Page 138 of Falling Stars

Go home? That’s his fucking advice?

The door behind him opens and a deputy escorts Kira toward us.

“What did you do with Leo?” I shout.

She frantically shakes her head. “I didn’t do anything. I swear.”

I lunge for her, but Mav puts his arm around my shoulders and holds me back.

“What did I tell you about waiting?” the sheriff barks at his deputy.

“Why did you take him?” I yell.

Kira moves toward me. The woman must have a death wish.

The sheriff stops her from coming any closer. Kira looks me straight in the eye as she pleads her case. “I swear I had nothingto do with this. I even called my credit card company on Saturday night because my coat had my wallet.” She turns to her ex. “Mav, you have to believe me.”

He doesn’t say anything, and she starts to cry. “I love you, Mav. I’d never do anything to hurt you like this.”

I can’t breathe.

Because in this moment, I believe her.

And if she didn’t take my son, who did?

The sheriff nods. “The credit cards check out. She closed them last weekend.”

Now we’re back to having no leads except Sean, but I don’t think he’s capable of this. Was all that stuff about wanting to work things out with me bullshit? Is he secretly upset about me having custody, and he paid someone to steal Leo? Because the person on the video definitely looked like a woman.

I can’t wrap my head around the possibility that my ex might be involved.

I feel dead inside, like someone ripped out my heart, and my empty shell of a body is left behind.

We head back to the ranch. I’m a zombie. Paige offers me a sandwich, but I can’t stomach the idea of eating when my son might be hungry.

Mav and I walk back to the camper.

“I believe Kira.” My voice feels like sandpaper.

“If she did this, I don’t know how I’ll ever forgive myself for bringing her into our lives.” He sits at the small kitchen table.

I join him on the opposite side. “I don’t think I can sleep.”

“Not sure I can either, but maybe we should try. It’s tougher to think critically when you’re exhausted.” He glances at his phone. “It’s almost three in the morning. Even if we get a couple of hours, that will help.”

He gets up, and suddenly I panic that he’s leaving. “Will you stay with me?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

The voice in my head that’s growing more cynical by the hour whispers,Yet.

I’m too tired to do anything but kick off my shoes and crawl into bed. Maverick rubs the back of his neck. “Bay, do you want me to sleep on the couch?”

I pat the empty spot on the bed next to me. Closing my eyes, I turn my back to him.

My mind keeps racing. I keep thinking about what I should have done. How I should have kept a better eye on Leo. How I should have waited until the next morning to take out the trash.

Mav’s arm wraps around me. “Is this okay?”

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