Page 72 of First Touch

“Thea?” I yell, clearing the kitchen and the rest of the downstairs. His van isn’t out back anymore.

As I go to run upstairs, I almost step on her phone lying face down on the landing. Did she drop it when she ran out of the house? Or is she here somewhere? Did he take her?

I pocket it, trying to focus enough to clear the two smaller bedrooms upstairs and the bathroom, before finally going into her room. There’s no sign of her, she’s gone. “FUCK!!” I roar, again.

“What happened?”

I’m startled, instinctively pointing my gun toward the voice before realizing that it’s Malec. I drop it like it’s on fire, the gun thumping onto the bed as he stands in the hallway watching me warily.

“I can’t find her. I told her to run, but I don’t know where she is.” My hands claw at my hair, pulling painfully at my roots. I deserve the hurt, I deserve to be punished for not keeping her safe.

“Are you sure? It’s only been a few minutes. Did you check everywhere?” He asks, glancing up and down the hall at all the doors I’ve left open in my flurry to find her.

“I cleared the house. I found her phone on the stairs,” I say, tossing it onto the mattress. My knees buckle and sink to the edge of the bed. I lost her.

“Is there any reason she would go willingly?”

“No. No way. I told her who was coming. She’s terrified of-” I start to say men, but change my mind. Not wanting to air out Thea’s business. “This guy. She’s had problems with him for weeks. She wouldn’t go willingly.” I stare at my hands, resting on my knees.

I’ve never felt fear like this before. Soul-crushing terror.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Thea

Ican’t move. I can’t speak. I can hardly breathe.

My body is barely holding onto survival while I listen to Jesse calling my name from below me. I’m lying on the hard wooden floor of my attic, under the light of my moon window, in a paralyzing state of fear.

The only movement that I can register is the intense shaking that is racking my body. So intense that my teeth are chattering, despite the stuffy heat up here.

Usually, I’d keep the door open, or crack the window to allow ventilation, but still break out in a sweat if I was up here too long. Now, I’m faintly worried that I’ll die of heat exhaustion or lack of oxygen before I can will my body to move.

Despite knowing how unhelpful I’m being in this situation, my body can’t reconcile it. I’m stuck.

“Are you sure she isn’t here somewhere?” I hear a male voice say, though it’s quite muffled, I can tell he’s in my room. I assume it’s the Sheriff.

“I don’t know, I looked in every room.” Jesse’s voice touches a place in my soul, my mind begging my body to obey. Please, he’s right there. He’s worried about me.

“You’re distracted. You need to think,” Malec states sternly.

“What?” Jesse asks incredulously.

“Could she have gone to a neighbor’s? Or be hiding? I don’t know, we need to check everywhere before I can declare her missing. I can drive the block,” his voice suggests cooly.

There’s a long silence. Neither of them speaks, but I can only hope they aren’t leaving. I mentally beg Jesse to find me and not to leave.

I’m here. I’m right here.

“You’re right. Fuck, you’re right.”

Jesse’s voice gets closer. “She showed me this a while ago.” I hear the closet door creak open below me and I breathe a sigh of relief. He found me. It’s okay. I’m safe.

The ladder is pulled out, letting a gush of cool air in through the square cut out of an opening beside me. I sob in relief when Jesse’s head comes into view, my body still trembling.

“I got her, she’s here. Thea, baby. I’m so sorry.” He reaches for me and stops, remembering the frail girl that I am. “What can I do?”

I shake my head, my first signs of movement. “I don’t know. I don’t know,” I repeat over and over, my mind not able to process how to handle this. I want out, I want out of this attic but I can’t move. My body still won’t cooperate.

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