(Slade’s POV)
I tried calling Aspen once.
Then twice.
Then a third time.
No answer.
I stared at my phone like it was lying to me. Aspen always answered. Always. Even when she was half asleep, even when she was overwhelmed, even when she was nervous and stumbling over her words.
So why wasn’t she answering now?
I dialed again. Straight to voicemail.
My chest tightened.
Where the hell was she?
I grabbed my keys and walked out of the house, barely registering the slam of the front door. I headed straight for the road leading out of the property, scanning both sides, my pulse rising with every step. Something felt wrong. Too wrong.
Then I saw it.
Her car.
Dead on the side of the road. Hood half open. Alone.
My stomach dropped hard enough to make me stop breathing.
I pulled over
