Ava knelt by Caleb's lifeless body, her hands trembling as the reality of what had just happened crashed down on her like a tidal wave. The forest around her was still, eerily silent, as if it too was mourning the loss of the man who had been her friend, her protector... and, ultimately, her betrayer.
She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions,grief, rage, confusion all fighting for control as she stared at Caleb's pale face, his blood soaking into the earth beneath him.
He had died saving her. After everything, after the lies, the manipulation, Caleb had sacrificed himself so she could live. It didn't make sense. None of it made sense.
The memory of Jaxon being dragged away flashed in her mind, and her heart clenched painfully. She had lost him too. Taken from her, right in front of her eyes, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Ava felt the tears welling up, her throat tightening as she fought to hold them back. She didn't have time to cry. She couldn't break down. Not here. Not now.
She forced herself to stand, her legs weak and unsteady beneath her. Her mind screamed at her to run after Jaxon, to find him before it was too late, but she knew that wasn't an option. Not yet. The men who had taken him were long gone, and the only lead she had was the empty clearing around her.
Caleb had been their best chance at navigating this nightmare, and now he was gone. Ava felt a wave of nausea wash over her as the weight of it all pressed down on her. She had to think, had to find a way to get Jaxon back.
But where did she start?
Her phone. The thought jolted her out of her fog. She reached into her jacket pocket, her fingers fumbling as she pulled out the device. Her hands were shaking so badly that it took her a moment to unlock the screen.
No signal. Of course.
Ava bit down on her frustration, glancing around the clearing as if the trees might offer some hidden solution. The vehicle Caleb had stashed was still there, the engine idling softly, but it felt useless now. She was alone. Completely alone. And the forest, once a place that offered some hope of escape, now felt like a cage closing in around her.
She had to move. Staying here wouldn't bring Jaxon back, wouldn't give her the answers she needed.
With a deep breath, Ava walked back to Caleb's body. Her chest ached as she knelt beside him, her hand reaching out hesitantly to close his eyes. It was the least she could do for him. For the man he had once been, even if everything between them had been shattered in the end.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I wish it didn't have to end like this."
She stood again, forcing herself to look away from the lifeless form lying on the forest floor. She couldn't linger here any longer. Jaxon was still out there, and if she didn't act now, she might lose him forever.
Ava moved toward the SUV, her mind racing with possibilities. Caleb had said something before all of this happened, something about Veronica, about the people behind all of it. They were the ones pulling the strings. They had Jaxon now, and if she didn't find a way to stop them...
She couldn't finish the thought. The idea of losing Jaxon, of not seeing him again, was too painful to bear. She wouldn't let that happen. She couldn't.
Ava climbed into the driver's seat, her hands gripping the steering wheel as she tried to calm her racing heart. The forest around her felt like a maze, but she knew she couldn't afford to stay lost for long. She needed a plan, needed to find out where they had taken Jaxon and she had one idea of where to start.
Caleb's phone.
Her hands moved quickly as she searched his pack, her fingers brushing against the cool metal of the device. She pulled it out, unlocking it with ease. The screen lit up, and Ava scanned through his messages, his contacts, anything that might give her a clue.
Veronica.
Her name appeared several times, buried in cryptic exchanges and vague instructions. Caleb had been working both sides, just like he said, but these messages there was something in them that felt like a trail. A lead.
There was one address. One location mentioned multiple times.
Ava's pulse quickened as she typed it into the map app. It was too far to reach on foot but she had the SUV, and if this was where they had taken Jaxon, then she couldn't waste another second.
The engine roared to life as Ava hit the gas, the tires kicking up dirt as she sped down the narrow road. Her mind raced alongside the vehicle, her thoughts swirling with a mix of hope and dread. She had no idea what she would find when she reached that address, but she didn't care. All that mattered was Jaxon.
The trees blurred past her as the SUV tore through the forest, the heavy weight of Caleb's death still hanging over her. She couldn't process it not yet. There was no time. She would grieve later. She would feel everything later. Right now, she had to focus. She had to stay sharp.
As she drove, the distance between her and the forest compound grew, but the shadows of doubt stayed with her. What if this was a trap? What if Veronica was waiting for her, expecting her to come after Jaxon?
No. She couldn't let those thoughts take over. Jaxon needed her. She had already lost Caleb, and she wasn't going to lose him too.
The miles seemed to stretch endlessly, the winding roads offering no reprieve from the anxiety gnawing at Ava's gut. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened as she pushed the vehicle faster, her foot heavy on the gas pedal. She could feel the clock ticking in her mind, every second bringing her closer to a confrontation she wasn't ready for,but had no choice but to face.
As she neared the outskirts of the location Caleb's messages had mentioned, her heart began to race. The address led to an abandoned warehouse, its imposing structure looming ahead like a dark specter against the horizon. The windows were shattered, the building covered in years of decay and neglect. But something about it felt... wrong. Too quiet. Too perfect.
She slowed the SUV, her nerves on edge as she parked a safe distance away. Her hand hovered over the door handle for a moment, her chest tightening with fear. This was it. Whatever lay beyond those walls, she would face it head-on.
Ava stepped out of the vehicle, her boots crunching on the gravel as she approached the warehouse. The air was thick with tension, her every instinct screaming that danger was near. But she couldn't turn back now.
Her hand brushed against the handle of the warehouse door, and she hesitated for a split second before pushing it open.
The door creaked loudly as it swung inward, revealing the dim, cavernous space beyond. Ava's heart pounded in her ears as she stepped inside, her eyes darting around the shadows, searching for any sign of life.
And then she saw him.
Jaxon.
Bound to a chair, his head hanging low, his body bruised and broken but unmistakably alive.
Ava's breath caught in her throat as she rushed toward him, her hands trembling as she reached out to touch his face.
"Jaxon," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I found you."
But before she could free him, a cold voice cut through the darkness.
"You shouldn't have come here, Ava."
Veronica.
Ava's blood ran cold as she spun around, her heart slamming against her ribs.
Veronica stepped out of the shadows, her eyes gleaming with a sinister satisfaction.
"And now, you'll pay for it."