A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 417

Nash had been having his men secretly protect Elissa for some time, but the collision had been so sudden they hadn’t had time to intervene. The moment he learned of the crash, he relayed the news back to Vistapeak City.

Rowan’s heart stopped for several seconds. He shot to his feet. “How is she?”

“Ms. Drummond…” Nash’s voice was heavy with failure. “She’s gone.”

The crash had caused a massive traffic jam, but a few official-looking vehicles had been waved through the blockade. By the time his men reached the scene, Elissa was no longer in the car.

Rowan’s breath hitched, his voice as cold as a winter night. “Gone? Do you have any idea what you’re saying?”

“Sir…” Ian Murphy stepped forward. “They deliberately chose Cresthaven to be outside our sphere of influence. Blaming Nash won’t help. The priority now is to find Ms. Drummond…”

Panic threatened to consume him. Rowan took a deep breath, forcing himself to think clearly. “We’re going to Cresthaven,” he bit out.

The moment they were in the car, he called Rex. Cresthaven was Wilkinson territory. If someone had been taken on their watch, they could find her faster than he could.

On the way, Ian watched his boss in the rearview mirror, his face a tight mask of tension. He sent up a silent prayer. When Elissa had gotten married, it had taken Rowan a long time to recover. If something happened to her now… Ian didn’t dare imagine it. She had finally found a moment of peace, a chance to live a less difficult life.

***

Elissa woke to the faint smell of antiseptic and a dull ache in her head. She opened her eyes. Night had fallen. An IV bag hung by her bed, its contents slowly dripping into her arm.

“That’s probably my mother,” Laurel said, patting her hand. “Just lie still.” She had called Suzanne from the emergency room.

As expected, it was her.

“How is Elissa?” Suzanne asked as Laurel pushed her wheelchair, which a servant had brought, into the suite.

“She has a head injury, but it’s not serious. A mild concussion.”

***