Almost Had Me (Passion Book 2)

Chapter Fifteen

All the color drained from Buck's face, his eyes fixed to his phone. The skin of his knuckles was tight against the bone underneath. Eddie could see the pulse jumping at the base of his throat. 

Suddenly, he was on his feet, jumping up from his seat on the bench. It was as if everything was moving in slow motion -- Eddie was aware of every minute movement that Buck made; the feel of the wooden grains of the bench beneath his body; the slight breeze that kissed his skin. 

"Evan," he said, his voice low, as though he was speaking to a spooked animal. "What's wrong?" 

"Maddie," he croaked, his eyes huge and full of fear. 

Nothing else had to be said. Eddie was on his feet, resting what he hoped was a comforting hand on Buck's shoulder. "I'll drive you. Just give me a second." 

He made his way towards where his mother was talking -- and laughing -- with a younger couple. It felt strange being here, at such a joyous and comforting place, knowing that something was very wrong, and that Buck was scared. He'd never seen him scared before, and he didn't know what to do. Of course, this was apart of any relationship -- seeing different parts of that person. But this felt different. Like a deep-seeded fear. One that Buck did not let on to. 

He fought a wave of anxiety that Buck hadn't told him about this fear. 

"Oh! Edmundo. Is everything okay?" Helen asked. 

"There's an emergency." It was the best he could come up with. because, wasn't that what this was? "We have to go. Can I leave Chris here? I can pick him up in a few hours." 

His mother frowned. "Of course, sweetheart. Just call me." 

He kissed her cheek, then turned back to Buck. He was in the same spot that Eddie had left him, but every line of his body communicated his anxiety. 

Eddie's stomach twisted. 

He was surprised when Buck grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers. It felt as though he was using him as his lifeline. 

Maddie was in danger. It was clear as day. 

They hurried to the truck, and Eddie opened Buck's door, before closing it and moving around to the driver's side. 

He started the truck and peeled out of his parking spot on the street in front of his mother's house, hoping that they wouldn't be too late. 

*

Time is an immovable object. No matter how quickly you move, the slower it moves, as though mocking you. L.A. was a big city -- huge being a better word -- and no matter how fast we drove -- or what way we took -- it would still take a half hour to get to the apartment. 

It felt as though my heart was now residing in my throat, my pulse beating fast. My biggest fear -- my only fear -- was that we would be too late, that he would have harmed, or even killed her, by the time we got there. An image of Maddie's lifeless body lying on the floor of the hallway -- strangled or in a pool of blood -- would not leave my head. 

I couldn't breathe, couldn't see anything but the horror of that image. 

Eventually, I doubled over in my seat, my head between my legs and tried to regulate my breathing. 

Eddie rubbed my back with his free hand, shooting me worried glances every now and then. I couldn't look at him, not in the eye. I was beyond appreciative of him being here; he was the only thing keeping me sane. But I'd neglected to tell him about my sister's past. About what she'd escaped.