AllFreeNovel
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“Oh…” His frown deepens. “Okay, well, the shorty who hangs out here sometimes… She not your girl?”
“Nope.” I shake my head, draining the beer before slapping the empty can down. It topples over then rolls to the floor, pinging its way to the fridge.
Liam lets out a soft snicker, giving me a pained frown as I reach for another beer, then glance at Baxter. “Where’d you see her?”
“At the library.”
I go still, a warning flashing through my brain. “The library? You mean, just now?”
“Yeah. As I was walking to my car, I spotted her. She was carrying this big duffel bag, and she dumped it on the ground, kicked it a couple times, then took a seat next to it.” He scratches his head. “It was kind of weird.”
I shoot off the stool. “Just now? As in, it’s dark as fuck outside and she’s huddled up on the ground by the library?”
Baxter bobs his head. “Weird, right?”
“And you just left her there?” I can’t help shouting the question at him.
His head jerks back like I’ve just offended him. “She’s notmygirl.”
“Bax, what the shit?” I’m running up the stairs and snatching the keys off my desk before I can think better of it.
Liam’s blocking my way when I reach the front door, pulling on a jacket and boots. He looks ridiculous with only his boxers on, but I don’t think he cares right now.
“You’ve been drinking.” He holds out his hand, ready to drive me.
“But I’m not drunk,” I argue. “I’ve had two beers.”
“I don’t give a shit.” He snatches the keys out of my hand, and I follow him out the door, swearing under my breath the whole way.
Jumping into the passenger side, I slam the door shut as he starts the engine and reverses out of the driveway.
Thankfully, he doesn’t drive like a grandma, and we’re soon pulling into the library parking lot just as a mustard-yellow van is leaving.
“Fuck,” I whisper, my insides running so cold I think my lungs have stopped working. “Please, no, no, no.”
“What?” Liam frowns at me, punching the brakes as I shoulder the door open. “Ethan, what!”
“It’s the pervert van,” I call over my shoulder, sprinting up the steps and bolting over the grass. The cold seeps into the soles of my bare feet, but I don’t stop running until I reach the edge of the library. Mikayla’s not there, and my heartbeat ratchets up as I spin to shout at Liam. “You check that way.” I point to my right before racing around the left of the building, searching for her.
If those guys took her, I’m gonna hunt them down and kill them. I don’t give a shit what it’ll do to my future. If they’ve touched her, they’re dead.
The thought of her in the back of that van, scared and being forced to do?—
Holy fuck, I can’t go there. I squeeze my eyes shut for a second.
The maelstrom in my body is at breaking point, fear and rage firing through me in equal measure as I round the next corner of the building and spot a black huddle along the edge.
It’s deep in shadow, and I would have missed it if I hadn’t been looking so hard.
Relief pulses through me in a wave so thick and strong I nearly keel over.
Taking a second to steady myself, I swallow down the aching in my throat just as Liam runs around the corner. I hold up my hand and he stops, glancing down at the black mound I’m pointing to before nodding and quietly backing away.
She’s safe now. He can go wait in the truck while I…
Shit, I have no idea what to say to her. I’m still pissed at what she did to me, but when I thought she was in trouble, I would have given my life to get to her, save her, make sure she was okay.
I close my eyes, letting the relief at finding her ride through me again before shuffling closer. She’s using her duffel bag as a pillow and is curled into a tiny ball with her back to me.
