Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“Well, when you put it like that.” The sarcasm in his voice was thick. Then he looked at me with something I had never seen on his face before. If it were anyone else, I would have said it was concern. “You might want to call her and make sure she’s okay and tell her not to leave your apartment.”
I grabbed my phone and dialed her number, pressing it to my ear, ignoring the slew of no cell phone signs posted around the club. No one really paid attention to those signs anyway. Besides, on a Saturday afternoon, it was just Luc and me in this area and a few retired guys on the other side of the room.
After the third ring, my heart started thundering in my ears. After the fifth ring, it became harder to breathe. And when the call went to voicemail, a cold sweat broke out over my back.
I hung up the phone and called again.
This time, it went straight to voicemail.
No, no, this cannot be happening, my voice screamed inside of my own head.
Hand shaking, I hit the “end call” button and called my driver, telling him to pull around and pick me up immediately.
“Did she not answer?” Luc asked, stating the obvious.
“No, she didn’t. I’m going to head home and make sure nothing’s wrong. If they took her, if they managed to get to her, where would they have taken her?” I asked Luc, trying to stamp down the overwhelming sensation of dread that was rising in my chest.
“I don’t know, but I can start making calls. Get home and make sure she’s okay. Call me once you know she’s safe,” Luc said, clapping me on the shoulder.
I nodded and returned the gesture before practically running outside to meet my driver.
The brisk air of the New York winter did nothing to cool my skin or stop my sweating as I dove into the back of my car and slammed the door behind me.
“The apartment, immediately,” I barked at the driver.
“Yes, sir.” The driver pulled into traffic and tried to maneuver around the yellow cabs and other cars on the road.
We got maybe three blocks before I had the privilege to watch a car run a red-light, T-boning another car.
“Fuck,” I swore, knowing that this was going to take forever to clear. They were blocking the entire intersection, and we were three cars back, so even if I wanted to have the driver maneuver around the wreck and keep going, there was no way to do it.
I sat there for five minutes trying Eddie’s phone over and over. Still no answer, each time going straight to voicemail, telling me that she either got spooked and ran and blocked my number because she didn’t want to move in with me, didn’t want me. Or she was taken by the goddamned Irish mafia, and it was all my fault.
Either scenario was unacceptable.
Fifteen minutes later, the traffic cops finally cleared enough of the intersection that traffic kept going, but of course, it went at a fucking crawl until we moved past the wreck because people had to stop and stare. It was like they didn’t watch the accident that just happened in front of their faces.
It was another ten minutes before we pulled up in front of my building. I didn’t even wait for the car to come to a full stop or the driver to open the door before I flew out of the back of the car, ran past the doorman to the elevators, and started hitting the buttons.
It was probably only three or four minutes, but it felt like hours before I was finally on my floor, in front of my apartment door. I took a few deep breaths, trying to brace myself for whatever I was going to find.
I opened the door, feeling like my stomach was in my throat. Everything looked normal.
Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing had been moved. But it was also empty. Eddie wasn’t here.
I went back to the bedroom where we had spent most of our day, and there was a note sitting on the table on top of the tablet.
Harrison, in case you get back before I do, I went back to my old shithole apartment to grab some clothes. I’m still not sure about living with you full-time, but I will admit I do need to find a safer apartment, and I’m okay (if you are) staying here until I can arrange a better place.
Love Eddie
The sigh of relief that I felt was absolutely incredible.
I crumpled to the floor just to catch my breath and let the fear flow out of my body.
My phone rang, and I looked at the screen. Eddie’s name was lit up. And I answered, ready to give her hell for leaving without telling me first.