AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 3
Nolan
"I'm going to need you all to calm down," Detective Smith stares Korren down. Hard. I risk a glance at Amiri, hoping like hell he can smooth this over. We need something.Anything.
"Kor," Mir's stern snap is all it takes for his brother's shoulders to drop. He takes a reluctant step back from the detective, and I release a quiet sigh of relief. We need Smith on our side, not kicking us out of his office and banning us.
It's been two days since Eve... disappeared. Fuck. I never thought I'd have to think those words ever again. And yet, we failed. We fucked up. We didn't listen to our girl when she expressed the possibility of there being more than one kidnapper. We were so focused on the fact that her damn father was in on it.
After the horror of finding her heels in that fucking alleyway, my parents came searching. I was so stuck in my own terror of the horrific development that it took Mom several minutes to get through to me.
Then, and now, I can't help but want to switch it all off. I understand now why Eve preferred to be oblivious to her surroundings. I would rather have the numbness of disassociating than live in this nightmare again.
I already did this once. Why...fucking why would the world make me do it again?
It's that selfish thought keeping me here... because while this may be hell for me and the guys, what does this mean for Eve?
The police report, and initial phase of getting the cops to the scene, was a fog for me. After Sherry, Chris, and my parents got our dazed asses back home, all hell broke loose. Korren broke everything he could get his hands on, while Amiri did nothing to stop the carnage.
My heart gives a painful yank at remembering how Ryan disappeared off to Eve's room. Me? I walked around the house in tears. Each of her items I found left strewn about tore at my soul even more. Books, headphones, sweatshirts, her notebook, swimsuit drying out on the patio... everything seemed so normal.
"SHE'S GONE!"Korren’s gut-wrenching roar has the parents jumping out of their skin. The shock of his scream has goosebumps pebbling over my flesh.
She's gone... again.
"EVELYN. IS. GONE."Each word is punctuated with the sounds of glass shattering and chairs being split in two by the force of his blows.
I don't move. My feet feel like they are stuck in tar while my eyes are glued to Korren ripping our home to shreds. My heart sinks at how Amiri stares off into the distance, shaking and completely shut down. Turning, my soul cracks as I watch Ryan's face crumple before treading up the stairs. The sound of Eve's door slamming, and my boyfriend's sobbing has my feet moving further away from everyone.
I just can't. I did this already. Seven and a half years ago, I fucking did this. The experience I have in this fucked up situation is of no help to my family. The only thing that will make this better is our Evie coming home.
The wail of my mom's cries drives me further into the house. A home that feels so damn empty now, even with all the people crowding our space.
Eve's laughter doesn't echo through the halls. Her joy and sass don't light up the walls. Her tears and sadness are leached from the floorboards.
She's not here, and I don't know if she will ever be again.
My knees give out as I approach the game room and find her stuff littered around the cozy space. Her book is lying open on the couch, and her favorite blanket is rumpled beside it. Her trademark ChapStick next to her water glass and... fuck, my sweatshirt lays across the back of the couch. The sweatshirt she wore around the house yesterday in her tiny shorts and knee-high socks. She was a fucking vision.
Wiping away my tears, I stand and make my way to the couch. I wrap my fingers in the thick fabric and slowly bring it up to my nose. This may be mine, but it smells like my girl. Soap and vanilla.
A ball of emotion gets lodged in my throat, and a sob crawls its way out of my mouth. She's gone.
Hugging the cold sweatshirt to my chest, I settle onto the cushions and wrap her blanket around me, taking comfort in her scent. If I think hard enough, I can almost feel her tiny body wrapped in mine. Almost.
The heat of Ryan's palm on my arm breaks me out of my thoughts. Looking over at him, I admire his tussled blonde hair and imploring blue eyes. I offer him a small smile, which he returns with a gentle one as well. His chiseled jaw has my mouth watering a bit, and I lean into him.
We haven't really spoken much except for the family meeting when we decided we needed to do everything we could to find her, which is why we are in Detective Smith's office getting yelled at.
Ry leans down to give me a gentle kiss on the lips and whispers, "I love you," in my ear. My tummy swoops in pleasure while my heart jitters with appreciation for my man.
My eyes water as I respond, "Love you too, Ry," my voice is hushed under the wave of emotions. We have been about as loving as usual, except a bit more reserved; both of us drowning.
"Take a seat, please," Smith grits out between his clenched jaws, clearly still annoyed with how we basically busted down his office door.
Korren reluctantly plops his ass into the leather chair, muscles flexing in agitation. Settling down in the armchair next to my love, Amiri takes up my other side, each of us opposite from Smith with his large mahogany desk in between.
The tension in the room ratchets up the longer he glares at us. I'm going to vomit; my anxiety tumbling through my stomach.
