Page 64 of Restless Ink

She narrowed her eyes. “You can’t actually tell me what to do, Dimitri. It doesn’t matter if I love you, you don’t get to order me around.”

“I know, baby. But I need you safe when I go look for him.”

Shep cleared his throat. “Thea, stay with me for a bit. Let’s get you signed out and dressed. By the time you’re all ready to go, Dimitri will probably have found Captain. You know how dogs are, they come right when you call them if they’re in love with you like that dog is with Dimitri.”

Dimitri kissed her again. “I’ll see you soon. I just need…” He let out a breath. “I need to make sure Captain is okay. And with how things are with Molly, I just don’t know anymore.”

“Go. I’ll be right behind you.”

He nodded, kissed her again, then headed out of the room after lifting his chin at Shep. He didn’t have time to stop by the other Montgomerys and check in with Roxie and the others, but he knew Thea would update him. He wouldn’t be surprised if she were already getting dressed, tapping her foot as she waited to get checked out so she could follow him.

On that thought, he was glad she didn’t have her car and Shep would have to drive her out if she wanted to come. She’d almost been fucking blown up for God’s sake.

He shook his head as he got into his car and made his way to Molly’s house. Everything was happening all at once, and it didn’t give him any time to think or process. He tried to keep his speed down, but all he wanted to do was get to the house and find his dog. He should have picked Captain up before this, never should have left him with Molly—apartment guidelines or no. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to his golden because of his poor choices and that fucking woman.

Yeah, that damn woman.

He was already blaming her for a lot of mistakes and her downright cruel actions when it came to Thea, and he was just so pissed off that she’d been so careless.

Who the fuck leaves the door open in the middle of fucking December?

He growled to himself, his thoughts turning over and over again in his head as he made his way to her house. It wasn’t that far since he was on her side of town, and as soon as he pulled in behind her car, he jumped out of his vehicle and raced to the door.

The door that was once again open with Molly standing inside, her eyes wide and her hands clasped in front of her chest.

“You came. I knew you’d come when I called. You always come. For me. You always do.”

He looked at her and knew something was off. And not just with her current state of mind about Captain. Damn it, he should have seen the warning signs long before this.

“Where have you looked for him? Have you called the neighbors? When’s the last time you saw him?”

Molly blinked at him, and her cheek twitched. “How’s Thea? Did she…get hurt?” There was something in her voice that he couldn’t quite place.

He froze. “I didn’t tell you about the bakery.”

She tilted her head, unblinking. Seriously, it was fucking creepy. “I heard it on the news. The Montgomerys are everywhere it seems. Too bad about the explosion.”

He let out a breath, trying to remain calm. “Where’s Captain, Molly? What have you done with him?”

“Me? I’ve done nothing to our dog. He’s gone. I don’t know where.”

“Mydog. He’s mine, Molly. He was never yours. And I never should have left him here. That was a mistake I won’t be making again.” There were a thousand different things he needed to say to his ex, another thousand different puzzle pieces he needed to put together if that tingling sensation in his mind were any indication. However, he didn’t have time for any of that, not when Captain could actually be hurt or lost.

He turned his back on Molly as he went inside toward the backyard where he could start his search. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her eyes narrow, but he ignored it. But as he kept moving, he knew he’d made a mistake.

Shocking pain slammed into his head, and he went down to his knees. He blinked, his gaze going fuzzy, and his mouth filling with a metallic taste. He couldn’t quite understand what had happened. As he fell to his back, twisting at the last second to break his fall, he looked up to see Molly holding a large wrench, the same one he’d used to help fix Molly’s sink the other day when he’d come back to the house after seeing Thea.

“Damn it, Dimitri. Why can’t you understand?” She blinked finally, and he felt himself fading. “You’re mine. You chose me. You’re. Mine.”

He could only thank God that Thea hadn’t come with him. Because if she had, who knew what Molly might have done.

They’d been wrong. Molly wasn’t merely having issues.

She’d lost it completely.

And he had no idea what he could do about it.

Then there was only darkness…and the sound of a dog whining from the other room.