“His point is maybe they were brainwashed,” I answer, thinking of my wife. Hooke opens his mouth, but I raise my hand to stop him. “You said it yourself. Hailey has a younger sister. What if they were using her to get to Hailey?”
Hooke frowns.
“Have you spoken to her sister?” Saint asks Hooke.
He shakes his head. “No. All I know is that she lives in Las Vegas. Hailey visited her often.”
“That makes sense as to why Hailey went there and was with Hudson. Call the Mason brothers and have them do a search on the cameras for the sister.” I shrug. “It can’t hurt.”
SEVENTY-THREE
EVERETT
Isit in Kashton’s car while “Power Over Me” by Dermot Kennedy plays softly through the speakers and I hold my cell in my hand.
I’m trying to get the courage to make the phone call I don’t want to make. I knew it would be this way. That I’d choose him. It wasn’t even a question.
He has more to live for than me. I won’t be the reason he wastes his life. I have no future. He has everything. Even if he doesn’t see it that way.
I look down at my wedding ring and a sense of pride washes over me. To be called his. Even if it was for such a short time.
The vows we took don’t mean any less just because we didn’t spend years together.
Glancing at the clock on the dash, I see I’ve got twenty minutes. It’s now or never.
Licking my lips, I go to his contact and press Call. The song stops and the sound of his cell ringing fills the speakers.
“Hey, angel. Where you at?” His voice hits my ears, and tears instantly sting my eyes. “You were supposed to be back an hour ago. Everything go okay?”
I swallow the lump in my throat, trying to buy myself some more time. “I—” I can’t get the words out. I close my eyes, slamming the back of my head against the headrest, mad at myself for being so weak.
“Eve?” His voice has changed from welcoming to worried. “Everett, where are you?” Kashton demands this time.
Sniffling, I’m able to whisper, “I’m sorry.”
“Eve,” he growls. “Where the fuck are you? I’m not going to ask you again.”
I manage a smile through the tears that silently fall. Always so bossy. “Please know this is my choice.”
He tries to video call me when I see my face on thescreen. I hit Decline. Hearing me fall apart is one thing. Watching it is another. I don’t want him seeing me like this to be the last memory he has of me.
“Angel,” he sighs. “Please. Tell me where you are. I’m coming. Just tell me where I’m going.” I hear him snapping his fingers and whispering, “Eve.”
I can only imagine he’s pointing at his cell telling Haidyn and Saint that I’m on the phone. And then Kashton speaks to them. “Barrington.”
Looking up out of the window, I see the university. I’m sitting in the north parking lot. I knew he’d be able to track me. If I didn’t want him to find me, then I wouldn’t have called him. It’s either on my cell or in his car. Either way, I’m here for a reason.
“We’re coming,” he tells me.
It’ll be too late.“I love you.”
“Don’t,” he growls. “Don’t pull this shit now, Eve. We’ll be there?—”
“It’s okay,” I interrupt him. I’ve accepted my fate. It was always going to be this way.
“I can save you,” he rushes out, and my chest tightens at the thought of leaving him alone. “Whatever it is. Whatever has happened…I can save you.”
I smile through the tears. “You already have. Don’t you see that, Kash? You have shown me what it feels like to be loved.” He has saved me from myself. For so long I felt I didn’t deserve this life. That I would die alone. At least now I get to die for a good cause.
