“Didn’t you give her my note?” I thunder.
“Y-y-yes...” she breathes, averting her eyes from my dangerously flashing ones.
“And she didn’t believe me? She didn’t believe me!” This time, I’m not asking for an answer. Of course she didn’t believe me. I can hardly believe it myself. That I could have hurt my poor sweet Seraphina in this way. She was looking to me for protection, and I failed her. I failed her.
I want to die.
But there’s one thing I can’t believe at all. She can’t have escaped. It’s not possible.
I push past Lucy, bang open the door, and search the apartment, turning it topsy-turvy in the process. Under the couch, between the cushions, in the shower, under the bed. Even in the fridge.
It’s ridiculous, I know. There’s no way she could be hiding in any of the places I look in, but it’s even more absurd to think she could have evaporated in thin air.
The door was locked, and only Lucy and I had the remote controls. Even imagining that someone managed to get access to the floor some other way, there are only five keys to the apartment. Lucy takes a key from one of us Devils each time she goes and returns it immediately afterward. The only time that wasn’t the case was during the Feds’ investigation, when she was living on this floor.
But things have returned to normal. My key lies heavy in my pocket, and I trust the others enough. Even Vale.EspeciallyVale, as far as this situation is concerned. What possible reason could he have to help her escape?
Kill her, yes. But escape?
And it’s clear shehasescaped. She packed a bag.
Anyway, he wouldn’t have killed her in secret like this. She’s his leverage. The minute she disappeared, so did his leverage.
No, it’s impossible. Impossible.
I lean against the wall, letting my head fall into my hands. Behind me, I hear the others, probably alerted by Lucy, coming to see for themselves if it’s true. If my pet really has escaped.
She has.
I groan, images of my sweet girl flitting through my mind. I have only myself to blame. I’ve been a monster. I’ve hurt her. She didn’t understand. How could she possibly? If I were to do it all over again…
Well, one thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t bid her in a fucking game of poker. Or take a belt to her when she cursed me out.
She had every right to do it. I never had the slightest intention of losing her, but she didn’t know that. She didn’t know Logan would never touch her.
I was her abductor. She was my captive. Did she even want me to touch her? The kiss, the touching… maybe she didn’t want it at all. Maybe it was intolerable to her.
That thought nearly breaks me. I close my eyes, tuning out Vale as he speaks.
“I guess shewasguilty after all. She’s probably with Angel as we speak.”
“Never,” says Everest hotly. “She was merely caught up in the situation. Of course she would escape, given the opportunity. She was in captivity.”
“Let’s wait till we have all the facts,” suggests Logan.
“How long?” sniggers Vale. “Until she hands the nanochip over to Angel, who doctor it to remove all mention of them, and then give it straight to the Feds? That’s how long you want us to wait?”
“Bullshit,” says Everest.
“If what you say is true, it means your crime is far worse than the girl’s,” points out Logan, loyal as ever. “You were pushing us to work with Angel. You defended them after. Now you’re telling us they’re not to be trusted.”
Another pause, then Vale speaks again, on the defensive.
“Theywereto be trusted. We all break under pressure. Before, the Feds weren’t on us. Now they are, and someone has to take the fall. Whoever has the nanochip will fuck the other one over. That’s natural. It’s all about opportunity.”
“We wouldn’t fuck them over,” says Logan quietly. “We have a code of honor.”
I groan again, pressing my fingers over the bridge of my nose.The migraine is back, and it’s overwhelming. I know they’re talking about important things, but I can’t bring myself to care. All I can think about is my girl. Nothing else matters.
