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My hand clenches around the phone as millions of thoughts run through my brain. "Okay, where are you?"
She gives me an address, which's about ten minutes from here. I want to bombard her with tons of questions, but I don't. The only thing I ask is: "Are you two okay?"
When she confirms they are, I exhale and start walking. "Okay, be there soon." And as I hang up, I exit the apartment.
* * *
My breath getsirregular when I enter the shop that's on the address Alisha gave me. I ball my hands into fists when the muscles in my fingers twitch at the sound of classical piano music coming through the speakers. I collect myself as I make my way over the hardwood floor towards the girls who are sitting on a white velvet couch, talking to an older man.
Not able to contain myself, I bark questions as I make my way over. "What the hell is going on here? What are you two doing in a piano shop?"
Samantha almost falls off the couch hearing my rumbling voice while the older man simply turns and walks away. Alisha lifts her head. The razor-sharp intensity in her eyes tells me whatever is going on is serious.
"Is anyone going to answer?" I ask.
"Cole, please, sit down." I raise a brow but take a seat next to Samantha, who fumbles with the end of her ponytail.
"I'm sitting... Talk."
Alisha takes a deep breath in and out. "Two hours ago, while I was in your apartment drinking tea, I received a text message, three photos, and a video from an unknown number." She lets out a sigh. "It… was from him."
My knuckles turn white, and I'm convinced you can hear my teeth grinding from my effort to remain silent. Alisha continues by grabbing her phone, and after opening something on it, she holds it out for me. I take the device and realize that what I'm about to see won't ease my already overstrung mind.
30
COLE
Stress spreadsthrough my mind like ink on paper when I read the text.
Can this little gem dance like you, doll face?
A burst of dark emotions surges into my bloodstream when I watch the video he sent. It’s a sick display of control, the recording shows he's walking behind Samantha.
If I get my hands on this guy, his face will be unrecognizable.
When the video ends, I scroll further to three pictures showing Samantha sitting behind a piano. With clenched teeth, I turn to my daughter.
"Did he touch you?"
Her eyes shoot up to me. "No! I didn’t even know someone was following me."
The urge to destroy something is immense, but when my attention falls on Alisha, it diminishes. For her to receive these messages must have been a freaking nightmare. But here she is, calm and collected as can be, so I follow her example and compose myself the best I can.
In my most soothing voice, I ask Alisha, "Tell me what happened."
She takes a seat on a piano bench standing behind her and intertwines her fingers. "After you left for Nick’s, I wanted to do some work, but to do so, I needed my laptop. I stopped at Samantha’s room, but because she locked it, I told her through the door that I had to go to my apartment and that I would be back soon. Fifteen minutes later, I returned. Music was coming from her room, so assuming she was there, I went to work in the kitchen."
My eyes dart to Samantha, who’s fidgeting with her fingers.
"Then I received the text, video, and photos." She swallows, and lets out a shaky sigh. "After seeing and reading them, I rushed straight to Samantha’s room to find the door unlocked and her room empty. Without thinking, I hurried downstairs and ran outside, searching the streets while calling her, and thankfully, after three calls, she answered."
My eyes go to my daughter, who’s gazing at the ground.
When I envision what could have happened to her, my inner dragon surfaces. I call it "my dragon" because it’s a part of me that comes out when my stress level skyrockets and when I get worried about the people I love.
"Sam, you left?" I bark. "How many times did I tell you not to leave without telling someone where you’re going!"
"I..." She bites her lip. "I’m sorry. But when I was in my room, Leo sent me a message with the words,‘I’m sorry and goodbye’.So when Alisha said she was getting her laptop from her apartment, I turned on the radio on the television to make it sound like I was in my room and left to find Leo."
