Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Ethan was offering me something that I had always wanted. Wouldn’t I be crazy to say no? And it wasn’t like I had to date him again. I could let him push me all the way to the top, and if he wanted to take some credit, I would let him.
That sounded better than getting hurt. Anything sounded better than having my heart ripped out all over again.
Chapter 23
Ryder
A shrill ringing noise filled my ears as I checked Delilah’s room for the hundredth time. Her things were still in there, but she was nowhere to be found. Ever since yesterday, she hadn’t shown back up to the ranch house or even picked up her phone.
“She told me that she was headed home. She took an Uber,” Brianna fretted as she lingered in the doorway.
I dragged my fingers through my hair, my heart thudding heavily in my chest. I didn’t understand what was going on. Had she been kidnapped? What if she was hurt? Or worse?
The second I heard the door downstairs open and close, I hurried past Brianna and went to the foyer where the rest of the band were huddled, looking as frazzled and nervous as I felt.
“Anything?” I asked them. All of them had been sent out to check all over town for her.
“Nothing,” Jesse said, his eyes looking haunted. “I checked all over downtown.”
“I looked all throughout the woods. No trace of her,” Amos added, sweat glistening on his brow.
“She still isn’t picking up her phone?” Carson asked me.
I shook my head as I pulled out my phone to stare at the empty notifications screen. I couldn’t count how many times I’d called and texted her only to receive silence in response.
“No, even Brianna tried,” I replied.
“I think we need to go to the police and file a missing person’s report. She could be in trouble,” Wyatt spoke up. “Has anyone talked to her parents?”
“I called. They haven’t seen her,” I told him before letting my eyes sweep over all of them. “Police?”
They all nodded.
I clenched my hand shut to keep it from shaking. The thought of her being hurt… or worse… I couldn’t bear the thought of it.
“I need to sit down,” I breathed out before slumping down into a chair at the dining table.
Jesse walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Try to stay optimistic. She’s as tough as could be,” he reminded me.
I looked up at him and nodded, my throat growing tight. I just wanted to hold her in my arms again. After she admitted to having feelings for me, all I wanted to do was tell her to stay here with me. With the others. I would do anything to have her stay because things felt whole when she was here.
Now, she was gone without a trace, and I couldn’t ever remember feeling so close to passing out.
Everyone looked up when my phone rang. I hurried to look at the screen, my shoulders dropping slightly when I saw that it wasn’t Delilah.
“Hey, Kerrie,” I said, seeing the guys frown.
“Hey, I forgot to grab my jacket in your closet yesterday. Can I swing by and grab it tonight?” she asked.
Yesterday, Kerrie came to the house to grab her things and say one last goodbye before we parted ways. Thankfully, she was on the same page as me when it came to our relationship. Both of our hearts weren’t in it like they should’ve been. She wanted to focus on her career and travel, and I had my eyes on someone else.
Kerrie believed me when I told her that I wanted to work on our relationship and wanted to feel that spark, but I ultimately gave into my feelings for Delilah that had never gone away. She admitted that she had grown comfortable with me, but she didn’t see herself marrying me in the end. We just weren’t meant to be, and she preferred to move on.
We decided to split amicably.
“Can I get back to you on that? Me and the guys have been looking for Delilah all day. She hasn’t been picking up her phone,” I told her.
“Oh, that’s fine. Last time I saw her was last night,” she said.
My eyes widened.
“What? Where?” I asked her.
“She was in some guy’s car out front of the ranch house. I saw her through the kitchen window, but they drove off,” Kerrie told me.
My mind raced, going back through my memories to the point when Kerrie and I were in the kitchen. It was right before she left. We were talking about wanting the best for each other. We hugged each other, and she left.
“Oh, no,” I breathed out, realizing what Delilah probably thought she saw.
“What? Oh, no, what?” Wyatt asked.
“Let me call you back,” I told Kerrie before hanging up. I turned to the guys. “Delilah came by last night when Kerrie and I were talking. I think she thought Kerrie and I were getting back. She probably got upset and took off.”