The Gang Leader's Shorty

Chapter 16

Contains violence and mild sexual reference, read at own risk.

Cole's PoV-

huh? find a shop and ask

Read by Lexi at 12:49 pm

I've been staring at the text for minutes on end and she still has not replied. I wonder where she is. Her phone has probably died, I convince myself, that girl and charging her phone is an impossibility, she never charges it! I decide to call Max and James over when I reach my house, they are usually better with situations as ambiguous as this; they're more rational than I am. 

The Three Mancateers

guys come to mine. now -Cole

Why? What's happened? -James

god quit the questions and get your ass over to mine  -Cole

It must be serious if Cole is using punctuation -Max

I pace downstairs, waiting for the guys to turn up. All I could think of is what I would do if something bad happens to her, Luke will kill me. I should've known she wasn't ill, she would've gone to the nurse, she's sensible like that. As soon as my thoughts take a turn for the worse, I hear the doorbell go. 

I sprint to the door and open it to see Max and James stood there on the balls of their feet in anticipation. I usher them in, "Callum, Caiden! We need your help!" I yell to my younger brothers. They come pounding down the stairs as the guys and I take a seat at the breakfast bar, the twins sit opposite us.

"What's happened?" James asks, seriously. He's always been like the father of our group, he just always knows what to do, "Lexi left school early and I sent her a text to find out where she is and it said she read it and didn't reply. She still hasn't come home and I haven't heard from her since," I say, hurriedly ranting at them as they take in the information. 

"What?" They blaspheme, glancing round at each other with wide eyes. However, James remains collected, absorbing the situation at hand, "Have you tracked her phone?" James asks and I nod, biting back the urge to remind him that I'm not an idiot, "I tried but she has to enable it from her phone and I'm guessing it's dead because she always answers me," I say and suddenly beginning to panic.

Something bad is going on and I can feel it in the pit of my stomach, "You should tell Luke," Max points out and I sigh, "He's got the game he doesn't need any more stress," I say mainly because he will kill me but also out of concern for his place on the team. Lexi would never forgive me if I worried her brother before the big game and he lost his place on the team because of it; football is his entire future. 

"Cole, if this was one of us and you had a big game, you'd want to know likewise, wouldn't you?" Callum asks, "Yes," I say, desperately, "Cole, tell him," Caiden demands, leaning towards me in an attempt to pressure me. It doesn't work, only I realise his logic and listen, "Fine," I give in, reluctantly taking my phone out of my pocket. 

hey, we should talk 

What has she done now?

well she told me over messages that she left school feeling ill but she hasnt returned my messages since and its been hours

You should know that my dad is being released from prison early. 

The words hit me like a bombshell. He's got her, I just know it. He is probably hurting her right now and I can't do anything because we haven't found her yet. I freeze in my position, my hands shaking with anger and panic as I attempt to type back. I hate to admit it but we need Luke's help, he knows more about his dad than us.