Growing Up and Other Tall Tales

Chapter 53

My pen twirls under my fingertips as I click it down against the table.

"Mr. Romanov." Click. "Mr. Romanov?" Click. "Capo?"

I blink at Sandy who leans over the table to look at me confusion glistening on his face along with a little exasperation. And I have the decency to feel a little sheepish.

"We agree, right?" Sandy says looking at me pointedly and I try to grasp the intention of his look

"Yes, yes. We will reconvene in a few weeks to discuss progress." I say getting up and shaking the hand of the rather confused but pleasantly flustered project manager

"Capo, are you okay?" Sandy says the second I walk out of the meeting. He jogs a little to keep up with me while tucking in the contract into a file

"Yeah, yeah." I wave him off and then feel him grab my shoulder to pull me back. I let him. A little too tired to fight. He looks at me intensely. I sigh and lean against the wall. "You promise not to tell Missy?"

"You know I can't do that." He says

I shrug. Worth the shot. "Lyra hasn't replied back to any of my texts or calls for the past few days."

He blinks and then stares at me hard. Blinks again. Then grins. "That's what's gotten you so distracted?"

"I'm not distracted!" I hiss before looking around startled at the tone of my own voice and then inhaling deeply before continuing calmly. "I'm worried. She never..." I shake my head

"Did you drop by to see if she is okay?" Sandy tries but the grin doesn't fall off of his face

"Would you shut your face up? It's nauseating." I mutter and then. "No, but I'm going today. Nick owes me one anyway. I'll say I'm here to check up on Diana."

That causes a stutter in his expression. "How did you—"

"Missy can't keep anything from you either." I wave my hand. Sandy shrugs not looking particularly apologetic.

"She'll be okay, Aiden." Sandy says and claps me on the back making me jump. "Now do you think you can get your mind off her long enough to finish up the paperwork?"

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She's not okay.

Something isn't right.

It's either that or I really shouldn't be eating whatever the fuck Cindy keeps sending Sandy and I for lunch. My heart plummets to new lows as I slow the car to a crawl around her neighborhood. She's not here. Her building looks paler and more hollow than usual.

I barely acknowledge the half asleep doorman as I take three steps at a time climbing up to her apartment. My mind empty.

LyraLyraLyraLyra

All I know is that if I don't see her in the next thirty seconds I'm going to lose my mind.

When Diana opens the door, I just know.

"What happened?"