Sin & Salvation

Chapter 39

"Cora! What the actual FUCK?" Payton screams, the speakers on my car straining to register the full scope of her anger. "We've all been worried fucking sick about you. We were ready to call the cops this morning to report you missing. Where the fuck have you been?"

My lip trembles and all I can do in response is cry, unsure of how to answer her. "I'm sorry, P. I didn't mean to, I wasn't expecting to be out all night."

She pauses before she finally says, "Are you crying?" When I don't immediately answer, I hear tires screeching on her end and I realize she's most likely driving to work right now. "Where are you? I'm coming to you right now," she demands, the sound of her engine revving as she drives faster.

I wipe my eyes, not wanting her to come to his place and possibly come face-to-face with him. Pulling out of my spot and driving off, I answer back, "I'm going back to the apartment, don't worry about me, we can talk later."

I hear her scoff loudly. "You're my best friend and you've been MIA since last night. And when I do finally get a hold of you, you're fucking sobbing. So no, I will worry about you and we'll talk now. I'll be there in fifteen."

Before I can argue back, she hangs up and I'm left by myself for the first time since last night. I don't have the energy to turn music on, so instead I just ruminate in my awful thoughts the entire drive back.

It takes me a little longer to get back because of morning traffic, but as I push the key into the door of the apartment, it flies open and Payton stands there, staring at me. As soon as I see her familiar face, I'm flooded with emotion and begin crying all over again. She pulls me into her arms and shuts the door behind us, bringing us over to the couch where I cry for what feels like hours.

When I've finally calmed down enough, I pull away, wiping the tears and snot off of my face. "I'm so sorry, P, I should've told you. It was so fucking selfish of me to not tell anyone where I was going."

She runs a hand down my head, stroking my hair. "It's okay, you just had us all so worried. When I came home and realized you weren't here, I just figured maybe you'd run some errands. But when you weren't answering your texts or calls, I thought maybe you were still at Brett's, so I called him."

My insides twist up when she mentions Brett, remembering there were texts and calls from him too. He would fucking kill me if he found out where I actually was.

"When he said he hadn't seen you since earlier that day when you left with Silas, I got even more worried. I remember Silas coming back into the office around two so I knew you had come back here at some point. But when Brett tried calling Silas, it went straight to voicemail."

"He called Silas?" I ask, realizing what Brett must have been thinking in that moment— that I was with Silas, probably fucking him. Which isn't wrong, but a terrifying realization for me.

"Cora— he called and drove over to Silas' place, going as far as to ask the guy at the front desk if you were there, showing him a picture of you," she explains.

My heart sinks. "And what did he say?"

She looks at me confused. "He said no, he'd never seen you before."

I feel a lot better now knowing Mr. W kept me safe, not revealing my whereabouts. I wonder if Silas told him about me and my situation at all, although I'm sure it's their policy anyways to not reveal information about their tenants or their guests.

She keeps staring at me, wondering why I look so relieved all of a sudden. "Why do you want to know what he said—." She stops, narrowing her eyes on me. "You were there last night, weren't you?"