I’M STANDING IN THE BUSY waiting room of the hospital, waiting for my sister to get out of surgery while listening to Detective Rannali give me an update on what they’re doing to find my father, when I get a text.

Lyric: I have her. It’s time to cleanse your soul, Ayden. And u better be a good son and come alone.

It feels like a knife has been gashed into my heart, and I’m bleeding out from the inside. I can’t breathe. Can’t get oxygen into my lungs as I painfully realize what the note left in Lyric’s locker meant.

“Ayden, what’s wrong?” Lila jumps up from the chair she’s sitting in and rushes to me.

“My dad . . . He has Lyric,” I croak as I hand her my phone.

She reads the message and her skin drains of color. “Oh God. This can’t be happening. No . . . no . . . no . . .”

Detective Rannali grabs the phone from Lila. “What’s going . . .” He trails off as he reads the message. “Shit.”

I spin around, pushing people out of my way as I run for the exit doors.

“Ayden! Wait!” Lila chases after me with Ethan tailing at her heels. “You can’t go anywhere by yourself!”

I whirl around. “They have Lyric, Lila. I have to find her.” I start to turn around, heading for the parking lot.

Her fingers fold around my arm and she forces me to stop. “We don’t even know where she is.”

“Then we have to find out—we have to find her.” Reality crashes over me and I almost collapse to the ground.

God, please don’t let him hurt her.

I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her.

I’d crumple into dirt.

Disappear into an eternity of darkness.

Fade away into nothing.

I don’t care if it makes me seem weak.

Just thinking about living without her.

It’s killing me.

“We’ll find her.” Lila guides me back toward the doors. “But we need to be safe about it.”

Ethan walks on the other side, staying close, like he’s afraid I’m going to try to run off again. I want to. Want to get the hell out of here and find Lyric. No, not want. Need.

By the time we return to the waiting room, Detective Rannali has phoned in the report and is ready to take off somewhere.

“I need to call Micha and Ella,” Lila mutters, staring into empty space, her eyes wide with fear. “Oh my God, what am I supposed to say to them?”

“I can do it,” Ethan offers, retrieving his phone from his pocket.

“The Scotts are already informed of what’s going on,” Detective Rannali tells us as he picks up his suit jacket from a chair and slips it on.

“How were they already informed?” I match his stride as he takes off for the exit. “Did you just call them? What did they say?”

“They called the station about five minutes ago and reported a break in at their house,” he says as the doors glide open. “I’m headed to their house now.”

“Do you . . . Do know if Lyric’s okay?” I ask as we step outside and head for his car.

“I’m not sure. I think they’re still trying to detain the person who broke in.”

“It’s my dad.” I smash my lips together as guilt crushes my chest. “The text said son.”

He slams to a halt in the middle of the parking lot. “Ayden, you should probably stay here and wait for Sadie to get out of surgery.”

I shake my head. “There is no fucking way I’m going to stay here until I know Lyric’s okay.” I want to be here for my sister, but I’ll be useless until I’m one hundred percent certain Lyric’s okay. “Lila and Ethan can stay here just in case she gets out before I get back. I need to go with you.” More than I’ve ever needed anything in my entire life.

Detective Rannali glances back at the hospital, then sighs. “Fine, you can ride with me.”

The drive to Lyric’s house is long and painful. I’m so wound up that I half expect my heart to give out on the way there.

When we pull up into the neighborhood, flashing red and blue lights are lighting up the entire block.

Detective Rannali parks the car as close to the house as he can get, then he turns off the engine and reaches for the door. “Stay here until—”

I barrel out of the car before he can finish.

“Ayden, wait!” Detective Rannali shouts after me as I run for Lyric’s house.

I weave past cop cars and neighbors who’ve gathered around to watch the scene. Officers have formed a small line and are trying to keep everyone back, so I veer left and duck through an unguarded area near the fence line.