Page 149 of Knot Happening Again

Where could she have gone?

She's not answering her phone.

I round another corner, scanning the parking lot for any sign of her. Nothing but a sea of cars and the distant flashes of cameras. Those vultures are still circling, waiting for their next shot.

My blood boils as I remember the reporter's words. How dare they dig into her past like that? How dare they expose her vulnerabilities to the world? I clench my fists, wishing I could punch something—preferably that asshole's face.

At least Leon got a few good hits in. The guy’s face looked like pulp. I know I should be disappointed as his manager, but as his packmate?

I want to give him a medal myself.

A solid mass slams into me, nearly knocking me off my feet. I stumble back, ready to lash out, when I realize it's Troy.

"Shit, sorry," he mutters, steadying himself. His eyes are wild, darting around frantically. "Any luck?"

I shake my head. "No sign of our girl. You?"

"Nada." Troy runs a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. "How the fuck did they find out about us? About her?"

"I don't know, but when I find out who leaked it, I'll?—"

"You'll what?" Troy cuts me off, his voice sharp. "Beat them up? That won't solve anything."

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. He's right, of course, but that doesn't make me any less angry. "We need to focus on finding her. Any ideas where she might have gone?"

Troy shakes his head. "I've checked all the obvious places. The locker rooms, the bathrooms, even the damn janitor's closet."

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out, heart leaping when I see Rhys's name on the screen. "Rhys? Did you find her?"

"No," he says, and my hopes crash. "I was hoping you had."

“We haven’t found a single sign,” I reply, frustration seeping into my voice. "We've looked everywhere."

"I'm worried," Rhys says, his voice tight. "With the press out there... they're like sharks that have smelled blood in the water."

"I know." I glance at Troy, who's pacing back and forth, his agitation palpable. "We're not giving up. We'll find her."

"Keep me posted," Rhys says before hanging up.

I turn back to Troy. "That was Rhys. He hasn't found her, either."

“Fuck!” Troy growls, kicking at a nearby trash can. It clatters to the ground, spilling its contents across the pavement. "Where the hell could she be?"

I rack my brain, trying to think of any place we might have missed. "What about the roof? Is there access?"

Troy rakes a hand through his hair. “Y-yeah. There's a maintenance ladder on the east side. I saw it earlier when we were coming in."

We take off running, our footsteps echoing in the empty corridors. As we burst out of a side door, the cool night air hits us, carrying with it the distant sounds of traffic and the persistent clicks of camera shutters.

The maintenance ladder looms before us, stretching up into the darkness. Troy starts climbing without hesitation, and I follow close behind. My heart pounds in my chest, a mix of exertion and fear.

What if she's not up here?

What if she's already left, disappearing into the night?

What if…

We reach the top, hauling ourselves onto the flat expanse of the roof. For a moment, all I can see is darkness and the faint outlines of ventilation units.

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