Iwas dozing into sleepwhen I heard the soft buzz of my phone.For a second, I thought it might be Justin, maybe forgetting something.But when I reached for my phone, the name on the screen made me blink.
Bryan.
I sat up immediately.“Hey.What’s wrong?Are you okay?”
His voice came low and tight, the way it got when he was trying to not sound like he was upset.“Can you pick me up?”
I scrambled to my feet, trying to get my brain into gear as I remembered where my keys were.“Where?”
“My place,” he said.“They...took my keys.”
My stomach twisted.“Are you serious?”
“Yeah.Long story.I’ll be outside.”
The line went dead before I could ask anything else.
Bryan lived in the wealthy area in Feydelle, where generational wealth took root and every mansion was surrounded by massive lawns, impeccable landscaping, and large gates to get on the property.Even from the street, his parents’ house looked like a magazine photo with the perfect lawn and perfect lighting.The creation of a perfect lie that I knew about all too well.
I parked and watched my surroundings.The street was quiet, streetlights making it dim lighting instead of pitch blackness.Instead of making me feel better, it only made me more paranoid.Anything outside of lit areas suddenly became a spot filled with dangers.
I sighed and texted Bryan, letting him know I was outside and then stared at his house.It was only a minute later when I saw movement off in the distance.It looked like curtains shifting on the first floor, off to the right.
And then Bryan was climbing out of the window.
He landed with a soft thud, crouched low, and then jogged toward the gate, glancing over his shoulder like someone in a spy movie.When he slipped through the narrow side gap and reached the car, I was half ready to applaud.
“You’re ridiculous,” I said as he climbed in, breathless.It was almost funny how careful and chaotic he looked at the same time, his dark hair tousled, hoodie half-zipped, backpack looking like it might even be empty.
He grinned faintly, his cheeks flushed from the cold and adrenaline.“You love it.”
Before I could reply, the front door of the house opened.His dad slipped out and even with the distance, I could see his fury radiating off him.There was too much potential in those stiff shoulders and clenched fists.
Bryan froze halfway to buckling his seatbelt, hesitating as he realized he had been caught.The jig was up.
“Don’t,” I said.“Just don’t.”
He blinked at me.“Cadence—”
I glared at his dad through the windshield.He stood there, crossing his arms and I swore the light hanging by the door highlighted his features.He was definitely glaring back.I didn’t know all the details, but I heard it in Bryan’s voice.And I could see it in his face now.The exhaustion, the guilt, the fear all bundled inside of him.
My jaw tightened.“You don’t have to explain yourself to them.”
He turned to look at me, startled by my response.Slowly, a small smile tugged at his mouth.“You look like you’re about to go fight him.”
“I am.”
He laughed, a short, real sound that melted the tension just enough.“Don’t tempt me.I might actually let you.”
“Try me.”
His grin widened, and he sank back into the seat as I pulled away from the curb.
It only took moments before his phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his hoodie pocket.We were at a red light, so before he could do anything else, I reached over and grabbed it, quickly sending a text off.
Consider your son kidnapped.
“What?”He snatched it back and looked at the screen.As the light turned green and I started driving, he broke out in booming laughter.“Oh shit, you’re going to get us in trouble.”
