Page 58 of Broken By Her Mate
Laila released a relieved breath. “If Ryder doesn’t know where he is, tell him to check Tolliver’s laptop. He had been working from home recently, but today, he took everything with him. I bet there will be a clue about where he is in his office.”
“I will,” Elena said.
“Thank you.” All Laila had to do was avoid working herself into a worried frenzy before they got there.
It was a rough twenty minutes for her to get through before she heard a car pull into the driveway. Not knowing whether Tolliver was hurt or worse had her on edge. She kept unconsciously touching her stomach because she carried guilt about hiding her pregnancy from him.
She hurried to the front door just as Elena burst through it with purposeful strides. Ryder and Zach came in behind her. Their grim expressions made Laila’s steps falter. “What… Did you find out something?”
Zach stepped forward. “After Elena went to Ryder, he and I chatted, and we’re just as worried as you are.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “What do you think is going on with Tolliver?”
Ryder’s jaw was tight as he took his phone out of his pocket, pressed the screen, and held it up to her. She stared at the picture of two men and a woman near a train with confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“This was the last message Tolliver sent to me. I was confused at first because I didn’t get an explanation from him. After Elena said he hadn’t come home yet, Zach and I did what you suggested. We searched his office. He was a busy beaver this afternoon, looking into Jonas Mercer.”
“Yes,” Zach confirmed. “Fortunately, he left a clue. Tolliver jotted down an address out of Bellefleur. The photo confirms that the railroad was the last place he was at. If no one has heard from him since then, we can only assume he’s in trouble.”
Laila felt sick to her stomach. She and Tolliver had been apart for five years but still knew him. It wasn’t like him to run headfirst into danger without a solid plan… unless it was to protect her. He had grown desperate to get Jonas Mercer off her back. If anything happened to him, it would be her fault.
Elena noticed how pale Laila had gotten and rubbed her arm comfortingly. “Hey, do you need to sit down?”
“No,” Laila said. “I need to help you guys find him.” She looked at Ryder and Zach. “That’s what you’re going to do, right?”
“Of course,” Ryder said. “But you’re not coming.”
She angled her chin up in determination. “Yes, I am.”
“Laila, I’m afraid I’m going to have to order you to stay here,” Zach said.
Laila harrumphed. “And I’m afraid I’m going to have to tell you you’re not the boss of me, Alpha Zach.”
Zach stared at her, his usually stoic demeanor cracking as his eyebrows shot up in disbelief. For a moment, it seemed like he didn’t know whether to be irritated or impressed. Then, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Well,” Zach said, his tone laced with dry amusement. “It seems Tolliver has his hands full with you.”
Elena stifled a laugh but quickly cleared her throat when Ryder gave her a look. “Gentlemen.” She looped her arm around Laila’s. “Give us a minute.”
“We don’t have a lot of time,” Ryder warned. “We should have left already.”
“I know. Just a minute.” She tugged Laila away from them and toward the kitchen. Looking back, she said, “No eavesdropping.”
Once they were alone, Elena hissed, “Laila, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You want to go with them? Has it slipped your mind that you’re pregnant?”
“I’m not likely to forget. I’m Tolliver’s mate. I have a right to help.”
“Oh, so you’re his girlfriend again, are you?”
“No… I… We… You know what I mean. If he’s in some kind of trouble, it’s because of me. I refuse to sit here and wait while Zach and Ryder look for him.”
Elena was conflicted, but she blew out a resigned breath. “All right, if you’re going, so am I. He’s my brother, and I have to make sure you don’t do anything crazy.” She glanced at Laila’s still-flat stomach. “You’re carrying my niece or nephew in there. Remember, whatever happens, you can’t shift.”
“I know. I’ll stay in the back and away from the danger if I can.”