Page 97 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

We screech to a halt outside the school. The girls are waiting on the steps, their little faces lighting up when they see me. But their smiles fade when they realize Kenzie's not with me.

"Daddy?" Harper asks as I scoop them both up. "Where's Miss Kenzie?"

I swallow hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. "She's... she had to go somewhere, peanut. But don't worry, we're going to find her."

Hazel's lower lip trembles. "Is she coming back?"

The question hits me like a physical blow. I pull them both closer, forcing my lungs to breathe and my heart to not break.

"Of course, she is, button. I promise."

But even as I say the words, doubt gnaws at me. What if I'm wrong? What if Kenzie's gone for good?

Did I push her away? Did I drive her back to him?

No… She's just… Missing.

I settle the girls in the backseat, Axton keeping them distracted with silly stories as I drive us home. My mind's working overtime, running through scenarios, trying to figure out where Kenzie might have gone.

As we pull up to the house, I see Mel's truck in the driveway. She's pacing on the porch, her face a mask of worry.

"Take the girls in the house," I tell Axton as I climb out.

Mel meets me halfway up the walk. "Everett, we need to talk."

"Not now, Mel," I growl, trying to push past her. "I've got to?—"

She grabs my arm, and her grip is surprisingly strong. "Yes, now. It's about Kenzie."

I freeze, torn between the need to start searching and the possibility of information.

"What about her?"

Mel takes a deep breath. "The rumors... they're not true. Kenzie never had sex with him. She's pregnant, but it's not Ian's baby."

The world stops spinning for a moment. I stare at Mel, trying to process her words. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's your baby, you fucking idiot," Mel snaps. "Kenzie's carrying your child. And now she's missing, and you're standing here like a damn statue instead of finding her!"

The truth of her words sinks in slowly, heavy, and undeniable, leaving me no room to escape it. It’s all I can think about, weighing on me in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

Kenzie's pregnant. With my child. And she's out there somewhere, alone and scared.

I'm moving before I realize it, barking orders at Axton to call Steph and spread the word through the buzz circuit.

I pull out my phone, my fingers moving swiftly over the screen as I type out a simple message.

Everett: Raven's Nest compromised. Assemble.

The code phrase will trigger an immediate response from my team. No questions asked, no explanations needed. That's the beauty of Raven V—when I call, they come.

No hesitation.

Within seconds, my phone buzzes with incoming responses.

Axton: Just say the word.

Then Hawk.

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