Page 59 of Devoured


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I shove my phone back into my pocket, but something isn’t right. I feel it deep in my gut. I hurry back to the villa and make my way through the place again, but Peyton is still missing. I step into the bedroom. Something is off. I walk around the bed and to the closet. I open it and my heart sinks into my stomach.

“What the hell?”

I hurry to the other bedroom, check the closet there, but her things are nowhere to be found. In the bathroom I find her cosmetics and toothbrush gone.

Peyton packed up her belongings and left? I take a breath to calm myself, working to figure out why she would have done this, and I almost laugh when it occurs to me she’s probably staying at a hotel tonight. Tradition dictates the bride and groom don’t see each other before the wedding. Still, why wouldn’t she have mentioned it? Perhaps she left a note and I haven’t seen it yet.

I head to the kitchen to check, and my foot kicks up papers. I snatch them up and realize it’s the prenup I left on the counter this morning, every intention of discussing it with Peyton tonight. Why the hell is it on the floor? I falter backward a bit, my mind racing and slowing on the most logical explanation here.

Peyton found these papers and bailed.

I sink into the chair, unable to believe this. I pull my phone out again and send another text. When it goes unanswered, I dial her number, but it goes straight to voice mail. Has she blocked me? Worry sets in, and I pick up my phone and check flights out of Malta. There isn’t one until tomorrow, so it’s not like she’s taken off today, unless she chartered a private flight.

Fuck me.

I drive my fingers through my hair and pace and continue to wait for her response. When my phone finally rings, my heart leaps—except it’s my sister. “Hey,” I say, sounding completely irritated.

“Ah, are you okay?” Lucy asks.

“I don’t think so.”

She lowers her voice. “What’s up, Roman?”

“I think she’s gone, Luce. I think she saw the prenup and changed her mind.” I glance around the empty villa. It’s stark and hollow without her in it.

“That doesn’t sound like Peyton.”

“I didn’t think so, either, but her things are gone, and she’s not answering my messages.”

“Maybe she’s staying somewhere else tonight.”

“I thought that at first, but all her things are gone.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” She goes quiet for a moment. “Could something have happened at school?”

I tug on my hair as it gets harder and harder to breathe. “I don’t know.” I swallow but there’s nothing I can do to hide the panic in my voice.

“You know the principal, right? Why don’t you give him a call?”

“Okay, good idea. Thanks, Luce.”

“Let me know, okay?”

“Don’t say anything to the others, please.”

“You know I’ve got your back, Roman. I wouldn’t have made you eat mud if I didn’t love you.”

That pulls a chuckle from me. “Later, Easy-Bake. Love back.”

I find Andrew’s number and call his place, but no one picks up. Determined to get to the bottom of matters and hoping I’m making a huge deal out of nothing, I call for Elias and get him to drive me to Andrew’s home. I’m out of the car before it even comes to a complete stop, and I dash up the stairs. I pound on the door, and Andrew opens it, a frown on his face.

“If you’re here to try to get Peyton’s job back for her, you’re wasting your time.”

My heart stalls and I grab a hold of the rail, squeezing until my knuckles turn white. “What are you talking about?”

His eyes narrow on me, assessing my face. “She didn’t tell you?”

“No, I can’t find her.”

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