Page 188 of Reaper's Rival

“I have a crib to put together,” I muttered, heading for the stairs.

Abby would be here soon, and Tyson was due for his nap. Abby needed sleep as well, seeing as the little bugger had kept her up most of the night.

“More like you are going for a nap.” Brad laughed.

I flipped him the bird.

“Do you need help with that? They’re a fucking nightmare to put together,” Roach said, stopping me as he fished out his buzzing phone. “Bloody Kimberly. Why couldn’t she just wait till she was here?” Roach grumbled before he barked a hello into the phone.

“Reaper changing nappies. Imagine that, guys.” Trigger laughed, and Brad joined along.

I was still grinning no matter what they said. I had the perfect wife and now the perfect son. Anyway, I was positive Abby didn’t have me down for nappy duty.

“KIM, CALM DOWN!” Roach screamed into the phone, causing all of us to shut up and pay attention. What was going on?

“Where are you?” Roach was keeping his voice calm, but I knew that calm. That was the calm that came when you were dealing with a disaster. “We’re coming. Ok, we are coming.”

“What the fuck is going on?” I was down the stairs in a flash. Why was I getting the feeling this disaster was heading my way?

Roach hung up and looked from his phone to me with a stunned expression. For the first time ever, in the lifetime of knowing Roach, he was speechless.

“Roach, what the fuck is going on?” Was Abby ok? Was it Tyson? I was looking between the guys, just wanting answers. What had happened? Where was Abby? Why wasn’t she here by now?

Roach just stared at me, shock on his face. He cleared his voice.

“She’s gone.” Roach teared up. “They took Abby.”

***

Abby was fine. She would be fine. I had just seen her. Though I didn't believe what Roach said, that didn’t stop me from going double the speed limit to get to her. Speeding up the road, Trigger, Brad, and Roach were behind me.

I came over the hill, and I could see them. Abby’s black car in the middle, a van on its side. I zoomed down the hill and came to a stop just before the police tape. How had the police gotten here before us?

I looked across the street, and sure enough, there was a station there.

I killed the bike and immediately searched the small crowd for my wife.

I needed to see her.

I had to see her right now.

Then I spotted her back… only it wasn’t her; it was Kim. She was speaking to one of the officers.

I ripped the tape in half and walked toward them.

“Excuse me sir, this is a crime scene.”

I looked down at the police officer trying to stop me.

“Fuck off.” I pushed him out of the way. Not my fault he tripped over his foot and fell over.

Roach was right behind me.

Kim spotted us and her face was red, her eyes puffy.

“Oh my god, Reaper.” She stepped sideways and my guts dropped. Tyson was crying in his car seat that Kim must have taken out of the car. “They just took her; I couldn’t do anything” Kim was pleading with me. I dropped to the ground and unbuckled Tyson.

“Dad, I couldn’t do anything.” Kim was explaining to Roach now.

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