Before I can chase the thought away, Cas spins me to face him. His grin is mischievous, daring, his hand sliding down my back as he pulls me closer. Heat crackles in the air, our bodies in perfect rhythm as the music swells around us. I can’t stop smiling. Watching him watch me. Feeling the chemistry spark like fire between us.
Costumes twirl. Laughter roars. The smell of beer and smoke and hay lingers heavy in the air. I tuck my face against his chest, grounding myself in him, the steady thrum of his heart beneath my cheek. For a moment, it feels like nothing else exists.
And then,that feeling.
A prickle at the back of my neck. The shift in the air when eyes find you.
I stiffen, scanning the room. Familiar town faces. Strangers hidden behind masks. Nothing unusual. But the unease claws deeper.
Mark?
He hasn’t called. He hasn’t tried anything. Maybe he’s gone. Maybe.... But what if he’s here? I feelpanic rise.
Cas lifts my chin, his thumb brushing my jaw. His eyes burn into mine.“Everything okay, Sunset?”
I force a smile, my voice light.“I’m fine.”
He doesn’t buy it. His gaze lingers, searching. But I break away, resting my head against his shoulder.
The night spins on. Music. Lights. Laughter. Cas never lets me go, his hand always somewhere on me, anchoring me.But the feeling never fades. It gnaws at me until I can’t ignore it anymore.
“I’ll be right back,” I murmur.
Cas’s hand tightens instantly around mine.“I’ll come with you.”
I shake my head.“It’s just a quick break.” My smile is weak, but I force it anyway. I can’t ruin the night. I can’t spook him.“I’m safe. Just a few minutes.”
He hesitates, eyes dark, but finally nods.
The bar is chaos as I weave my way toward the back hallway. The bathroom door swings shut behind me, muffling the music into a distant throb. Inside, the air is cooler, faintly scented with soap and cheap perfume. A group of girls touch up their lipstick at the mirror, laughter bubbling as they sway tipsy in glittering costumes.
I wait, slip into a stall, and lock the door. My pulse slows as I sit, breathing deep.Just nerves. Just nerves.
When I finally push the stall open, the bathroom is empty. Silent. Too silent.
The hairs on the back of my neck rise.
I step to the sink, reaching for the faucet…
And a gloved hand clamps over my mouth.
The sharp reek of chemicals burns my nose as cloth presses hard against my face.
I jerk, twisting, trying to scream, but the sound dies in my throat.
Panic seizes every nerve. My heart slams once, twice.
Then everything goes black.
CHAPTER 21
Casper
I scan the dance floor, music pounding like a second heartbeat, my hands tight around my drink. My chest squeezes tighter with every passing second. Penny’s been gone fifteen minutes.What the hell is taking so long?
My eyes sweep every corner, every shadow near the bathrooms. Nothing. No sign of her.
The dread I’ve been trying to choke down bursts loose. I can’t sit still anymore. My boots hammer against the wooden floor as I shove through dancers, brushing past laughing couples, ignoring confused stares from my brothers.
