Page 8 of The Pretty Psycho

"Adrian," Jax called my name, pulling my attention back to him and Dante, who were looking at me with concerned looks on their faces. "We gotta talk."

"Then talk."

Jax took a step back as if my words had a physical impact on him, but I didn't have time to baby any of them. He looked at Dante, whose eyes never strayed from me, and shook his head as if he couldn't believe me. If he was going to waste my time just standing here and staring at each other?—

"I need you to be prepared for the possibility that Vega left by herself and that maybe she was?—"

"Don't even finish that sentence," I bit out, taking a step closer to them. "She might be a lot of things, but she isn't a traitor."

"Adrian—"

"No," I cut off Dante. "She was taken. I know it. I am absolutely certain of that fact."

"But just in?—"

"Stop it, Jax," I hissed. "There's nothing you can say right now that could stop me from going inside and checking if she is here."

"And what if she isn't?" Jax asked, his eyes filled with the anger he'd been feeling. "What if she isn't inside, Adrian, huh?What if you were wrong and she actually ran away, setting that fire so she could escape you? How much longer can we search for her until we all go insane?"

"Stop it."

"No, please. I liked her too, but I want to know when this madness will stop. What are you going to do when you realize what you feel for that girl may not be the same as what she feels for you?" Each word stabbed through me, mostly because a part of me knew he could be right.

"Then I will chase her to the ends of the earth until I make her mine," I deadpanned, turning around and heading toward the group that was already walking toward the entrance, leaving both of them behind with shocked expressions on their faces.

There were things I would never do, but letting Vega leave, letting her walk out of my life—again—was not on that list. I let her walk out once, giving her time to come to terms with what happened between us and what she’d uncovered, but I wasn't letting her go a second time. That much I could promise.

The air felt still as we approached the entrance to the cave, and before Dante and Jax could stop me, I slipped by the operatives that came with us and slid inside, ignoring the harsh, whispered tones in their voices and the warnings issued by the rest of the group.

I had to find her, no matter what.

The steep entrance to the cave allowed gravity to pull me into the belly of the cavity, making me lose my balance as I slid down the slippery floor, only to land on my hands and knees at the very bottom. I turned around to see the light barely entering through the opening, but I knew there was no way every single one of us would be able to come through.

"It's steep," I murmured through the earpiece, ignoring the loud voices coming through the line. The sound of water flickered through my ears and as the rest of the team slowlycame through the entrance, I followed the water. My heart jumped in my chest as I navigated through the narrow tunnels until they started getting wider and wider, and the sound of the water started getting louder.

My gun was drawn, pointed toward the front, while I held a flashlight in my left hand, brightening the path in front of me. I couldn't see if there were tracks on the ground, not when it was this dark, but I'd be a fool not to investigate this cave fully.

"Please be here," I murmured to myself. "Please."

My steps faltered as I slowly came to something akin to a platform, overlooking the water trickling inside the cave from the lake. My eyes latched on to the bare walls and the emptiness of the space, forcing myself to stop until the rest of them came, because no one was here.

My Vega wasn't here, and I tried not to let that realization crush me under the endless hope I still held on to.

I turned around to wait for the others when the sound of a soft whimper echoed through the cave, coming from my left. I swiveled fast, pointing my gun to the left side of the cave, where a tall stone stood, and I noticed for the first time that there was a tiny passage just behind.

I moved before I could think about my actions, pushing through the narrow passage, only to come into a smaller chamber, separate from the main cave.

"Oh God." I thought my heart broke when the roof of her dorm collapsed, but nothing could've prepared me for the sight of a half-naked Vega, lying in a pool of her own blood, chained to the wall like a fucking animal. "No, no, no, no."

I rushed toward her, dropping down on my knees the moment I reached her. "Vega." I shook her, pushing her hair from her face.

A deep cut marred her cheek, and as my flashlight fell down to the ground, I could see the state her clothes were in—or lack thereof.

"Who fucking did this to you!" I roared, my pain nothing compared to the cuts and bruises all over her body. My hands shook as I lifted her up, seeing the deep cuts where the chains holding her hostage had cut into her skin. Her eyes fluttered open as I held her in my lap, unable to move, to do anything.

"A-Adrian," she rasped, her lips breaking with fresh blood pooling on them. Her eyes filled with tears and for the first time since I met her, she broke in my arms. Sobs racked through her body, shaking both of us as she erupted wail after wail of despair.

"It's okay, Bambi," I choked out. "I'm here now. I'm here. You're going to be okay. You're gonna be okay."

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