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Just as Ava was opening herher ar stride "What’s wrong, baby?"

"I talked to Ella Mac is freaking out because both his truck and Ava are uess you left your purse on the kitchen counter with your cell phone inside it He called Declan and then went by your apart to panic when Brant wasn’t answering his phone I told Ella that you were here, Ava, and that Brant’s phone was on the bedroo a breath, E for you, because he called right before her He should be here any minute Umhe sounded a little pissed"

Brant turned to Ava with a griht to leave hi of anyone’s feelings other than my ohen I left his house I’m sure he’ll be fine now that he knows that I’ave her a skeptical look but didn’t co roo at the door Shit, apparently no one had bothered to lock it earlier She watched hi her into his ar anything When he finally pulled back, holding her at ar his face "Ava, do you have any idea how scared I’ve been that sohten his mood, she joked, "Ah, come on It’s not like anyone would have abducted ht?" She knew immediately that her flippant reply was the equivalent of throwing gas on a flaht now!" he roared as he jerked away froone with your purse still lying on the kitchen counter and lights on all over the house? Do you kno long it was before I realized that one? Even when I did, it didn’tthis town apart looking for you, you’re ht someone took you, da between theer that Ava had felt toward Mac earlier for not telling her about Kevin’s letter was back in full force, fueled in part by the guilt she felt for upsetting hi around her brother, she picked up the letter that she had brought with her and stuck it in Mac’s face "This is why I’ht" He looked confused for aAva could see the exact nized what she held in front of him "So, excuse me if I didn’t leave you a note or drop you a text before I ca on , clearly at a loss as to what to say next

Shaking her head, Ava said, "Yeah, that seeht"

Mac released a deep breath, seeo home, baby We can discuss this there It’s late, and I’m sure Brant and Emma are tired"

"Oh, we’re fine," Emma, blurted out before Brant could clamp his hand over herthe tension froht; they needed to have this discussion so antacids for days after this He certainly didn’t need to hear her argue with Mac Nodding once, she said, "I’ll ue to keep fro when Mac said, "Just leave the truck and I’ll have one of the guys pick it up to this late" Ava kneas probably petty and maybe she needed to learn to pick her battles, but if he didn’t think she was capable of driving herself less than ten minutes down the street, then would he ever be able to see her as a strong, independent woht have been a complete wreck for years, but professionally she was at the top of her gaardless of how ht from him

"I’ll be fine, Mac There is no need for anyone to make a trip toht" Everyone in the roo her, as Mac opened hiswith her At the last ain and rubbed a weary hand across his eyes

"Sure, whatever you want, Avie" They said their good-byes to Brant and E out into the diet settled behind the wheel before shutting the door without another word He then motioned for her to pull out onto the street, and he followed in his Tahoe She was drained fro o to sleep in his arms, but this conversation couldn’t wait She only hoped that afterward he didn’t feel that she wason the fact that they were in this together for the long haul

Chapter Twenty

Mac kept his eyes on the truck in front of hihborhood His shoulders were tense, and his gut was still twisted When he had walked into his house earlier, he histling, ready to see Ava As he called her naone from happy, to puzzled, and finally terrified He had even resorted to looking under beds and in closets thinking that h to hide

Next, he had called her phone When he got closer to the kitchen, he found it ringing faintly in her purse, sitting on the countertop He had really lost it then He had ripped back through the house and then taken a flashlight and walked the grounds The garage was the last place he searched, and he had stopped in surprise when he found his truck gone He had thought for afrom the store But a quick look in her purse showed her wallet containing herwith her license

Then he ran back to his Tahoe, dialing Declan as he headed across town to her apartment She probably needed clothes for tomorrow or some of those endless toiletries that women seemed to have by the dozens Declan’s puzzled tone when he asked if Ava was there was answer enough He quickly ended the call, assuring a noorried Declan that he would let him knohen he found her