But I wasn’t back in time. Owen was taken and abused. Different from the fun loving friend I remember. He never talks about his time in captivity. His scarred body and haunted eyes told more of the story than his lips ever could.
I can’t let that happen to Ariah.I’m a fucking asshole for what I said to her.Wyatt was right to choke the life out of me. I’d have done the same.What if they’re torturing her or worse— raping her?
Shaking my head, I try to clear my thoughts. I can’t let ‘what-ifs’ distract me from finding her. My fingers fly across the keyboard as I watch the monitor to my left before shifting to the monitor to my right. Many programs run simultaneously— facial recognition to locate Ly- Madeline, software scripts to remotely override whatever is blocking the signal to her chip, and a search for the van. I need something to give to Thomas and his team.
A yawn breaks my concentration on the monitors, reminding me I haven’t slept since we arrived at the Tombs yesterday. I grab my energy drink and bring it to my chapped lips, gulping down my caffeine boost.I’ll sleep when she’s safe.
I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted her out of the way. She was distracting us from what needed to happen. If I had only stayed longer. Maybe if I got to know her better instead of trying to force her into leaving I’d have been there, or at least close enough to hear something happen. Instead, I let my pigheadedness rule— essentially kicking her out of town.
“Stop beating yourself up,” Sebastian chimes, stepping fully into the room.
I’m out of it. I wasn’t even aware that I wasn’t alone any longer.If you’d been aware of your surroundings or bothered to run your own surveillance, Ariah would be here now— annoying the shit out of me with her bullheaded presence.
“Stop it, Lev. You didn’t do this. The people who-.”
“Don’t finish that fucking cliché sentence. ‘The people who took her are responsible’,” I mock.
“It’s bullshit and you know it. I should’ve been there. This is the second time I was present at a kidnapping and I was powerless to do something about it.” Turning, I snap, “I should’ve been able to do something!”
Clapping fills the air.This motherfucker is clapping.
“Aww, poor Levi. You weren’t there so that’s why they made their move, “ Sebastian starts. “Way to make this about you. It’s a little on the pretentious side if you ask me. I expected this behavior from Wes, not you.”
Affronted by the accusation, I shout, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t think this is about me.”I don’t.“I just know I fucked up and left her there and she was fucking kidnapped. So, excuse me for feeling some remorse.”
Not compelled by my statement, Sebastian steps in my direction. He’s wearing gray sweats and an LWU t-shirt, foregoing his usual stuffy suit and tie. His long legs stride across the room until he’s standing feet away. His dirty blond hair is tousled, but he still manages to look like a dapper gentleman. Meanwhile, I probably smell and look like I have the hangover from hell or something.
That thought prompts me to assess myself. I’m in a pair of blue joggers and a black hoodie— a mismatched pairing of things I’ve left here. I could’ve gone home or had someone grab me something, but it didn’t seem important.
A smack to the back of my head has me glaring at him.
“What the hell, Seb?”
“You need to snap the fuck out of whatever this is and find Ariah. You’re distracted, Lev,” he growls. “And that distraction could get her killed. Focus and find her,” he commands and then turns, exiting as fast as he entered.
Am I really distracted?
I don’t think I am. I think I’m doing everything in my power to find Ariah.
As if synched to my thoughts, an alarm signals something’s been found.
I refocus my attention on my screen.
“Fuck yes!” This is exactly what I needed.
Picking up my phone, I dial Thomas. He picks up before the phone even has a chance to ring. “What have you found?” he rushes out.
“I have a lead. Meet me here in five.”
“I’m already here. I’ll be down in two minutes,” he replies and ends the call.
Hopefully, this is what we needed.
* * *
“Wes!Where the hell have you been and why have you been ignoring my calls?”
For fuck’s sake. Who let the banshee in here?
