Page 66 of Lexi, Property of Rhyder

Opening the door, I find Paige rummaging through my bag, her hair wet, and she’s wearing my tee.

I place the coffees and breakfast on the nearby table and shut the door with my foot. “Can I help you with somethin’?”

Paige flicks her eyes to me. “I’m sorry, I was seeing if you had some toothpaste.”

I sigh. “Yeah, give me a sec.” I search my bag and remove my toothpaste. “Here you go.”

Paige heads back into the bathroom.

I sit on the bed and drink my coffee waiting calmly for her to return. Tapping my cup impatiently, she finally exits looking as though she’s feeling more human.

“You look better, how are you feelin’?” I ask, walking her coffee over to her. She looks up at me, and I can still see black marks under her eyes. She accepts the coffee, thanking me, and sits on the edge of the bed.

I hand her breakfast, saying, “Hope you like ham and cheese.”

She smiles and says, “Thanks,” and I recognize a resemblance to Lexi. She opens the takeout bag and takes a bite.

“Good?”

“Yes, thank you.”

I take another sip of my coffee, then place it on the floor and rest my elbows on my knees. “Do you think you can talk now?”

Her eyes flick to mine, and I see pain looking right back at me.

“I know it’s hard, but I have to know how your sister is, and if you know where she might be.”

Paige drops her hand with the croissant in it to the bed and brings both hands holding the coffee to her lips. Tears are now falling down her face, and I try desperately to be patient with her. God help me for thinking this, but I want to shake her and demand she tell me where her sister is, but I know that will not do her or me any good. She has been to hell and back, and the last thing I want is to scare her so much she says nothing.

“The last I heard was she was sold.”

I fall to my knees in front of her and raise her head with my fingers on her chin. “Paige, do you know who bought her? Or where she went?”

Her bottom lip quivers. “I heard Christopher mention something about a Lawrence.”

“Look at me,” I demand, and she does, but there’s fear now evident in her eyes. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be rough on you, but you have to understand that I’ve been lookin’ for Lexi, and I’m goin’ out of my mind with worry.” I drop my hand and run my fingers through my hair.

She smiles and says, “Lexi told me about you.”

My eyes travel to hers. “She did? What did she say?” I ask curiously.

“She said that if she ever needed help, you would be the one she would call.”

My stomach clenches, and guilt fills me. I clench my eyes shut for a few seconds, then stand and take a seat on the chair once again.

“I know you must be special to her because she’s never spoken like that about Zane.”

“Zane? Who the fuck is Zane?” I growl, then try to reel my feelings back in.

“He’s her ex-boyfriend. Rhyder, do you know if she’s okay? Lexi warned me about Pepe and Mario, but I didn’t listen. I wanted to have fun and go for a drive…” She begins to cry again, and I get up and hold her trembling body to mine. “Shush now, it will be okay. You’re safe now. Iwillfind her,” I state, moving back to look her in her eyes. “I promise you… Iwillfind her. Do you have any idea where this Lawrence lives?”

Paige shakes her head. “They never said, just that he paid big money for her.”

I drop my hands and fist them by my sides.

Her hand runs up my arm. “Please, Rhyder, you need to find Lexi. If anyone knows where she is, it would be Mario or Pepe.”

“Can you remember where you were in Mexico?”

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