It’s Elio’s phone.
Something is horribly wrong.
Using my own phone, I call my friend from work.
“Dude, your bro was a no-show.” His words ice over the blood in my veins until the chill causes my entire body to shiver.
“Thanks, man,” I murmur distractedly before hanging up on him, my hand shaking as I put my phone back in my pocket.
Elio would never intentionally not show up. Something bad has happened, and I have no idea what it is or what to do about it, except go home and tell my parents that Elio is missing.
I could hearmy mom crying in the night. None of us slept. We called the police. They told us we have to wait until Elio has been missing for twenty-four hours before we can file a missing person’s report, which is absolute bullshit. My twin didn’t run away without me.
We checked hospitals. No one with his name or description has been admitted. Plus, that wouldn’t explain his phone getting trashed. I’ve gone round and round all night thinking about it, and I can only guess that he’s been kidnapped, but why? Dad’s an engineer and Mom teaches school. They don’t have enemies. We have decent money but aren’t rich. Elio isn’t exactly ideal for trafficking since he’s six feet and nearly 200 pounds. What reason does that leave? Why the fuck would someone take him?
The questions haunt me relentlessly.
We sit silently in the kitchen the following morning while torturous seconds tick by. I decide to go back to the street to keep looking for clues when Dad’s phone rings. The chime slices through the thick air with cheery violence.
His large hands fumble with the device. “Hello?”
I watch and listen breathlessly. Could it be Elio? Is he okay?
“Who are you?” Dad demands. “Why are you doing this?”
The pit in my stomach expands, its thorny spines digging into my insides. It’s not Elio, and judging by Dad’s tone, we’ve been right to worry.
Dad’s face drains of blood. “I don’t have that kind of money,” he stutters quietly. “No, no. Don’t hurt him. We’ll find a way. Please, just don’t hurt him.” After a minute, he pulls the phone from his ear and stares at it in disbelief.
Mom’s trembling hand covers her mouth in horror as we stare at my dad, waiting for the worst to unfold.
“Someone has Elio—I have no idea who. He wants five hundred thousand dollars ransom in forty-eight hours or … or...” He swallows, unable to finish.
“Why would someone do this? Why?” My mother’s broken words claw at my heart.
Dad shakes his head. “I don’t know. I don’t understand at all. He said he’d know if we contacted the police and told me to use my connections to get the money, but I don’t know what that means. And … I think he thinks he has you, D.” He peers up at me from where he sits at the kitchen table. “He started by telling me he has DiAngelo.”
Use his connections.
Jesus, no.
Tell me this isn’t all my fault. Tell me someone didn’t take my brother because I made a bunch of strangers at a shitty bar think we were loaded.
My lungs refuse to function.
I stumble against the wall as the room closes in around me.
“D, sweetie. Are you okay?” Mom places her hands on my face, searching my eyes with a worried gaze. She’s terrified for Elio, yet still so damn strong that she’s checking on me. I should be the one protecting her. I should be the one preventing this sort of pain from ever touching her.
Get your fucking head out of your ass, you worthless piece of shit, and do something.
I regain control of my lungs, regulate my breathing, and shake off my shock. I don’t have the luxury of panic. I have to save my brother.
“I’m okay.” I nod and gently squeeze her arms to reassure her. “We’re going to get him back, Mom. I’ll get him back. I promise.”
Tears flood her eyes as she chokes on a sob, and I swear to myself I won’t let her down. I will find Elio and bring him back one way or another.
CHAPTER 16
