The pills are kicking in, and everything is a little hazy. I’m inclined to believe her, seeing as she was beaten and tossed out of school when her con was revealed.Just let it go. Hadrian, on the other hand, doesn’t seem convinced. He has this nervous energy like Sable is around the corner, but I’m not stupid enough to hope and break my own heart anymore.
“Your best friend is texting us nonstop about it, and you don’t know?”
“Who’s my best friend?” she asks with a flip of her hair as she leads us inside and over to a shabby set of couches.
“Arabella,” Hadrian says.
“I think that’s Soren’s best friend.” She laughs. “Or at least I heard he likes her more than Sable, and she certainly likes him more than she does me.” Humiliation burns me from the insideout, and I’m so ashamed of myself I can’t even open my mouth to deny it. The urge to get revenge on Sable’s behalf falls flat because I’ve done worse. In this lighting, I can see that she’s still slightly bruised from what happened.
“You’re a real fucking asshole,” Hadrian says, looking at him like my silence is a betrayal. I don’t blame him. I would think the same of him if he were quiet in the same situation. “Fine, then. Please just help us. We’re out of places to look, and you know Sable well.”
She looks like she’s tasted something nasty. “I barely know that girl, and I haven’t for a long time. She used to be normal, cool, popular, but she’s weird, and I’m done playing nice with weirdos no matter what their last names are.” She shoots me a look. “In fact, I think I’m about done playing this game with you two. You should leave.”
This went nowhere, and I’m not sure how I’ll manage withholding my “I told you so” on the drive back. He’ll likely kick me out of the car and leave me to walk home if I do. While I’m planning our inevitable failure, Hadrian steps forward and snatches her by the neck. I’ve seen him do similar to Sable when he was planning to fuck her, but the energy here is entirely different. Hadrian wants tokillher. Hell, maybe I do too.
“We have looked everywhere for her. Where haven’t we looked?” His hand tightens, and an expression I’ve never seen before comes over him. A shiver runs through me when I realize I’m reminded of his father.
She shakes her head, lips sputtering as her face turns blue.
“She needs to be able to breathe to talk,” I tell him.
He loosens his grip just slightly. “I don’t know,” she croaks out.
He shakes her. “Where else is there? Where would you look for Sable if you actually gave a shit?”
“Her house.”
“Jesus Christ.” I roll my eyes. As if we hadn’t already checked there. The place is dark and still wrapped up in police tape, and she’s not in any of the places Parker followed her to over the years. “How genius.”
“Where else?” Hadrian demands.
“I-I don’t know,” she gasps.
“What about when you guys were younger? Give me one halfway-decent idea, or you’re going to die. I’ll enjoy it,” he promises, and fuck me, I think I might feel something. I want to kill every single person who’s ever hurt Sable, and I want to do it painfully.
“The lakehouse,” she spits finally, genuine hope lighting her expression.
“Her father never owned any lakehouse,” he argues.
“It wasn’t her father’s. Her mom’s dad passed it down to her. It was in her mom’s name. They didn’t go there a lot because they didn’t want anyone to know about it.” Tears start to roll down her cheeks as Hadrian squeezes.
“Where is it?” he asks, impressing upon her just how much her life is in danger if she doesn’t comply.
“It’s really remote. I don’t know the address exactly.”
“That’s fine. You’re going to take us there.”
I’m standing there watching, transfixed by the scene in front of me. The butt of a gun connects with the back of my head. “You boys better get the fuck out of my house before I blow his pretty brains out.”
CHAPTER 12
SABLE
The door bangs downstairs,the sound so loud it echoes, and I wonder if it snapped right off the hinges. A stark fear fills me, a sense of knowing that’s animalistic and primal in its drive to keep me safe. Knowing won’t help me, though. I have nowhere to go, and my time is up. Uncle Carl’s steps are heavy with frustration as he climbs the stairs. That desperation is something I can relate to in my own way. It vibrates through the walls, a type of yearning that’s beyond sense. He wants me, and I want freedom, but only one of us can win.
He opens the door after a long pause, as if he’s savoring the moment of tension before he sees me, letting the room grow thick with the haze of my fear. The door opens, revealing a sinister curve to the hard line of his mouth. For the first time, he doesn’t lead with his hand on his zipper. Instead, he holds a small, sharp knife. The blade gleams wickedly as he steps into the suddenly shrunken space.
I almost laugh at the idea that he found something I’m even more averse to than him coming on me. I guess getting stabbed is worse. I don’t laugh, though, the true terror of what may happen to me hiding just beneath my brain’s attempt to make light of my likely impending death.Why are all the men in mylife trying to kill me?I wonder as Uncle Carl prowls toward me. I step backward until my calves hit the bed.
