It's a few seconds before the other guy pulls up, and I can step out of my car – rules of the race – but I'm instantly scanning the area, trying to locate those big brown eyes that shine with genuine happiness.
My grin begins to slip when I don't see her right away and I start making my way to the area where I told her to wait. I don't make it very far before being held back by a heavy arm across my shoulders.
“That's one down,” Reese croons right in my ear so I can hear him against the deafening cheers. “One more for me, and then, what is it, four for Miguel and Jorge? Don't screw us over.”
“Why would I?” I retort, annoyed.
He squeezes my shoulder. “Just makin' sure.”
The funny thing is, he wouldn't be acting this way if I didn't owe him. It's just his way of trying to feel big and important. On other days he's more than happy to kiss my ass just to have me keep racing and winning him money.
“Well, you don't need to,” I tell him and then shift out from under his arm. I've got someone else I need to see.
He nods before slapping me on the back and smiling. “Good.”
Swinging my attention back to finding Jaz, I start moving through the crowd, trying to look past the people shuffling about, throwing half-assedhellosto people trying to get my attention. But after a couple of minutes searching the area, worry starts to claw at my throat, replacing the fucking high I was feeling after winning.
Where the fuck is she?
Different scenarios start racing through my mind. Like, would she have somehow been convinced to go off somewhere with some shady people? Maybe she was given some sort of drug and wandered off to who knows where? Or did she change her mind about being here and decide to leave?
Of all the wild thoughts, I hope for the latter, if anything, because I wouldn't blame her for wanting to go. It felt like I was seeing things through her eyes when we first arrived, and I have to say, I didn't like what I saw.
But what if it's none of those things?
What if what happened to Jennifer Lapman is happening to Jasmine right now? What if she's being attacked somewhere, helpless and alone? What if I don't get to her in time? I know that deep in the dark recesses of my mind, that's where the root of my worries lies. Jacob didn't do it, but someonedid. As far as I know, nothing like that has happened here, but I don't exactly know everyone who decides to turn up.
My gut starts to churn as I spin on the spot. If anything happened to her . . .
“There you are,” Leah coos, stepping in front of me with Misha by her side. “I thought you took off without your reward.”
Fuck. Leah and herrewardwere the farthest things on my mind.
And, yeah, that's not happening.
“Not now,” I tell her, stepping back as she reaches for me.
I begin walking away to the sound of her stunned, “What?” But then I stop and turn back.
“Did either of you see the woman I was with earlier?”
“Yeah,” Brandy answers, suddenly appearing beside the other two women. “She walked away while we were talking with her.Rude.”
“Which way did she go?” I demand.
“No idea,” Brandy replies, while at the same time, Misha says, “That way,” earning herself a subtle glare from Brandy.
“Thanks,” I mumble, taking off in the direction Misha said.
As I walk away from them, the realization that she actually spent time with Brandy and Misha has my insides further curdling. There's no telling what type of shit she would have heard from them. They've been around for some of my most fucked up nights, and just thinking about them now has me feeling more ashamed than ever.
The likelihood of her simply leaving to get away from this place is looking more and more plausible. But then again,I drove her here.
I push past bodies, my eyes flying from person to person, from face to face, desperately trying to locate the one I want to see.
Coming to a stop, I pull out my phone and decide to call her, wondering why I didn't think to do that in the first place. Just as I'm opening it up to find her name, a few people nearby get into a fight, creating a scene that draws my attention.
They also happen to create a gap. A gap that allows me to see across to the other side of street. Jasmine's there,thank fuck. However, she's not alone. Two guys linger close by as she leans against the brick wall in the shadows, hunched over.
