“How many people do you think own pink Porsches?” I ask, forgoing the pleasantries.
“In the state? Probably not that many. More if you want the whole country.”
“Let’s try the state first. I have a picture of the owner.”
“This about the Briarwick girl again?” he asks.
“No,” I tell him half the truth, not wanting to give away any cards I don’t need to. “This is about someone who robbed a lot of people around Bellthorn.”
“That’s a fun one,” he says, and I’m glad I’ve got his interest since he works a lot quicker that way.
“I’ll send you what I have soon.”
“Send money too.” The phone goes dead.
As I walk through the castle, I can’t get Sable or Soren off my mind. If my parents hadn’t forced me to come back here would any of this have happened? Would the other guys all have fallen for Sable without me? Would a little less pressure have made things easier? I’ve only ever worried that coming here was a mistake for me, that it would put my plans and my life on hold, but what if that was the least of the damage done? I don’t know for sure. All I do know is that there’s no undoing it. I pull out my phone to send yet another text I’m sure will go unanswered.
Me: Sable, please, even if you’re never coming back, let us know you’re safe. I’m begging.
Just as I feared,she doesn’t respond, and I have to keep moving without anything to keep me going. My phone beeps, and I assume it’s another text from Orion.
Unknown number: Good luck. You’re going to be begging for a very long time.
My palms are slick as a thick haze of rage and fear rolls through me. A sound like a cry of pain leaves my throat. Who the hell has her phone? They may not have texted back from her number, but it’s as good a confirmation as any that Sable is not gone under her own power. My heart races with the knowledge that I need to save her.
Soren may be fucked up, but he is the only one who’s actually here right now, and I cannot handle this alone. I find him in his room, which is unlocked and absolutely trashed. So is he, so I guess it’s fitting. He’s bent over, sniffing a line of something off his table when I find him.
“You’re fucking high enough,” I spit. He jumps and tries to wipe the trace of powder off the glass, but I’ve already seen it. “You’re doing coke now?”
“Not coke,” he argues. “Doctor’s orders only.”
I roll my eyes. “I need help, and none of the other guys are here. I mean, you probably don’t even give a shit about helping Sable after everything, but?—”
“I absolutely give a shit about helping Sable.” His tone surprises me, as do his suddenly straight shoulders and the fact he doesn’t seem quite as fucked up as he did a moment before.
“Someone just texted me from an unknown number. I had just texted Sable, and they mentioned what I said to her. They had her phone, or at least they know who does.”
Soren’s eyes start to drift until they’re far off, and I’m sure I’ve lost him.Shit, this isn’t going to work.
“I’m calling your brother.”
“Did you say it came from an unknown number?” he asks, ignoring what I just said.
“Yeah. That’s exactly what I said.”
“I think I might know who might have sent it, but I don’t know how she would have Sable’s phone. That part doesn’t make sense.”
“Who?”
“Arabella.”
“Why the fuck would your little girlfriend have her phone?” I demand, anger leaking into my voice.
He turns bright red. “She’s not my girlfriend, and I don’t know why she would, but no matter how many times I block her, she keeps making new numbers to contact me from.”
That’s news to me, and while I’m still beyond angry with him about everything that’s happened, I am relieved to know that he wants nothing to do with her. It’s too little too late, but I’m glad he’s not enjoying himself with her while the rest of us are trapped in hell.
CHAPTER 10
