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“I will.”
“Should I fly home? Help you look? I hope she’s okay,” Elle replies, genuine concern evident in her voice.
“No need for now. Just remember any information could be useful, no detail is too small or insignificant. Thank you for your time and sorry to get you up so early. We’ll be in touch,” I say before ending the call.
As I pocket my phone, the weight of the unknown tightens in my chest. Candy’s disappearance is a puzzle, and I’m determined to piece it together before it’s too late.
CANDY
The door slams open with force, startling me awake and making my heart leap into my throat. Jamie barely moves.
“Wh—”
“We’ve got her!” A soft voice calls out. It sounds…female?
I blink against the harsh light, trying to discern what’s going on, but I’m too weak. When did I last eat?
“Zie! Run upstairs and tell Kaiden to let them know we’ve found her.” It’s definitely a female voice. “Axel, close the door a little until she adjusts to the light.”
As my eyes adjust to the bright light, I finally am able to make out the faces of the people in front of me. There are three of them, two men and a woman, though one quickly disappears. They’re dressed in dark clothing, their expressions serious. I try to sit up, but my body feels like lead. The woman approaches me, her eyes softening as she sees my confusion.
“Don’t worry, Candy,” she says. “You’re safe now.”
I try to ask what’s going on, but my voice is barely a whisper. The woman leans in closer, so I can hear her better.
“We’re here to help you.”
The remaining guy is silent, watching us carefully. A sense of calm seeps into my veins knowing that I’m not alone anymore.
“Here.” She hands me a bottle of water, which I gratefully accept. “I’m O—”
“Don’t tell her who we are!” The man snaps, throwing a look of irritation at the woman. She has huge green eyes which she raises heavenwards at his order and then shakes her head, her long, light brown hair flowing over her shoulders with the movement.
“Shut up, Axel Abbot,” she snaps, before grinning triumphantly at me. “I’m Odile Kemp, and now you know our names so you can tell the cops if you need to.”
The guy – Axel – growls in frustration and I wonder what the hell to say to this woman.
“Some friends of yours are looking for you, we just found you first, but we’re going to get you back to them right away, okay?” she says softly. I nod and open the water she gave me, taking long gulps. “Can you stand?”
I shake my head. I don’t know. I’m so weak.
“Here, hold on to me—”
“Keep your hands off my—“
“Off your nothing! Finish that statement and I’ll staple your lips to Kaiden’s ball sack. Do not fuck with me on this, Axel. I’m deadly serious.”
“She could hurt you and—“
“Again, with the silence. You are the worst. Honestly. Does she look like she can hurt a fly?”
“She might be faking.”
“Yes because that’s what girls who have been locked up and starved do,” she replies with heavy sarcasm. I don’t know who she is, but I like her. “Fake it so they can hurt their rescuers. For fuck’s sake, Abbott.”
I can tell there’s something between these two though. She sounds exasperated by him, by his protectiveness, but there’s a smile tugging at the corner of her lips too.
“Sorry about him. He really is an arsehole.”
