Page 60 of The Villain

I fell over the cliff without realizing it. And I’m the reason she hasn’t caught me. That knowledge is more agonizing than I was ready for.

When Tera called I chewed her ass out for starting this whole mess. She had no idea anything had happened. It started a snowball rolling downhill because Evie is now in the wind and even Tera doesn’t know where she is.

“I don’t fake shit.”

I punch again.

She wasn’t acting. It was real and I was too pissed off to listen. I welcome bullshit lies with open arms and when the first real thing comes along, I toss it aside like trash. What the fuck is wrong with me?

“Hey, man!” Max protests as I punch the mat he’s holding hard enough he almost falls.

“Take a break, Shade,” Asher calls.

I walk away to grab some water. They huddle together and whisper while they watch me.

The party is tomorrow night. If she doesn’t show up I’m not going to be the only one devastated by it. What if she just goes home? I know she doesn’t live here. She doesn’t even live in the same state. I have no way to find her. Looking into her truck’s tags led to me the same dead end Ira’s team is at.

Matthias should fucking hire Tera already. And ban her from using 80s band names as real names. Van Leppard. What the fuck.

My phone rings in my bag and I debate on ignoring it. I know it’s Tera’s ringtone but I can’t take trying to calm her down while I’m spiraling this hard. She’s so upset that Evie isn’t answering her calls she’s practically losing her mind.

I did that by being my regular dick self.

“Hey, Tera is calling you, asshole,” Max looks up from his own phone to scowl at me. “She says pick up your phone.”

My phone rings again.

Guess I’m answering.

“What?” I ask flatly.

“I got her! The A-holes stole her phone and she finally got a replacement,” her excited voice washes over me and my eyes shut with relief.

“Fuck, she said they were going to. With everything I forgot. I’ll pay her back for it.” I’m the reason they’re investigating her after all. I need to fucking warn her.

“What did she say?” I ask in a tight voice. A toxic mixture of hope and dread swirls inside me and the only person who can decide which emotion comes out on top is Tera.

“She’s taking a break but she’ll be at the party,” she reassures me and my tension leaks out with the words. I lean forward to put my face in my hand.

“Thank fuck.”

“Uh-huh! I also called Matthias to get the A-holes to leave her alone. Win-win.”

“What?” I ask very quietly, my hope draining away to be replaced by suspicion.

“Oh. You didn’t know?” She sounds like she’s cringing. I can picture it in my head.

“Didn’t know what?” I don’t dare raise my voice. Her boyfriends are both watching me with narrowed eyes.

“They’ve been following her. She says they suck at it.”

I let that happen. If she was with me I could have been a buffer.

I’ll fix it.

In the meantime.

“And you have Matthias’ number, how?” I gently press while a muscle jumps in my cheek.

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