Page 80 of Wrecked By a Devil

I sigh, a feeling of despair washing over me. None of it makes any sense. We exchange a couple of messages earlier today and confirmed our lunch date. Mia was very excited to meet with this guy and she couldn’t wait to tell me how it all went. It’s not like her to disappear like this, especially not if she has made plans.

“Okay,” I jump from the tall stool and head towards the door. “Thanks anyway. If you do see her, please let her know I’m looking for her.”

“We will,” The bartender responds and I shut the door behind me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Ezekiel

I arrive in Riley’s neighborhood almost immediately after she calls me, running more than one red light on my way here. She could barely form a proper sentence over the phone and the distress in her voice awoke an unrecognizable ache deep inside my chest. If I don’t confirm she’s okay right away, I might do something stupid.

I see her sitting on the stairs of her building. She’s hugging her knees tight and rocking her body, the look in her eyes distant. I leave my car on the side of the road, engine still running and I run to her.

“Riley!” I squat next to her, my hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her. “Are you okay?”

She shakes her head.

“Did someone hurt you?” The thought of it alone is enough to awaken my fury, but I can’t do anything until she tells me what exactly happened.

Another shake of her head. “I’m okay,” She pauses to swallow, a tear sliding down her cheek. “But Mia…”

“What happened to Mia, Riley?” I keep my tone as neutral as possible.

When Riley called me earlier, she sounded so upset and terrified that I couldn’t understand much of that she said. The only thing I could understand was a simple “come please” after which she started crying and ended the phone call.

It’s a relief to see that she’s not hurt physically, but her emotional pain is something that leaves me equally devastated and wanting to protect her. Wanting to hurt whoever is responsible for it.

I sit next to her on the stairwell, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and pulling her to rest on my chest. She leans on me, weak and frightened and I can’t help but squeeze her tiny frame, wishing to never let go of it.

“Breathe,” I say, my voice steady. “Take a deep breath in… Then release a long breath out.”

She struggles at first, her breathing shallow and interrupted but after a few tries, she’s starting to get a hang of it. “That’s it, keep going. You’re doing great, Riley.”

It takes a few long minutes before she can form proper sentences, but once she speaks, she tells me that Mia has been missing since the afternoon. “We were supposed to meet to have lunch after my shift,” She explains and I nod, remembering how much Riley was looking forward to their get-together after not being able to spend time together since they started working at the Eden and Mia got involved with Cohen. “But she wasn’t at the park, you know, the one in front of the hospital. We were supposed to meet there. I waited, and then decided to come look for her at the café…”

Her thoughts trail off again, her breathing accelerating all over again, and I take her hand in mine, squeezing it firmly. “Breathe,” I whisper.

“Cohen got her this job interview with some guy who would pay her more than what she’s making at the Eden,” Riley finally explains. “I wasn’t excited about her meeting with him because no one in their right mind has a job interview in this neighborhood.”

I don’t want to alarm her further, but she was right to assume that no one would meet in this neighborhood if they had good intentions in mind. Nor does it make sense for Cohen to arrange a job interview for her, even if he’s her boyfriend. He’s not supposed to have that type of connections.

“Did you ask around if someone has seen her at this café?”

“I did,” she sighs. “Both the bartender and the manager were a little strange,” I can see that she’s carefully picking each word before she speaks as if she’s scared I might do something to those guys. “They swore she never walked into that place.”

“And you believed them?”

“I didn’t,” Riley lifts her head from my shoulder and looks me in the eyes. She still looks scared but she’s a lot more put together and determined than when I got here. “I know she was supposed to be there. I know her calls are going directly to voice mail and she’s not receiving my messages. No one’s heard from her, not her roommate or her boyfriend. And I know her well enough to know that she wouldn’t disappear like that. Something is wrong, Zeke.”

“I believe you,” I gently rub her back. “Is there anyone else who you could call and ask if they heard from her?”

“No,” she shakes her head. “I even called Cohen before you got here. He didn’t see or heard from her today. I need to find her…”

“We’ll find her,” I reassure her. “I promise you.”

Let’s hope she’s alive when we do.

Her face softens and I notice the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. A small smile spreads on her face as she mouths a weak “Thank you.”