His Scars

30. Those Three Words

This did not turn out the way I intended for it to. I will probably rewrite this chapter. 

Do comment and let me know what you thought. 

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KANE

I stared after Caleb and Matt. My heart was pounding in my ears. 

Surely she couldn't be missing. How could this have happened in such a short time? I had seen her that evening. I had passed her as she walked home. I had glanced at her in the rearview mirror. 

Was this my fault? Was this because I could not leave her to her own devices at the party? I had been warned to stay away from her. I should have said no. I should have refused to take her home. But what if something had gone wrong at the party? What if the guy she kissed ended up being someone other than the one I had seen? What if it had been someone with less than respectable intentions? How could I leave it to chance? 

For the most part, we behaved ourselves and stayed away from each other. Even when it felt like we were opposing poles of a magnet. Even when it felt as if every force in the universe fought to make us collide. 

I reached for the coat hanger near the door to grab my jacket. There was no way I could stay put with her missing. I would lose grip of my sanity if I didn't find her. It would come unhinged. I would come unhinged. If something happened to her, every fear I ever had would come to life. Except, rather than her falling apart, it would be me. If she got hurt, if I lost her, it would be the end of me. I would sell my soul and allow my heart to be carved out of my chest if it meant she would be safe,  breathing and smiling. 

Just then my phone chimed. I swallowed as I opened the attachment, feeling like there was a stone logged in my throat. 

It was her. Her fiery eyes stared unafraid into the camera, even as a bruise was forming on her cheekbone. She had a rag stuffed into her mouth and tied. Her long hair fell over her shoulders in waves. She looked like she was at the back of a van. 

The phone rang and I picked up without hesitation.

"Get in." It was Grubb. 

Just then a black car stopped outside the gate of my house. I swallowed once more. 

"Where is she?" I asked. I was surprised at how steady my voice sounded. My heart was riddled with terror. 

"Get in, Kane. She's at my mercy. She doesn't have to be." 

"Why do you need her? You can just let her go. She doesn't have to be a part of this." I tried to keep the pleading out of my voice. 

"Get in, Kane. I won't ask again." 

Leaving my jacket and closing the door behind me, I walked to the gate and looked over. The car waited outside with blacked-out windows. 

"I'll see you soon. I don't need to remind you how good I am with a knife do I?" He asked. The usual playful tone in his voice was missing today. "If you don't want me to cut up your pretty little girlfriend's face, I better see you here in half an hour. If you do anything to mess this up, I'll give her back to you like a skinned cow." 

My hands shook as fear seized my heart. 

"I'll be there," I promised. 

The door opened and I helped myself inside. Two men in black baklavas, dressed in all black sat on either side of the seat, watching me with dark eyes. I took a deep breath and settled between them.