Chapter 315: Kayla Is In Trouble

Holly’s POV

I couldn’t stop staring out the window, mind spinning in circles. Kayla. The supposed man that was caught on Tyler’s dashcam. Her driving off without a word. My best friend didn’t panic like that for nothing.

Who the hell had she seen?

David’s hand squeezed my shoulder from the back seat. “Hey. Everything’s gonna be fine, baby. We’re all here. We made it. Kayla will be alright too. She’s your friend after all.”

I wanted to believe him. I really did. But the knot in my stomach wouldn’t loosen.

Justin snorted from the other side of the back seat. “Oh look at you, Mr. Hero. Sounding all calm and reassuring now. Minutes ago you were tied to a chair about to get railed by Crazy Rachel and you looked like a scared little cat ready to piss itself.”

David’s mouth fell open. “Excuse me?”

I couldn’t help it…I burst out laughing. The sound came out shaky at first, then full and real, like all the fear was finally leaking out of me.

Justin kept going, grinning like an idiot. “Admit it, bro. You were one second away from crying ‘mommy’ when she started grinding on you. Holly had to save your ass with her big mouth.”

“Justin, I swear to God—” David started, but he was fighting a smile too.

“Justin, leave David alone,” I cut in, folding my arms with a smirk. “Or should I remind everyone how you were literally on the verge of tears, begging her to pick you instead? You wanted it so badly it was almost embarrassing. Go on… admit it.”

Justin let out a sharp snort, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe the audacity.

“Oh, please,” he fired back, pointing straight at me. “You were the loudest one in the room earlier…running that mouth like you were ready to throw hands. Now look at you.” His lips curled into a wicked grin. “All bark, no bite. You’re basically a baby.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Keep talking, Justin. I dare you.”

Tyler glanced in the rear-view mirror, shaking his head with this quiet little laugh. “You three are insane. I just rescued you from a kidnapping and you’re already roasting each other.”

The bickering kept rolling…David defending himself, Justin doubling down, me jumping in with “You did look a little pale, babe”—and for the first time since this nightmare started, the car felt light. Normal. Like we were just four idiots on a road trip instead of survivors of a psycho’s elaborate plot.

It was the kind of stupid relief we all needed. My ribs still hurt, my wrists were raw, but laughing with them made the world feel a little less broken.

I had already texted Ava that I was safe and will be calling her as soon as we were done with the police.

She must have been so worried.

We pulled up to the station before I was ready.

Tyler parked right out front. David leaned forward and gripped Justin’s shoulder.

“Listen. Don’t say anything you don’t know. Don’t try to take blame or play some demented hero. Just stick to the truth. You don’t know shit.”

Justin rolled his eyes but nodded. “I’ll be fine. Forget all that crap I said while we were tied up about wanting to be the hero for once. I don’t want to be any damn hero. I don’t want to go to jail either. I just want to finish school quietly, get married someday, move to a farm, and start my life. That’s it.”

I twisted around in my seat. “You selfish bastard. You can’t pretend to be noble for once, huh?”

Justin shrugged, completely unbothered. “When I have a big brother like him? Never. I’ll remain proudly selfish. Thank you very much.”

Tyler laughed out loud this time, shaking his head as he killed the engine. “You guys are hopeless.”

David turned to me then. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. I saw it all in his eyes…the exhaustion, the guilt, the fierce love that made my chest ache.

I felt it in the deep exhale he let out, like he’d been holding his breath for hours. And I felt it in the way his fingers threaded through mine and held on tight, like letting go wasn’t an option anymore.

We stepped inside and everything got serious fast.

Different interrogators took us to separate rooms. I handed my smartwatch over to the officer first thing.

“Everything’s on there. The whole confession. Rachel talking about selling me, keeping David as her toy, her confession to the role her family played in everything…every sick word.”

The officer nodded and started the recording. My interrogation felt like it lasted forever, but the second I mentioned Ava and her missing son, because it has been eating me up inside, the detective leaned forward.

“The guy who was with Miss Jameson earlier…he flipped the moment we got him in cuffs. Gave up the exact location in LA. Police there have already been notified. Before long, the little boy will be reunited with his family.”

I exhaled so hard my shoulders dropped. Relief hit me like a wave. “Thank God. Oh my God! Ava and Orion will be so happy,” I said excitedly.

Who's the loser now, Rachel?

Then, because I couldn’t hold it in, I added, “No offense…this isn’t related to the case…but my best friend might be missing. Kayla Richmond. She’s not picking up and—”

The officer’s eyebrows shot up. “Miss Richmond? Didn’t she file a report hours ago?”

I blinked. “Report? What report?”

He tapped something on his keyboard. “She came in earlier today. Filed a stalking complaint. Said one Caleb Donovan has been following her. Threatening messages, breaking into her home and turning the place upside down. We have the paperwork right here.”

Caleb?

The name landed like ice water down my back.

The same Caleb who’d begged her to date him back then in school?

The one who’d gotten her pregnant and denied it because his mother couldn’t stand him being with a girl from a middle class family? The one who made her suffer raising Caden all alone?

That fucking Caleb?!

My mouth went dry. “She filed that today?”

The officer nodded, eyes serious. “And she seemed pretty shaken. Mentioned something about him threatening to take her son away if she doesn't comply with his demands.”

I sat there, heart hammering so loud I could barely hear anything else. Kayla wasn’t just panicking and driving off.

Caleb Donovan…the father of her child…was hunting her now.

And nobody knew where she was.