Slade (The Protectors #6)(37)

“Oh, okay.” Lana looked a little confused. “Let me call her.”

Sid and Jax made small talk about Warrior business while Lana was calling Caroline.

“That’s weird.” Lana tapped her phone to her chin nervously. “It went straight to voicemail. Are you sure it was tonight? She never said anything to me about it,” she asked Jax with hope.

He took his phone out and dialed. “Yes, it was tonight.” He put the phone to his ear. “I texted her to make sure we were still on.” He clicked his phone off when, as Lana said, it went straight to voicemail.

“When did you and my sister start dating?” Lana’s tone was worried and curious.

Jax just stared at her before answering. “It’s dinner, Lana. Try again,” Jax said, nodding toward her phone, a bad feeling nagging at him. Caroline didn’t seem like the type to stand anyone up. He watched Lana as she did try again, but she pulled the phone away without having a conversation.

“I’m worried,” Lana frowned.

“Worried about what?” Lana’s mom walked into the entranceway, noticing Jax. “Oh, hello.”

“Ms. Fitzpatrick,” Jax nodded, figuring that’s who this beautiful older woman was.

“Mom, have you talked to Caroline?” Jax knew Lana purposely took the worry out of her voice so not to upset her mother.

“I talked to her at lunch today.” Melanie Fitzpatrick smiled, looking at each of them, and then frowned. “Why? What’s happened?”

“Because she was supposed to have dinner with Jax tonight.” Lana’s face once again bloomed with worry. “She never said anything about it to me and she would never not show up.”

“She said she had to stop at the apartment to pick up a few things after work.” Her mother’s eyes widened. “You don’t think Rod…”

“No, I’m sure she’s fine and lost track of time,” Lana replied, but her eyes clearly indicated when she looked at Sid that she didn’t believe that for a minute.

Jax watched Lana’s reactions, reading her like a book. He and Sid made eye contact. “What’s the address? I can stop by and see if she’s there.”

“We’ll go with you.” Lana went to grab her stuff. “Just keep dinner warm, Mom. We’ll be right back.”

“You be careful and call me.” Her mother stood, wringing her hands. “Your father is picking up Jamie from soccer practice and should be home any minute.”

“It’s fine, Mom.” Lana gave her mom a reassuring smile. “She probably got caught up in doing something and forgot to turn her phone off silent. You know how she is about that.”

Her mom nodded, but didn’t seem to believe it.

As they walked out the door, Jax headed for his car. “I’ll follow you guys.”

“It’s just about five minutes from here,” Lana said, half running toward her car.

Jax had driven his car instead of his bike for his dinner date with Caroline. Pulling out behind Sid and Lana, Jax’s bad feeling began to grind at his gut, and his gut was usually not wrong. His finger tapped the steering wheel. Sid drove, running a few red lights in less populated areas, with Jax right behind him. Finally, they pulled into a nice apartment complex, weaving through different lanes until before pulling up in front of a row of apartments.

“Is that her car?” Jax asked, once Sid and Lana joined him on the sidewalk. When Lana nodded, Jax took off. “Which apartment?”

“104.” Lana hurried up beside him. Once at the door, she pounded loudly. “Caroline?” she called out.

“Don’t you have a set of keys?” Jax asked impatiently.

“Rod hated me,” Lana replied, knocking again, and then tried the doorknob, which was locked. “This is only the second time I’ve been here.”

Jax didn’t like hearing that at all. He looked at Sid. “You wanna do it or should I?”

Sid moved Lana out of the way before lifting his foot and kicking the door in. Jax and Sid plowed into the apartment ready for anything, Lana coming in behind them.

“Dammit!” Lana looked around, the apartment was in shambles. Sid pushed her back as they slowly made their way deeper into the dark apartment.

A noise down the short hallway drew their attention. Jax held his finger up as he crept that way, cocking his head listening closely. Sid and Lana were close behind him.

Without any warning at all, Caroline jumped into the hall with an iron skillet in her hand swinging with everything she had. “You son of a bitch!”

Jax caught the skillet before it made contact with his head. “Caroline!” he shouted as she fought him in panic mode. “It’s Jax.”

She looked up, her eyes focusing with realization. The skillet dropped from her fingers, hitting the floor with a loud bang. His eyes searched her face and a rage so deep flashed throughout his body. Her eye was swollen with the beginnings of a bruise coloring her pale cheek. He tilted her chin up, looking at her neck, which had markings of a perfect choke grip. Her lip quivered, but she tilted her head, putting on a strong front. “I’m fine.” She glanced behind him to see Sid and Lana. “You just scared me.”

He knew that to be true, feeling the shaking in her body. “Where is he?” Jax’s tone was deadly and meant business.