Chapter Forty-Three
Lucy
After what felt like a lifetime, we’re finally back in the UK. Stepping off the plane is one of the most bittersweet moments I can think of. I’m sad to no longer be in paradise with the most amazing group of people, but I’m happy to be home. To be able to get back to the bar, wear more than just a bikini all day, and even just to have a little alone time.
The one thing I am most excited for is having that alone time with Max. Being able to climb into his bed after a long day and curl up into his arms without being worried about someone barging in.
Gracie hasn’t mentioned what she saw, not even once. But I haven’t missed the sad smiles she’s aimed at me whenever Max is close but not by my side. It’s made me realise just how much I’ve been struggling with it. To be able to grab him whenever and wherever I want to, even if it’s just to hold his hand.
“I’m going to nip to the loo before we go, I won’t be able to hold it all the way back,” I say, suppressing a yawn.
Everyone nods in agreement. We’ve made it through departures at Manchester airport, and it’s close to a two-hour drive back home from here. I know Max and Tommy will want to do the journey in one, but there is no way my little bladder will survive that.
Once everyone has taken their turns, we’re picking up our bags when Tommy frowns.
“Where is Maya?”
“She’s still in the bathroom. I’ll run in and check on her.” Gracie offers and heads back inside.
Only a minute later, she runs back out, panting.
“She’s not in there! I’ve checked every stall and called for her, but there’s no answer.” She cries, her body shaking on the spot.
All the girls run up to her, trying to calm her down, whilst the bodyguards and Tommy run in to look for her.
“I-I didn’t even think. I thought she’d be fine because Freddie and the boys were out here.” Fallon stutters in a panic.
“Fallon, you did nothing wrong. She could still be in there.” I tell her, taking her hand.
She throws herself into my arms, sobbing on my shoulder.
“If she’s gone, it’s all my fault, again!” Her breathing is choppy as she tries to catch her breath.
Tommy walks out of the bathroom first, almost in a daze, but his face is deathly white. He doesn’t need to say it out loud. All our worst nightmares have come true.
Maya is gone.
I thought I knew Jenson pretty well, but seeing how he has acted today, I know that it has all been a façade. From the moment Maya went missing, he has been barking out orders as if he’s running a military operation. The crazy thing is that all of his security friends have treated him as if he is their boss, and this is another day in the office. There isn’t an ounce of panic on their faces, just a group of men working hastily to get their job done.
They found a lead to where she might be with some hi-tech shit they had with them and have left to find her. Tommy forced his way to go with them, too. Not that I can blame him. She is his entire world, and he would burn it all down to find her.
That leaves me, the girls, and Max here in the apartment they’ve rented close to the airport. We didn’t want to drive in any direction without knowing which one they would have taken her. All of this from a psycho stalker. God, I honestly don’t know how they’ll ever get through this. That’s if they find her.
They will. They have to.
I can’t stop my hands from trembling as I hold them between my knees. I’m trying to keep it cool, to be the strong one, because the three girls in front of me bloody need it right now. They’re an absolute fucking mess. I've known Maya for that long that she may as well be another Jackson sibling, too.
Max, on the other hand, is furious. I’m surprised there is any carpet left beneath him from the amount of pacing and stomping he has done. He is holding his phone in a death grip in case any of them call, but so far, we’ve heard nothing.
All I want to do is run up to him and hold him close, but I’m just too scared to do it.
Max’s phone suddenly breaks the silence. He opens the message so fast he almost drops the phone in his haste.
“They think they’ve found her. They’re following a car to Liverpool now.” He says, breathing out a sigh of relief.
It’s not over yet, but this is a good sign. I run my hands through my extremely dishevelled hair, pulling at the roots to ease some of the building tension. When I look up, I notice Max is doing the same thing. The only difference is that he has tears in his eyes.
“Max?” I call softly.
