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“You okay?” he whispers.
I nod, unable to speak just yet, then it hits me. The floodgates open and I start to cry uncontrollably.
“Let it out,” he soothes, pulling me close. “You’re safe. I won’t let you go.”
I bury my head in his chest as heavy sobs rock my body. They’re for him, us, my father…everything I’ve loved and lost.
With one hand on the back of my head, and the other around me, he holds me tight as the side A of the tape ends, and the deck flips over to side B.
I close my eyes and listen to his heart beating. It tells me that I am his, and he is mine, because that is the only thing Iwant to hear. But soon I will have to let him go a second time and it’s a truth I don’t want to face, because something tells me once I do, nothing will ever be the same.
Chapter 22
Cruz
The next night I head to the pier to meet up with Ellery. With my growing anxiety about the missing girls, I’m not a fan of her going anywhere by herself.
When she doesn’t show up at ten as agreed, my stomach starts to tumble nervously. But when I see her jogging toward me at five after, flip flops in hand, I nearly jump out of my skin.
I jog over to meet her halfway, and pick her up, holding her tight. “Where have you been?” I exhale with relief when I feel her against me.
“What are you doing?” She grips my arms. “Someone will see us.”
It may be night, but the pier is well-lit and highly trafficked—not like the old one by the place we’re renting, which is creepier and steeped in shadows even when the sun’s out.
“Yeah, well,” I set her down on her feet, “maybe I don’t care anymore.”
“You don’t mean that.” She looks around, and seeing no one, hunches over to slip on her flip flops.
“What if I did?” I counter.
She looks up and rolls her eyes. “You don’t mean that.”
Honestly, I don’t know what I mean anymore. I know I want her, and I know I want to play ball. And I know I don’t want to ruin her life. Those things I do know. All else, fuck if I know.
“What took you so long?” I ask instead of getting into a conversation I’m not sure either one of us is prepared to have.
“I was doing something.”
“What?” I can’t help but ask.
“Guys,” she snorts. “Lots of them.”
Now I’m the one to roll my eyes. “I’m serious.”
“So am I.” She winks and I can’t help but laugh, which makes me feel more at ease.
Pretty sure after last night Ellery won’t be fucking anyone, anytime soon. Actually, if I had my way, she wouldn’t fuck anyone else ever again.
“I was worried,” I say candidly.
“I’m fine.” A smile tugs at her lips. “But nice to know you care.”
“I do,” I admit. “And with some sick fuck out there targeting girls, I don’t like you running around at night by yourself. Speaking of, where’s Jenica?”
Her smile fades and her brow furrows. “She had to go.”
“Where?” I note the change in her face and voice. “What happened?”
