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“I’m going to kill the bastard myself,” I mutter, muscles aching with the tension in my neck and shoulders. “If he lays a hand on her, he’s dead.”
“We have to get to her,” Caleb says, clutching his phone with a death grip. “Maybe she’s just there to find out more information.”
“Do you still have Rich’s phone number?” I ask, urgency in my tone. “We should call him. If he answers, he doesn’t have her.”
“I deleted him from my phone,” Caleb admits, voice cracking. “I couldn’t bear to see his contact information.”
Dominic clears his throat, eyes never leaving the road. “I still have his number.” Caleb immediately grabs his phone from the center console and unlocks the screen, scrolling through the contacts.
Putting the phone up to his ear, he listens intently as it goes straight to voicemail. “His phone is off,” he says, cupping a hand over the receiver.
“Leave him a message,” I whisper in a hiss.
“Rich, this is Caleb Ravenwood on Dominic’s phone. I know we haven’t talked in a while, but I was just reaching out to …” Caleb falters, trying to think of an excuse. “To ask you a question about something. Call me back.” He hangs up and places the phone in his lap.
“Maybe he’s in class,” Dominic says, though I don’t think any of us believe that. I think we’re all thinking the same thing—that whatever Sienna is doing at Emily’s apartment, Rich is involved.
The loft apartment, a renovated fire station, sits on the northern edge of town, just on the outskirts. We had always joked about Emily living so far away and now it feels further away than ever as we race towards it.
My heart is in my throat as we approach the building, panic gripping me as I realize there are lights on inside.
The three of us tumble out of the car and push inside the building, the door letting out an ominous creak. I hear voices from her apartment, and we take the stairs two at a time, racing inside.
Our worst fears are confirmed when we come face-to-face with the sight in front of us. Sienna is kneeling on the floor, Rich’s hand over hers as they press a gun against her temple.
“Do it!” Rich yells at her. “Pull the trigger already, or you’ll never see your precious Ravenwoods again!”
“No!” I scream, feeling paralyzed. Time seems to slow down and my legs feel like anchors as I try to move before it’s too late.
46
DOMINIC
My heart shatters like broken glass.
Rich is holding his hand over Sienna’s, a gun pointed at her head.
Time seems to slow to a crawl as I race against the inevitable. Horror consumes me as I wonder if I’ll get there in time.
And then, like a whirlwind, memories come flooding in.
Fragments of memories assail me—the blur of movement as Sienna jumps on me for a hug, the warmth of her touch, the taste of her kisses, fleeting glimpses of the moments we’ve shared.
Then, amidst the flickering images, one memory surfaces with the crystalline clarity of a chilly morning, the breeze rustling through the leaves as the sun crests over the horizon in the tiny park. Sienna and I are seated on a weathered bench, our breath forming wispy clouds in the chilly air.
“I can’t believe you made me get up this early,” I complain, blowing on my hands and rubbing them together.
Sienna’s tongue pokes out between her teeth as she smiles, reaching for my hand to entwine with hers.
“You didn’t have to come with me,” she teases, rubbing her thumb over the back of my hand. “You could have let Caleb come. He offered.”
“Yeah well, I haven’t seen you in a few days,” I say, kissing her on the nose. “I missed you.”
“We had sex like, all night last night,” she says with a giggle, eyes shining as she looks up at me.
“It’s not the same,” I whisper, leaning down to press our foreheads together. “I like spending time with you.”
“You’re not the scary monster I thought you were,” she admits, her voice soft. “You’re more like a big, cuddly teddy bear.”
