Page 4 of Make Me Feel Again

“He-hello.” Her anxious voice gives away she’s worried. I don’t blame her. The things she told me make my skin crawl knowing he could have Rylee right now.

“Casey, it’s Cash.”

“Look, I told you everything I know. I don’t want to be involved anymore, please don’t call me again.”

“No, wait. It’s Rylee. She’s missing.”

“Wha-what?”

“After what you told me earlier, I came to her apartment to speak with her about it. She wasn’t there, I called her friends. They haven’t seen her. So I came to the beach where she likes to go sometimes. Her car is here, but she isn’t.” I sigh. “Also, her keys were on the ground near her car.” Saying it out loud sets the panic in me. He must have her.What the fuck is he going to do to her?Thoughts race through my mind, causing my stomach to turn. I need to find her.

“I . . . I don’t know what you want me to do,” she whispers. I know she is scared, but she said how lovely Rylee seemed, so she spoke up because she didn’t want Rylee in danger.

“Have you seen or spoken to him?” I spit. I can’t even say his name, it makes me sick.

“No, I haven’t seen or heard from him in about a week.”

“Okay. I’m going to his house to see if he’s there.” If he is, I will make him wish he wasn’t born. The sick freak.

“Cash, please be careful. I’m not joking when I say he is sick in the head. Please just keep your wits about you.”

“Yeah, yeah, in the meantime, I need you to think on anything else he may have told or shown you. If he isn’t home, then I guarantee he has her, and if he does, we have no idea where, so please think, Casey.”

“I will, of course I will.”

“Thank you.” I put the phone down and jump in my car, ready to head to James’s. I put the hands-free on and dial Rowan to see if he has seen James.

“Rowan!” I shout as he picks up.

“Cash, are you okay?” He sounds skeptical, probably because I’ve never called him before.

“Yeah, I just need to know if you have seen or heard from James?”

“Ahh, nah, man. Probably about a week ago was the last time I heard from him. Why?” I don’t want to go into everything, but I need him to know this is serious.

“Look, some shit has come to light about James. It’s not good, and now Rylee is missing. If you see or speak to him, can you let me know?” The laugh that comes down the line shocks me, as if he thinks I’m joking.

“What would James have to do with Rylee missing?” He laughs again. If only he knew how deep James’s obsession for her is. If only everyone saw something wasn’t right about him. All the signs were fucking there. Thinking about him makes me tighten my grip on the steering wheel.

“Trust me, Rowan. A lot. I don’t have time to get into it right now, but I had a call from Casey and—”

“The stripper James was seeing?” I didn’t know she was a stripper, not that, that matters. I don’t care. All I care about is the information she provided me with.

“Yes, whatever her job is, I don’t care. She had a lot to tell me about James, and I’m worried he has taken Rylee.”

“Look, I don’t know wha—”

“Rowan, I don’t give a shit what you think right now. Can you just see if anyone has heard from James, and if so, call me straight back. Got it?”

“Yeah bu—” I hang up to stop from hearing any of his bullshit about how James wouldn’t do anything to hurt Rylee. I like Rowan, I always have, but he never saw the bad in James and always remained friends with him. I never understood that.

Ten minutes later, I’m pulling up outside James’s. His car isn’t here. I knew it wouldn’t be, but I was hoping otherwise. I jog toward the door and bang on it. Adrenaline rushes through me at the thought of seeing him. The thought of raining punches on his face has my hands twitching. I keep banging and shouting his name, but no one comes. I know he has her.

I put my face to his front room window, but it’s empty: no sofa, no TV. Nothing.

“Fuck!” I shout. I rush back to my car and dial Casey’s number. She has to know something.

Chapter four

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