I shiver against the wall, trying to form a sentence. “I thought… You were… I didn’t know if you’d make it home.”
Dax removes his arm from the wall and steps back. “You followed me here?”
I gulp and nod.
“Why would you do that? Are you so bored you go looking for trouble?”
I try to catch my breath. “I couldn’t… I didn’t want…”
His head tilts, and he moves in close again. “Were you spying on me? What exactly did you hope to get out of that?”
“I wanted to check…” I pant, searching for a solid breath. “Are you okay?”
Dax groans in frustration. “Just let it go. I don’t need help.” His hand fishes inside his jacket and presses onto his side. “You need to go home. You shouldn’t be here.”
My arms prickle with goosebumps. “Should you?”
He drops his tattooed hand, deadpanning at me. “This is my home.”
We stare at each other for a long moment. All I hear is my heavy breathing until the smashing of glass bottles and raucous laughter explodes from within the building. The reality of where I’m standing sends a shockwave of fear through me. I jolt off the wall and knock into Dax, who grasps my upper arms.
My mouth falls open as I look up at him. He releases one of my arms and slowly lifts a pointed index finger over his lips.
I shudder against him, ready to keel over.
His veiny hand cups my wrist, pressing my bracelet into my flesh, while his other hand lowers to press on my middle back.
“I’ve got you,” he whispers.
Footsteps hurry down the driveway. “Miss Ashworth.” Roger’s voice comes out panicked between labored breaths.
With an accelerated heart rate, I rip my hand from Dax’s clutches.
“Come with me,” Roger says, beckoning me toward him. “This isn’t safe.”
“I’m okay,” I reply, attempting to placate him.
Roger’s eyes don’t blink as he pans between me and Dax. Color drains from Roger’s face, and he swallows hard, determined to do anything in his power to remove me from this place.
“Please, miss,” Roger says with hearty desperation. “They’ll be expecting you at the country club.”
When more loud crashes and voices come from inside the building, Dax moves toward the side door.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Dax says in a cold tone. “Get out of here.”
Unexplainably, my shoulders slump, like I’m hurt he wants me to leave.
Before I can respond, Roger grasps my arm. “Miss Ashworth, we must go.”
He releases me immediately, and I give him an agreeable nod. Pacing, we make it back to the car. Roger pulls the car onto the road before my seatbelt clicks.
As we leave Logan’s Point, I move my thumb against my wrist, but don’t feel my bracelet.
My heart drops to the pit of my stomach.
It’s gone.
I scrunch my eyes closed, remembering how hard Dax held my wrist. I open my eyes, seeing the indentation from the chain.
