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“What did you do?” I asked, but then shook my head. “Never mind, not an image I need in my mind.”
“Just know she’s leaving the world the way she lived it. Alone, entitled, and full of shit.” He grinned, and it had a manic edge to it. Again, something inside me said I shouldn’t find that hot, but I was tired of listening to that voice tell me what I should and shouldn’t like. I loved Sax, even the crazy killer parts of him, and that was that.
Feeling pleased with sorting out my moral compass, I looked around the room while they all spoke, laying out some plans and options. I didn’t have anything else to offer, so I stood up and slipped out of the room, wanting to check on Jude.
Nicco caught my hand, a little fear in his eyes I wouldn’t accept him. Lacing our hands together, I pulled him with me down the hall to the room Jude had stayed in last time. I knocked softly, but when I didn’t hear anything, I peeked in slowly, not wanting to wake him if he was asleep.
Except the room was empty, his bed unmade, like he’d climbed out to get something. I walked over, touched it, and found it cold. But that meant… dread started to pool in me, and I looked over at Nicco. He tugged me out, going toward the room with Brian. My eyes swept every possible place Jude could be, but I already knew as well as Nicco. He wasn’t in the hotel suite.
“Where is he?” Nicco bellowed, slapping Brian awake.
He started laughing, the sound chilling me to my bones. Fuck. I dropped Nicco’s hand, running back through the rooms, opening and closing every door, hoping and praying he was here, just out of sight. Again, I knew this wasn’t the case, but my thoughts wouldn’t let me believe it until I checked. When I opened Imogen’s room, she peeked up, squinting against the light.
I sighed in relief that she was still there. “Lor, is that you?” She started to get out of bed to come to me. “We were so worried.”
I stopped her when she got to me, holding her arms. “Immy, do you know where Jude is?”
“Of course.”
I relaxed, pulling her into my arms. “Thank God. I was worried. Where is he?”
“What do you mean? Elijah woke us and said there was some emergency at the center.” Her face heated at the mention of them being asleep, but I didn’t care.
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
“We fell asleep watching a movie in Jude’s room. Elijah came in, said you told him to take Jude to the center.” She rubbed her head. “Um, something to do with his brother. Jude didn’t want to, but Elijah insisted. So he changed and left with him, and I came back to my room. Jude only went because he thought you told him to. What’s going on, Lor? I’m scared.”
I shook my head, my hair swishing. No, no, no, no. I backed away, my hand going to my mouth as I tried to hold it together. This couldn’t be happening. No. No. No.
Imogen started to panic, coming after me, asking me questions, but I couldn’t hear her. I ran back into the meeting room, the door slamming against the wall. Atticus turned, a glare forming until he saw it was me and the state I was in. He leaped up, running to me, along with the others.
“He’s gone. He took him. He’s gone, Attie. You promised to keep him safe. You promised.” My voice was one notch above hysteria as panic overwhelmed me.
I hadn’t meant to say that last part. I knew this wasn’t his fault, and I watched as something in him cracked, but I couldn’t take the words back. I could only move forward and show Atticus I trusted him, despite what my panic was saying.
“Tell me everything.” His face went hard as granite, mimicking my heart.
I pointed at Imogen, unable to say anything else until I had a handle on my emotions. Someone grabbed my arm, pulling me to a chair, and I sat down, a plan forming in my head. Dayton had taken my son. He was sending me a message. So, what was it?
Thinking back over our sessions and everything I knew about narcissism, I tried to put the pieces together, a puzzle beginning to form in my mind. I could do this. I could be smarter than the cold-blooded psychopath. It was no longer okay for me to just stand on the sidelines. This was my life, and I needed to embrace it. It was time I stepped across the line, and made the vow I made to myself count.
It might be the only thing that saved us.
