break, Derek. I don’t want to Work now.”
The work is to bring Kenzy back.”
That gets me off the couch. “We can’t. If it was safe for her to leave, she would have done it by now. We need to figure out what Raymond has on her, what’s keeping her there.”
“Now you’re thinking. Wolves don’t give up, Dylan. You know that. Your mate is in trouble, and we will help her. After all, she’s part of this pack, too. She has been ever since your wedding.”
My doubts are fading in light of Derek’s certainty.
In the time that I’ve been part of Derek’s pack, I’ve come to trust him. I don’t always agree with him on everything, but if he thinks Kenzy needs help, then I believe him.
We’ll have to start at the beginning.” I start pacing up and down the room.
“Why would she leave in the middle of the night without telling me? It’s clear there wasn’t a struggle.
Raymond must have threatened her with something, but what? I can’t see what he could threaten that I wouldn’t be able to protect her from.”
“Blackmail, maybe? Does Kenzy have any secrets that she doesn’t want to be shared with the world?”
I’m already shaking my head before he’s finished speaking.
No. She’s a journalist. She believes in the truth being out in the open. If someone tried to threaten her with releasing information, she’d laugh at them. She’d release it herself
Just to spite them.”
“Maybe he threatened her family or Hannah.”
Gavin frowns at that. “Surely she knows that the pack would protect them?”
Does she know?
I suppose she does,” I say slowly But it’s more complicated than you think.
What are we going to do – move Hannah and Kenzy’s family in here permanently?
Put them into witness protection?
For that matter, why wouldn’t she go to the police if Raymond threatened physical violence against her or someone she loves?”
Derek doesn’t have an answer for me. “Are your coding skills still sharp?”
That has me grinning. “They may be a bit rusty, but I can get back into it. You’re thinking I should hack Raymond’s phone, or computer?”
Both. I’ll talk to the rest of the pack and see what we can dig up. We’ll meet tonight to talk it through.”
When Derek leaves, I’m feeling a lot more optimistic than I was upon coming in.
I retire to my bedroom and pull my clothes off.
I get my laptop and start working. I find myself getting distracted easily. I keep thinking of her and worrying over the fact that Raymond has her.
How is he treating her? She didn’t look hurt when I saw her, but clothes can cover a lot.
I force my mind back to the hacking. Now isn’t the time to agonize over my feelings.
Now is the time to take decisive action.
This is the quickest way of finding out what’s going on, I tell myself firmly.
Worrying won’t get me anyway. If I work quickly, maybe I’I has her here in person next time, rather than just the memory of her.
As always when I code, I get drawn into the process. Before I joined the pack, I spent most of my time on basic web design. It paid the bills, but it wasn’t really challenging.
Hacking is another story.
I don’t do it often, but I know enough to use it in a pinch. Often when I’ve done it, it’s been to help Kenzy dig up information for her work as a journalist.
Now, it’s still to help her, but for entirely different reasons.
I only realize it’s dark when my phone starts ringing.
I snatch it up without checking the caller ID, hoping it will be Kenzy.
Dylan, it’s Hannah.”
I’m not often disappointed to hear Hannah’s voice, but I am now. “What’s up?”
You know what’s up! Kenzy!”
My heart seems to stop. “You… what happened to her?'”
I was hoping you could tell me. I got a message from someone called Derek- he says he’s a friend of yours. He explained that something odd is going on. I spoke to her,
Dylan.
She’s scared. I don’t know what Raymond has done to her, but it’s bad.”
I close my eyes in horror.
What have I done?
How did Raymond react to my ill-planned visit, made the moment I found out the truth?
I should never have gone to confront them like that. I didn’t even have a plan. Derek would have helped me come up with some way to do it without risking Kenzy, but I just had to run to her the moment I found out where she was.
Did Raymond take it out on Kenzy? Did he hurt her?
Hannah is still talking, but I can’t hear her words over the sound of the buzzing of panic in my mind.
***
Kenzy pov
Come to bed, dear.” I frown but don’t argue with Raymond. There’s no point.
He pulls me close to him.
I try to break away, but instead of letting me, as he has done before now, he hangs on.
“Let go of me, Raymond!”
“I think not. I’ve been very patient with you, Kenzy. But this foolish tantrum has to come to an end. It’s time for you to perform your duties as my wife.”
“Fuck you! I’m not your wife!”
Raymond shrugs. “Not yet. But you are mine, regardless.”
He kisses me.
I bite down on his lip as hard as I can.
Raymond cries out and staggers back, finally letting go of me. “You stupid bitch! Don’t you realize how lucky you are that I took you back?”
I’m about to remind him that I’m only here because of his blackmail, but the next thing I know, Raymond has me on my stomach on the ground.
He uses his whole body weight to pin me down, and I’m not strong enough to fight him.
“Stop it!” I writhe in increasing panic, but I’ve never been a match for Matthew in physical strength.
I force myself to think. Fighting like this isn’t going to help me. If I want him to stop, I’ll need to convince him to stop.
“Ray, please… don’t do it like this. Don’t you want me to enjoy it, too?”
That has him hesitating, and I press my advantage.
It’s been less than a month since I was with Dylan. I know I’m with you now, and I can’t change that, but I still need some time to get over Raymond. Can’t you give me that?”
Raymond’s breathing is heavy, and his weight is crushing me.
I wish I could see his face. I have no idea what he’s thinking.
Tlie as still as I can, waiting to see if my words take effect. If they don’t, then I’m fully aware that in all likelihood, I’m about
to be raped.