One Step Forward

Chapter 23. Pray

Mya's POV

Three miserable days passed, and there wasn't a trace of her or Damen. The cops said days weren't a good sign. They sent volunteers up and down the beach. Her picture was on every local and national news channel, but there was still nothing.

The entire family and MC searched for her high and low. Part of me was angry with Linc, but I knew that part of me was also angry with myself. I tried to tell him this would happen. We screwed up. We underestimated Damen, and now my beautiful little girl, who'd be just six years in a few days, is gone and might never come back. 

Linc came into Lilly's bedroom just then. My tears stained her pillow. Linc stood in the doorframe and took a couple of deep breaths before he approached me. I had been pretty unapproachable the last three days. 

"Baby, um, the press is downstairs. They thought maybe you could put out a plea for her safe return," Linc stammered and cleared his throat. The tendons in his neck stuck out.

"Will you do the talking?" I croaked. "I don't think I can." To say I was devastated wasn't a strong enough description. My entire universe was flipped upside down—not even my husband, whom I loved with every fiber of my being, could make me feel any better because I was that low. I hadn't felt pain like this since I lost my son, who'd be eight years old by now. He was just two and a half years older than Lilly. 

A wall of flashing lights coming from cameras surrounded our house. We stood on the front door, with people not knowing the definition of personal space. One woman had a microphone practically touching my lips. I wanted to punch her in the face, but I refrained and looked away from her. I was so lost in my world, I barely heard what people said. The voices were like a humming background noise that annoyed me. 

Linc pleaded for her safe return, explaining how desperate and devastated the entire family was and how much we all loved Lilly.

After the pleas ended, Linc answered a few questions. He had his arm around my waist, probably to keep me in place. I wanted to turn and go back inside. 

After Linc said no more questions, the crowd went wild and begged him for just a few more questions. Linc turned us both to go inside. Without hesitation, I started for the stairs. 

"Don't do that, Mya," Linc said.

I slowly turned to face him, confused. "Don't do what?"

"Don't shut everyone out. It won't help anything," he said as gently as he could.

It didn't matter how kindly he had said it. My world was literally torn to pieces. Not even Linc could put it back together. "Fuck you," I hissed. 

"Damn it, Mya." He grabbed my arm, but I swatted it away. "You're angry, okay? I get that. I would be pissed off too, but you're taking it out on the wrong people. We love you, baby. We love Lilly, and we all miss her."

"It's not the same," I screamed and turned to face him. "Don't even pretend like you love her the same. She's not your daughter." The second the words left my mouth, I instantly regretted them. Lindsey, Darren, and Dominic had come into the room to make matters worse.

Linc's nostrils flared, and the tendons in his neck looked like they might explode. "I haven't known her as long," he murmured. "I didn't create her, but I love her no differently than as if she were my own. The fact that you can even stand there and say that..." he trailed off and gritted his teeth. He spun around, grabbed the key to his bike, and walked in the direction of the garage. A moment passed, and the door slammed shut, shaking the walls. 

The kids stared at me sadly. Lindsey and Dominic went back to the living room, but Darren stared at me.

"I'm sorry," I murmured.