I slipped into my car and double-checked the security cameras in our apartment to make sure that Athena hadn’t gone home yet. Once I was sure, I started the engine and drove down the streets, one by one, slowing down by any young woman to see if it was her.
It was dark, cold, and raining, and I doubted that Athena would stay out here long.
While driving, I called her phone over and over and over, but it went to voicemail every time. Everyone who was close to her was at Radiant, which meant that there was only one person left to call.
The dickhead that I had been calling all day, who refused to answer.
Except this time, he did on the first ring.
“Didn’t think you loved your big brother this much,” Derek hummed, amused on the other end. “Calling and texting me all day. The desperation really, really doesn’t suit you. Maybe that’s why Athena stayed over at my place last night.”
That bastard. That fucking bastard!
“If you know where she is, tell me,” I growled. “I don’t have time for your games.”
“Games?” Derek repeated. “If I was playing games with you, you’d know it.”
I flared my nostrils and glared out at the street, seeing smears of lights blazing down the road. “Cut the fucking shit and tell me where she is.” I balled my hand into a tight fist at the mere thought of Athena with him.
Of him using her at her weakest.
“Saw her earlier, running down the street and crying,” he said, and I could just hear the smile on that fucker’s face. “That could’ve been the rain, so I asked her what happened, and she asked me to bring her back to my place.”
“If you’ve?—”
“Of course, as your big brother, I couldn’t betray you like that,” he said like he was some god. “I know you’ve got the biggest crush on her. So, out of the kindness of my heart, I brought her back to your apartment.”
“You’re lying,” I said through gritted teeth.
“I did bring her back to your apartment.” He paused with a slight chuckle, like my life was some sort of wild comedy to him. He had probably set this up from the start. “Not my fault she didn’t want to get out to see you.”
“I’m not going to ask you a-fucking-gain. Where the fuck is she?”
In the background, I heard some shuffling, then a female’s voice. “Derek?”
“Go back to sleep, baby,” Derek cooed. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
“If you fucking touch her, I will kill you,” I shouted, slamming my fist against the steering wheel because I could do nothing. This was all my fucking fault. “I’ll fucking kill you!”
CHAPTER
TWENTY
CHARLIE
With the right motivation, I found my brother’s address in twenty minutes. I slammed the side of my fist against the door and hollered at him to let me inside. If he had Athena in here, I swore to fuck, I would?—
“Damn, no need to be loud,” a pink-haired woman mumbled, opening the door.
Before she could slam the door in my face, I stepped into his apartment and scanned the room for any sign of Athena. She fucking had to be here. She had been here when I called. Where was that fucker hiding her?
“Where is she?” I snarled.
“Where is who?” Derek asked, walking out of a room with a towel hanging around his shoulders, another fastened around his hips, and beads of water rolling down his chest.
I shoved him out of the way and hurried into the room.
“Athena,” I called.
