Protect Her

Chapter Thirty Seven

***Trigger Warning: This chapter contains heavy themes of domestic and sexual violence. Please take care of yourself and skip if you feel this may be triggering for you. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence of any kind, please reach out to someone in your community. In the US, that number is 1-800-799-7233**

Derek

Never in my life had I felt so helpless. I raced back to my building as fast as I could and Will already pulled the security footage. There, right in front of me, was Robby forcing both Riley and Camryn into a car. I felt sick to my stomach, watching the fear in both of their eyes when he pressed the gun to the side of Camryn's head. She thought he was going to kill her, and he very well might.

"How the fuck could this have happened?" Will barked at our tech guy. He was combing through my phone, trying to figure out how a text was sent instructing Cam to go downstairs. It had been hacked somehow, and she thought she was meeting me down there.

"We're working on it now." He said. "This is extremely high level hacking. It could have come from the police department, or even from someone on Sid's staff. All we know is someone helped Robby send that message."

I ran my fingers through my hair and paced back and forth. I'd already been by their house and any other place I could think of that he might have taken them. His resources were endless though, and it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Mullins and Evans were working on it, but there was only so much they could do without sounding the alarm bells, and then we would have to explain that Cam and Riley were actually alive all this time. Basically, I was on my own, and so far, I was failing miserably.

I spent the better part of the last few months swearing to her I would never let him near them again and somehow I led them right into a trap. That's all this was from the beginning. Robby used me as his alibi to get us into town, and then his plan unfolded. He knew he could get a mistrial called and knew the judge would grant him bail. It was absolutely disgusting how this guy was able to get away with his shit. When I finally got my hands on him, I would relish in every second of making him hurt, and feel just as scared and worthless as he'd made Cam feel. I only hoped I would find him soon enough.

"Derek, we're going to find them, okay?" Will tried to assure me.

"They're probably terrified." I bit my lip, biting back my own emotions. I could only imagine what was going through Cam's mind right now, and that I couldn't be there to calm her was debilitating. She might be dead because I hadn't been able to keep my promise to her.

"I called Cole. He's going to come with us just in case." Will was taking charge and trying to keep me focused here. Now wasn't the time to lose sight of what was important. I could make it up to Camryn if I could just bring them home safely. That was a big IF.

Robby was unhinged, and he had my girls. They were in incredible danger, and there was no telling what he might do if he felt desperate or cornered. I'd only had them a few short months—nowhere near long enough. I was planning a life with them, and now suddenly, the carpet was ripped out from underneath us. My life didn't even make sense anymore without Cam and Riley in it.

"Where do we start?" I said, ready to get to work. I was no use to either of them if I let my emotions get the best of me right now. I had to stay focused.

Camryn

When Robby finally left me alone, I was crumpled up in a mess on the floor. He hadn't taken it easy on me for our first altercation in months. My clothes were in shambles and I was a bloody mess. My entire body felt like it might fall apart if I moved the wrong way. He kicked and punched and thrashed me around like a rag doll until I was almost begging him to kill me. I couldn't talk, I couldn't stand, I could hardly breathe, and I knew he was just getting started.