Captured by Mr. Wild (The Men Series – Interconnected Standalone Romances Book 4)

I DRIVE INTO TOWN and park up. I’ve not seen any sign of Betsy on the way here. Not that she would wander down into town by herself. She never leaves the lake without me, usually. It’s unusual for her, but I’m not worried. She’s a good dog, and she’ll be back. Maybe I should get one of those pet cams to put on her collar. See what she really gets up to. I chuckle at the idea as I hop down out of the truck and head into the store.

“Hey, Ralph.” I grin and raise a hand in greeting. “No Duke today?” My eyes drop to the empty floor next to the counter where he’s usually laid.

“Nope. Left the scoundrel out in the yard. Kept me up half the night barking. Bloody mongrel.” Ralph tuts, but I know he’s only joking. He loves that scruffy mutt.

“Must be something in the air. Betsy did the same.”

“Is that so?” Ralph eyes me with interest as he rubs the gray bristles that coat his chin.

“Yeah. You haven’t seen her, have you? She took off for a run this morning and hasn’t come back yet.”

The corners of Ralph’s mouth turn down as he shakes his head. “You try your folks?”

“Yeah. I called Dad on the way here. She hasn’t turned up there, either.” I dig my hand into my pocket. “Hey. Would you mind developing these for me?” I place an envelope with a couple of strips of film inside on the counter. I grabbed them from my house earlier when I went back to look for Betsy.

“These new?” Ralph’s eyes light up in interest.

“Not really.” I smile to myself. “But I want to show them to Daisy.”

“This is Iris’ niece you’re talking about? The one you’re sweet on?” Ralph lets out a low wheezy chuckle.

“Ah, the Hope Cove rumor mill.” I laugh as he takes the cuts of negative film out of the envelope and holds them up, his eyes narrowing as he looks at the images.

“Not really a rumor if it’s true, son.” He gives me a wink as he chuckles again.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll swing by and collect them later, okay?”

He nods and waves a hand as I head out the door.

I try the diner next, but no one there has seen Betsy. I decide to walk to Herbies and ask there. It’s lunchtime now, and I know a lot of the guys will have been out fishing and walking in the forest before heading in for lunch and a drink. One of them might have seen her if she headed up to the ledge where we like to go. I should have checked there first, thinking about it.

I push open the door and let my eyes adjust to the low light. Compared to the blazing sun outside, it’s like walking into a cave. Night’s okay, but coming in here at this time? What a waste of a beautiful day. Then again, some people like to be out of the sun. Can’t handle the Californian summers. Especially the passing tourists.

“Hey, Gary, Alf.” I call to a couple of older guys sat at a table, nursing beers.

“All right, Blake? Early for you, isn’t it? Want to join us?”

“Thanks, but I’m not here for a drink. Just looking for Betsy. You seen her?”

They both shake their heads. “Nah, sorry. Sure she’ll turn up, though. Best trained dog ever known, that one.”

I smile as I think of Betsy. She’s an obedient dog. People think it’s down to my training. But a lot of it is just her nature. Just her. She wants to please, and she loves people. She’d be anyone’s for a biscuit and belly rub.

“Hi, Blake. You lost Betsy?”

I turn toward the bar and find Cindy’s standing behind it. She rolls her lips as she looks at me.

“Looks that way. Will you let me know if you see her?”

She nods and gives me a small smile as she crosses her arms over her chest. “Sure.”

I pause for a second, wondering if she’s going to say something else. Since Daisy coming back, anything I ever had with another woman before just seems so pointless. So empty. So… nothing. But I’m not an asshole. I never meant to hurt Cindy.

I turn to leave, feeling her eyes on my back.

“Blake, wait.”

I turn back to face her, and her shoulders drop as she sighs.

“There’s something you should know.” She looks at me. “There was a reporter in here last week, asking questions.”

My mind casts back to Mom and Dad’s house when Jay and Holly were visiting with Summer.

“Sounds about right. My brother and sister-in-law were in town. They can’t go anywhere since the new baby news broke without at least one pap following them.”

Cindy shakes her head. “I think that’s what brought him here originally. But he came in asking about you.”

“The show?”

It’s only another six weeks until we begin filming season two. I didn’t expect the press to be interested yet. We haven’t even aired the season trailer. I got a bit of press attention after season one, but mostly when I visited Jay in LA. It’s a journey for a reporter to come all the way to Hope Cove if we aren’t even filming or doing any promotional publicity yet.

“Not the show.” Cindy’s eyes drop to the bar towel in her hands. “I’m sorry, Blake. I would never talk to them usually. I was just angry, you know? About the way things ended between us.”

“What are you talking about?” My stomach tightens as I realize she can’t look me in the eye.

“I feel so stupid. I’ve met someone these last couple of days, and it’s made me regret it even more. I was just hurt at the time. I wanted to hurt you back. Both of you.”

Both?

“Cindy?” The tone in my voice makes her snap her eyes up to my face. “What did you say?”

“He had a photo he’d taken of you both outside your parents’ house. Together.”

My stomach twists itself into a knot as I watch her struggle to admit what she’s done.

“I…. I heard you and Travis talking in the bar one night about her changing her name and having a jerk of an ex-boyfriend.”

