Page 44 of Filthy Savage

Swiping under my eyes, I separate from her. “Let’s go put up those flyers in as many places as we can. Maybe someone nice took him.”

But I’m just grasping at straws. The chances of that are slim.

“Okay. I also put up notices in different online pet groups in the area. We’ll find him.”

I’m not so sure.

Hours later, we’ve put up flyers everywhere and given them to every business we could. If there’s a chance he can be found, I’ll do anything.

Defeated, we head for Emily’s car.

“I should go and unpack to keep my mind occupied, but I don’t wanna go home and see her or see Max’s bowls in the kitchen.” Another sob wracks me as I enter the passenger side.

She grabs my hand while starting the car. “How about I help you? That way it’ll go faster. Then maybe you can come by my place for a sleepover. We can order Chinese, watchDirty Dancingfor the seventeenth time, and dream of men like Johnny.”

She’s trying to distract me from the pain; I know that. It’s not what I need, though. I want to be sad. I want to scream and cry and smash something.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I don’t think so.”

“Come on. I don’t want you to be alone and cry all night. That won’t help Max.”

It’s better not to be alone, but I don’t want to eat and watch a movie like nothing’s going on. Like Max isn’t out there all alone, wondering why I’m not there to bring him home.

The back of my nose stings and tears trample down my cheeks.

“Can we watchMarley and Me?” I sniffle, swiping under my eyes.

With a pout, she nods.

That movie will have us both sobbing like always, now worse than ever.

We return to my house, and I don’t see my so-called mother anywhere. Maybe her new boyfriend came to pick her up. Hopefully, he keeps her.

Entering my room, I lock the door behind us. It’s not much, but I’ve made it a home. Got a cheap bed set and some decorative pillows that Emily gave me. My luggage is in the corner where I left it before I called Emily, begging her to help me find Max.

“I don’t have a lot to put away,” I tell her as I lay the luggage flat and unzip it, removing the clothes I need to hang back in the closet while tossing the dirty ones in the hamper.

All the while, I’m thinking of Max and where he could be. He’s probably terrified.

“That’s okay. I’m here regardless.” She starts unzipping the side pockets where I have my toiletries while I head for the closet.

“So, did you like the island?” she asks. “I’ve never been.”

“Yeah, it was pretty. But I didn’t get to do much since we only did what Xander wanted.”

“Fuck that guy.” She snickers.

“Yeah,” I laugh through the tears. “Fuck that guy.”

“That’s the spirit.”

We move in silence for a few minutes, almost done with everything.

“Um, Amara?” Her voice grows tense.

I glance at her from over my shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Who’s Fionn, and why does he think your name is Emily?”

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