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“About the first time we had sex?” I squeak, sounding pathetic.
“Don’t freak out.” She bites back a smile. “I won’t use your name.”
“It’s not my name I’m worried about. I just want to be the only one who gets to see you like that.”
“No one will see anything just from a song,” she says, highly amused.
“That all depends on how descriptive you are.”
“I won’t be descriptive. I’ll just write about how I feel.”
“Which . . . Which is good, right?” I need to know—need to make sure she’s okay with that just happened between us.
“Of course. What happened between us . . . It was really, really good.” Even though she confidently maintains my gaze, a blush creeps across her cheeks. “We do get to do it again, right?”
My own cheeks heat as I nod.
We stare at each other for a heartbeat or two then I lift my head while pulling her against me, so our lips meet halfway. She groans from the connection as I grip her hip and roll her over, covering my body over hers. Right as things start to heat up again, though, my phone rings. I try to ignore it and continue exploring Lyric’s mouth and body, but the damn thing won’t shut up.
I grunt in frustration as I push back from Lyric.
She giggles as I climb off the bed to dig my phone out of the pocket of my jeans that are balled up on the floor.
“I love when you get frustrated like that,” she says. “It’s so adorable.”
I smile at her as I swipe my finger across the screen. But when I see I’ve missed over ten calls from Lila, I frown.
“Shit, it’s Lila . . . She’s called a lot.” I dial her number as I put my boxers on. “She’s probably freaking out that I didn’t answer.”
“Ayden!” Lila cries before I can even get out a hello. “Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”
“Sorry, Lyric and I were practicing some of our songs, and I didn’t hear it ring,” I lie as I pick up my jeans and slip them on.
“I’m just glad you’re okay. I was worried sick. I even called the police and told them to check on you, so don’t be surprised when the doorbell rings.”
Right on cue, the doorbell echoes through the house.
“Who is that?” Lyric wonders as she gets out of bed and starts getting dressed.
I hold up my finger, indicating I’ll be right back then I step out into the hallway heading for the stairway. “They just rang the doorbell,” I tell Lila. “I’m headed down to tell them I’m okay. I’m really sorry I didn’t answer.”
“It’s okay. It’s okay.” Her tone carries an edge.
I pause. “Is everything okay?”
She hesitates before she utters, “Ayden, the police found your sister.”
A wave of fear and relief rushes through me. “They found her? Where was she? Is she okay?” I struggle to get air into my lungs.
They found her.
But where?
Is she hurt?
Is she . . .
“She’s alive,” Lila says. “I don’t know the exact condition she’s in, but you can meet me down at the hospital and we’ll find out what’s going on.”
“Did they arrest anyone?” I can barely hear over my deafening heartbeat. “Did they catch my father?”
“They said they made some arrests, but I don’t know all the details. When the detective called, he didn’t say much, but I’ll get more information from him when we get to the hospital.”
“I’ll head there right now.” I hang up and my legs buckle out from under me.
“Ayden.” Lyric appears beside me. Her eyes sweep across me, as if she’s checking for visible wounds. “What happened?”
“They found Sadie,” I manage to get out.
She kneels down on the floor in front of me, moving slowly, as if she’s approaching a skittish cat. “Is she . . . Alive?”
I nod and that’s when I lose it.
Sadie is alive.
Sadie is alive.
She made it.
She survived.
I start to cry and Lyric wraps her arms around me and rubs my back.
I cry even harder. For Sadie. For Felix. And for myself. Because for the first time in my life I don’t feel so weighed down.
I don’t want to think it, because it feels wrong to after spending so much time being chased by the Soulless Mileas, but maybe, just maybe this will finally all be over soon.
“LYRIC, WHY DON’T YOU HELP your dad in the kitchen while I finish saying goodbye to everyone,” my mom says to me as I pace the foyer in my house, biting my fingernails.
I distractedly look up at her. “Huh?”
She heaves a sigh as she approaches me. “Honey, I know you’re worried about Ayden, but wearing a hole through the floor isn’t going to help.”
“He said he’d text me and give me an update when he made it to the hospital.” I check my phone again and frown when I see I have zero new messages. I wish I could’ve gone with him, but my mom and Lila didn’t think that was a good idea since Ayden’s going to be talking with the police. “He left over an hour ago.” I tuck my phone away. “He has to be there by now.”
“Honey, I’m sure he’ll call you as soon as he can.” She puts her hands on my shoulders and steers me toward the kitchen. “Now go get your mind off of stuff and help your dad clean up.”
I begrudgingly go into the kitchen where my dad, Fiona, Everson, and Kale are cleaning up dirty dishes, food trays, and wine glasses left over from my mom’s guests. Uncle Ethan dropped the three of them off about twenty minutes ago and then headed straight for the hospital. He didn’t say much, but I could see the concern on his face when he mentioned needing to get an update on Sadie’s condition. I worry how hurt she is. How much they broke her. She’s been with them so long . . . God, it’s hard to think about the stuff she must have been through.
I begin wandering around the house, picking up stray cups and plates while my mom urges guests toward the front door, trying to get them to leave as quickly as possible without seeming like a total douchebag about it.
“How are you holding up after what happened?” my dad asks as I return to the kitchen with a stack of plates.
“Fine.” I set the plates down in the sink. “I’m just worried about Ayden and how he’s handling this.”
“I’m sure he’s fine.” He gives my shoulder a squeeze. “He’s a strong person.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” I think about all the obstacles Ayden has overcome in his life, including the one I just helped him with only hours ago when we were in his room.
“Why do you look flushed?” My dad questions, studying me closely.
I lean back, hoping to God he can’t see the answer on my face. He can barely handle the idea of me having a boyfriend. I can only imagine what he’d do if he found out I just had sex.
“I’m just a little hot. I think I’m going to go turn the air conditioning up.” I round the kitchen island, heading for the thermostat in the hallway. When I reach it, I don’t turn the air up, since I’m not really that hot.
I slump against the wall and take a minute to collect myself. I’m just about to go back into the kitchen when my phone vibrates. I dig it out of the pocket, so eager to read the message that I drop the phone on the floor.
“Shit.” I pick it up and swipe my finger across the screen.
Ayden: Hey, sorry I didn’t text u sooner. Things have been crazy.
Me: But she’s ok, right? I mean, your sister?
Ayden: I haven’t seen her yet . . . I guess she had a broken arm that needed an operation. But the doctors said she should be fine. At least physically.
I squeeze my eyes shut as tears sting my eyes. Poor Sadie. I can’t believe people can be so cruel, so brutal, so ugly. The only thing that gets the tears to stop is that I remind myself there’s also wonderful, amazing, beautiful stuff in the world. That not everything is bad.
Me: Where did they find her?
Ayden
: That’s the strange part. She actually showed up at the police station.
Me: What???
Ayden: Yeah, she walked in and said who she was and that they let her go. Then she passed out. I guess the police had just raided the house she was being kept at and someone took off with her before she was found, but then they just dropped her off at the police station . . . It’s so weird.
Me: That is really weird. Maybe the person who left her at the police station just panicked or something.
Ayden: Maybe. I don’t have all the details yet, but I should be talking to the detective soon. Hopefully, he won’t try to pull that secretive shit and keep me in the dark about stuff.
Me: Let me know how it goes. And come see me as soon as you get home. I know it’s only been a few hours since you left, but I miss you. I’m seriously going to turn into one of those needy girlfriends.
Ayden: I miss you too. I wish you were here with me. I’d probably be a lot more relaxed.
Me: I can try to relax you when you when you get back.
Ayden: That sounds nice.
Me: Good. It’s a date then.