My nostrils flare as I stare at her and lean my palms on the bar. She withers under my glare. I can’t fucking believe what I’m hearing.

“What the fuck did you tell him?” I hiss.

Cindy steps back, wringing the towel around her hand as she fidgets.

“I told him the girl in the photo was English and is called Daisy, and that you both were childhood friends. I said she was over here following a nasty break-up.”

“Fuck!” I push my hands back through my hair. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Do you?” I snap, attracting the attention from Gary and Alf.

“I… I’m sorry.” Cindy’s bottom lip wobbles as she finally looks back at my face. “I didn’t mean to cause any harm.”

I lower my voice as the other men’s attention goes back to their drinks, although I can tell their ears are still tuned in on our conversation.

“She came here to put distance between her and her ex. He’s a mean piece of shit, Cindy!” She winces as I glare at her. “What did Daisy ever do to you? If you’ve got a problem, it’s with me, not her.” I clench my jaw as I push back off the bar and let out a frustrated groan.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers.

Shit.

It would be easy to stay angry and blame Cindy for this. But it’s not her fault. It’s on me. If I’d broken things off with her better, if I’d said it differently, then she wouldn’t want to hurt me by hurting Daisy. I thought we were good. I thought she knew it was a one-time thing. I thought we’d left it in the past.

“Forget it,” I grit out, my mind running a million miles an hour.

What does it matter if one reporter sells a tiny story with a picture? We’re in California. He’s in England. It’s not like he’s even likely to see it over there. But it’s how Daisy will react when I tell her. She’s just come back to me. She’s in a good place, ready to go back and face this bastard at the trial. What if something like this happening—where she thinks she’s safe, where she thinks she can be herself again—is enough to bring up those shutters again? I can’t stomach the idea of losing her.

Not again.

“It’s fine,” I say again, more gently. “It’s fine. And I’m happy for you… that you’ve met someone. I never meant to give you the wrong idea about us before.”

Cindy’s shoulders drop and she looks at me with sad eyes. “I’ll call you if I see Betsy, yeah?” she says in a small voice.

“Thanks.” I give her a brief nod and push open the door, heading back into the blaring sunshine.

I pull out my phone and text Daisy.

Me: Going to go check up at the ridge quickly before I head back. You okay?

Daisy: Yes, I’m fine. Just find Betsy. I’m worried about her.

Me: I knew you liked her more than me!

Daisy: Us girls have to stick together.

I smile as I walk back to my truck, my earlier anger dissipating. Just picturing her face as she sent me that text is enough to make me less agitated. Girls sticking together.

My girls.

The sky has darkened and turned gray by the time I reach the ridge. The truck won’t get all the way up there, it’s too narrow, so I leave it further down the hill and walk the rest of the way, calling out for Betsy as I go.

I already know I’m not going to find her. For the first time, worry burns like acid in the pit of my stomach.

What if she’s hurt somewhere? What if she needs me and I can’t get to her?

I get to the ledge and look around. Just as I expected—no sign of her.

My cell phone rings in my pocket. I’m lucky to have reception. It’s unreliable up here amongst all the trees.

“She’s not here, babe.”

“God, Blake. She’s been gone for hours and there’s a storm coming.” Daisy’s anxious voice has me squeezing my eyes shut.

Where the hell is she?

“She’ll turn up.”

If I say it enough times, then it’ll come true. She must be somewhere. She can’t just have disappeared.

I swallow down the bile in my throat as I peer over the ledge and down at the fast-flowing river below. I blow out a deep breath of relief when I see nothing. No dark brown fur, no bloody, lifeless body. I’m being ridiculous. Betsy wouldn’t have fallen off. She knows this forest better than me. She’s probably back home again. I’d bet anything that she’ll be lying out on the sofa on the back porch when I get back. Covered in mud from a great day of exploring.

“I’m coming back, babe. I’ll just check the house one more time. She’s probably back there by now.”

“It’s okay. I can check. I’ll walk over. I might even be able to see her from the jetty. Hang on.”

I hear some rustling, and then Daisy comes back on the line.

“Sorry, was just getting my sneakers on. I’ll head over now and look. You’re right. She’s probably there now.”

“Thanks. I’ll meet you there. It’ll take me five minutes to drive back.” A roll of thunder booms overhead as I head back down the trail toward my truck. “Ookayy, make that ten!” I shout as the sky opens and big fat rain drops come pissing down. “On second thought, wait there for me. This rain will hit you any minute. I’ll come pick you up and we’ll go to mine together.”

“Blake, it’s fine.” Daisy’s voice sounds miles away as another barrel of thunder vibrates through the air.

“No, stay there. I’ll be there soon.”

“I’m already at the front door.” She giggles, knowing her stubbornness will wind me up.

“Dai—”

I’m cut off by the sound of her scream shooting down the phone.

“Daisy? What is it?” I speed up, being careful to keep a steady footing as the rain runs down the slope next to me, turning the track to mud.

I hear a sharp intake of breath, followed by heavy breathing and a muffled sob.

“Daisy!” I yell, panic creeping into my voice. Into my veins.

“I think he’s got Betsy.”

“What?” I strain to hear her over the rain and thunder.

“I think he has Betsy!” she cries.

What the hell?

“Who?”

“Mickey,” she sobs. “I think Mickey has Betsy.”