Page 8 of Quiet Confessions: Part Two

“I should be comforting you,” he sighs, moving back to stare into my eyes. “It’s bad, baby girl. Right now all they want are videos, but they make me feel so dirty, like I’m cheating on you and Cal.”

“No,” I deny furtively. I don’t know how long we have until people come for us. “Whatever we do to survive here isn’t cheating, Rooke. I’m just so confused about why I’m even here.”

“I don’t know, baby girl. Someone fucked up though, because even I know you’re important. As fucked up as it is, I was glad when I saw you, because you’re mine. I think that makes me a terrible person,” Rooke whispers.

“It doesn’t,” I tell him softly, tears starting to fall again. How can this beautiful, selfless man doubt himself? The first thing he tried to do when he saw me was to protect me, cover me up, take care of me. “I hate that we’re performing for these sick fucks, but there’s something comforting about it being you.”

I’m so tired, and I curl up in his arms. “Sleep, Pay. It’s just us right now. I don’t know how long this will last. This is the longest they’ve left me in a room after finishing up,” he says.

My eyes feel so heavy, and I can’t fight it back. Nothing is okay right now, but at least I have Rooke beside me.

Chapter Four

Kian called someone the other day and nothing happened. He sent us home the next morning and told us to act normal.

My boyfriend and fiancée are missing and he wants me to just act fucking normal?

My heart is broken and my head is fucked up. Nothing will ever be normal again if something has happened to them.

Nate is trying to keep me distracted with video games, but it's not working. I throw my controller onto the couch and stand.

“Cal, I know how you’re feeling right now. I do, but you heard Ki…” he trails off and checks that the coast is clear. “If Dad is responsible, the best thing to do is act normal and try to get some clues from him. Aren’t you supposed to go to the office with him tomorrow?”

I grunt and rub my hand over my face and into my hair.

I need a shower. The dark strands are greasy and messy.

My stomach chooses that moment to growl loudly, but I'm not hungry. Nate stands as well and grabs my arm.

“We need to keep our strength up, bro. Let's make some nachos. We have to keep going. For them.”

Scowling, I agree, even as my stomach complains at me. I just want Pay and Rooke back, and nothing is going to feel normal until that happens.

* * *

Kian comes over a few hours later, looking as if he hasn’t slept. We’re all a mess, but it makes me feel better that I’m not the only one who looks as if they’re struggling. Ki always looks so perfectly put together.

“I know you want to do something, so let’s go. I want to see if I can find anything out about Patience’s family. There has to be a reason that they’re targeting her, I just haven’t been able to find it yet.” Kian sighs.

“Fuck, yes. I know I need to bide my time, but I really need this, Ki. Thank you for including us. It’s something so small, but I have to do something.”

“I get it, Cal. I don’t want your father to know that we’re suspicious. I have this odd feeling that it’s why Pay and Rooke were taken. I just don’t know where yet,” Ki grumbles. “Let’s go back to Patience’s and see if there’s anything we can find.”

Trekking to Pay’s reminds me of how many times we’ve done this in the past. We practically lived at each other’s houses until it all went to shit. My brother and I were trying to protect her then too, and look where it all got us. Our girl is still gone.

“Let’s start in the basement,” Ki grunts, walking with purpose. I can see the urgency that he’s kept so well hidden before. I really was starting to think that he wasn’t worried or didn’t care, but that just shows how messed up my head is right now. I need to slow down, keep it together.

I hate it when other people are right. Fuck.

The basement is a mess as we walk down to see what we can find. There’s boxes stacked at the back of the area, bookcases filled with random shit, and the chaos makes me wince. We’re going to be here for a while.

“I’ve been thinking about what led to the night Patience’s dad died,” Ki says, taking in the area. It looks as if he’s making a game plan on what to tackle first. “I never found out what it was, but they were willing to kill for it. I think it may be down here. The basement hasn’t really been touched in years, and our parents always told us to stay out of it until they could clean it up.”

“It obviously never happened,” Nate grumbles.

“Nope, so where should I start?” I ask, ready to be pointed in a direction.

“Start at the boxes. Look for anything that mentions Richard or Philippe, and put it to the side if you think something looks off about it. Richard is into some illegal shit, but he’s too smart to get caught,” Ki explains.

---