The need to get back to her, to have her in my arms was overwhelming. The fucker who hurt her wasn’t in this shitty cabin, so I needed to know he wasn’t out there, with my family.
“There’s definitely been a body down here.” I said in an attempt to take back my calm.
“Yep, and it’s been moved very recently. No way that smell would be so strong if not. Question is, who’s dead, and who moved them?”
“Rob, we got something round the back.” Jack called down from the top of the stairs.
“What is it?”
“A body.” Jack replied, and Rob and I looked at each other. We both knew it had to be the body which had been moved recently. The smell still lingered in the cabin, despite it being empty, so the body had to have been here, likely sometime in the last day or so.
“Cam, go and cover my family!” I barked. No way I was leaving them out there if this fucker was lurking around.
“Boss?” He looked to Rob for agreement, and Rob nodded. “Stay with them until we know what the fuck we’re dealing with here.”
Cam hurried out, as Rob and I headed up the stairs and out to the back of the cabin.
The body was laid out just behind the building, badly decomposed and partially wrapped in thick black plastic. It was mainly just a skeleton now, but the clothes were still visible, blue jeans and what I recognised as a hiking fleece. Definitely the clothes of a man, but not the clothes Liv said her kidnapper always wore.
“I’d say he’s been dead about 2 months, give or take.” Jack said as we all looked over the body.
“Who the fuck is he?” I asked, confused.
“You don’t think this is the kidnapper?” Jack asked.
“I doubt it. Liv said he always wore camo hunting clothes. And if this is him, who the fuck moved him up here?”
“Boss. I found a partially dug grave about twenty metres through those trees. The shovel’s there and everything, like we disturbed the fucker.” Evan gasped as he ran toward us, keeping an eye on the tree line at our back.
“Fuck, he’s out here.” I growled.
“We need to get your family out of here. If he sees the opportunity to grab Olivia back, he may take it.” Rob pointed out, and I knew he was right. I’d bet that fucker was pissed he lost Liv, and would try pretty fucking hard to get her back if he could. No way I was letting that happen.
“What about the girl?” Jack asked.
“She’s not here. If he has her, he’s holding her elsewhere. I think he just came here to clear up, before he moves on, make sure his tracks are covered. Kade alerted local PD as soon as we saw the cabin. They’re already en route. Cam and Evan can stay to secure the scene until they arrive, but we need to get Olivia out of here.”
“Agreed.” I barked. No way I was leaving her or my brothers out for a moment longer while that fucker might be out there.
OLIVIA
It had been about ten minutes when a twig snapping had the guys pushing me behind the three of them as they surrounded me. Kade has his gun clenched in his hands and out in front of him, and all three of them looked ready to kill whatever or whoever approached. I was shaking so hard, trapped between the three of their backs, I could barely hold myself up. I was sure if The Shadow appeared I would instantly black out, and likely get myself kidnapped again. The thought was the most terrifying thing I could comprehend.
Kade was stalking something through the trees with his eyes. I could see the way he concentrated hard, listening and following any movement or sound around us.
Then Cam appeared in the clearing, and I sobbed in relief, thinking it was him we had heard. Cole and Matt seemed to relax a little too, but Kade was still focussing on the opposite direction from where Cam came from.
“Kade?” Cam kept his voice low, and started looking around for whatever Kade was seeing.
“There’s movement, about thirty yards ahead. Too big to be an animal, unless it’s a fucking bear.” Kade growled, his eyes not once moving from the spot he was lasered on.
“We need to move.” Cam warned, and Kade glanced back to me with worry.
“Livy, Love I’m sorry, but we need to get to the others. For your safety. We’re sitting ducks out here.” He started moving before he even stopped talking. He took one hand from the butt of his gun, holding it with just one hand, and with the other he grabbed my arm and pulled me with him as he walked backwards to Cam.
“Go. I got you covered.” Cam said.
Kade, Cole and Matt surrounded me as we rushed up the path, and closer and closer to the place I never wanted to see in my worst nightmares, ever again. Cam was behind us, watching all around, his gun at the ready for whoever Kade had seen in the trees.
I was shaking like a damned leaf, my teeth chattering from the adrenaline coursing through me. I could barely move, tripping over my own feet with every other step, as everything in me screamed for me to run in the other direction.
“Kade? What the fuck are you doing?” Kyle snapped as we stepped into the clearing where the cabin of Hell stood. He, Rob and Jack were walking around the side of it, and Kyle came hurtling toward me, scooping me from my feet and pressing me hard against his chest, holding me too tight.
“I saw someone out there. We needed to move.”
“Fuck! Guys, cover the perimeter.” Rob ordered, and instantly Cam, Evan and Jack moved to the outer edges of the clearing and started scanning the treeline.
“I….is she here?” I asked Kyle, needing to hear something good.
“No Baby.
