Page 77 of Light It Up Red
“Nothing,” Alessandro and Gray say at the same time.
“Bullshit.” Aurora glares at them. “You guys were betting on her? What was it? And don’t think I’ll spare you just because you’re blood.” She points a finger at Alessandro, who winces.
“Like I said, it’s nothing. We just had a discussion about how long it was going to take Lil to come to her senses.” Alessandro shrugs. I try to slip my hand out of his grip, but he holds it tighter. “Come on, let’s go find this boyfriend/not boyfriend of yours,” he says.
“Wait! I need to use the restroom first,” I mutter as I tug my arm free.
“There, just down the hall.” Gray points behind us.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell them.
“I’ll come with you.” Aurora starts walking next to me.
“I’ll be right back. I just need a minute,” I tell her.
“Okay, I’ll wait here then.”
I rush inside the bathroom, turn on the faucet, pull the sleeves of my sweater up, and splash the water on my forearms. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. It’s Travis. I can see him, talk to him without feeling so out of sorts.
The door to the restroom opens behind me.
“Aurora, I’m fine,” I call out. There’s no answer, but there is the sound of heavy footsteps echoing off the walls. I look up into the mirror and jump out of my skin before turning around. “What are you doing in here?”
“I’ve been waiting for you, Liliana.”
“Why?” I flick my eyes to the doorway. I’d have to get around him to make it there. If I scream, will Alessandro or Gray be able to hear me?
“I wouldn’t.” Lou Monroe takes a step closer and then another.
“What do you want?” I ask while trying to keep my voice calm. I’ve never liked the guy. On the few occasions when I’ve interacted with Gray’s uncle, he’s always creeped me out. But right now, my fight-or-flight instincts are at an all-time high.
I don’t see his hand swipe out, or the needle he stabs into my skin before he closes his arms around my waist. “Sorry, but it’s going to be easier this way,” he says, holding me upright.
“What?” I can hear my words slurring as my limbs start to go numb. Then the room is spinning, my bag drops to the ground, and everything goes black.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“What are you all doing here?” I direct my question to Alessandro. I just walked into the rink for morning skate, not that I’ll be doing any actual skating.
“Lil wanted to come see you,” he says.
“She’s here? Where?” My heart races. She’s here. She wants to see me.
“She just went to the restroom.” Lili’s cousin Aurora points down the hall, and I’m walking that way before she can finish speaking.
I push through the door marked female and call out, “Lili?”
By the time I make it all the way inside the bathroom, it’s clear no one else is here. I’m about to turn around and walk out when I see something on the ground. Bending down, I pick up a handbag. Not just any handbag. Lili’s. I know this because she spent an hour talking to me about the thing before she bought it.
“Lili?” I call out again, louder this time, as I push inside every stall even though I already know they’re empty. “Fuck!” Ignoring the searing pain in my side, I run back out to where Grayson and Alessandro are waiting. “Where the fuck is she?” I glance around, my eyes scanning the ice, the stands, everywhere I can see. “Lili!”
Without a word, Aurora and Alessandro rush past me and into the bathroom. She’s not there. She’s supposed to be there and she’s not.
“Fuck.” I turn to Grayson and throw my arms in his direction. “Do something. Find her.”
He’s on his phone and running across the arena. Away from the bathrooms. I don’t know what to do. She can’t be far. How long was she in there by herself?
I jog down the hallway, yelling out her name, and eventually push through the back door that leads to the parking lot. I turn when I hear footsteps behind me. Alessandro. “Where the fuck is she?” I scream at him.
