Page 9 of Darkness Falls

"Where the fuck is Callie?" Ky snaps.

"Just chill out for a minute and let me gather my thoughts. I'll tell you everything. I just need a minute."

"You've had plenty of time. Tell me why she isn't here waiting for me to wake up since I've apparently been in a coma," he demands again, leaving no room for further delay.

"I didn't know what to do or how to function with you lying in this damn bed. I watched you flatline, and Dr. X zapped your heart back into rhythm. You want the truth? I haven't been focused on trying to get Callie back. I know that's not what you want to hear, but I had to be here for you. I had to make sure you were still fighting to come back to us."

"You shouldhave been fighting for her! I'm fine!" he tries to shout at me, and his voice cracks.

I shake my head and walk to the window, glancing outside. "When they broke into the house and shot you, we didn't know who they were or what they wanted. Our first priority was making sure we got you to the doctor. Barrett and I eventually figured out it was Rogue. They came to take Callie back. The guy who got the jump on Barrett when we were at the Ronnie Masters job was part of Rogue. They cloned Barrett’s phone after they knocked him out and used it to access our security system. It was an oversight that has since been updated."

"Get to the fucking point."

"We weren't sure where they took Callie. Barrett jumped in, trying to track them and find her, but he didn't have any luck. They took backroads and stayed off the grid. We don't know if they took her back to the compound or if they're keeping her somewhere else. Barrett wasn’t able to confirm anything until their hacker reached out to him this morning. He confirmed she is with Rogue. Her father and Damien have her."

“Who is Damien?”

I shuffle a few steps before walking back over to the chair beside Ky's bed and flopping down into it. My knees spread, and I place my elbows on top of them. My head drops down as I bring my hands up to run them through my hair before shaking my head. This is so hard to tell him. I know he just wants her to be okay, but I dropped the ball on that too.

"Damien is the guywho shot you. He also happens to be Julian, Callie’s ex-fiancé. I’m sure you remember her saying she was almost forced to marry someone when she turned eighteen. That would be Damien.”

Kyler’s face pales, and I wonder if this is too much for him so soon after waking up from his coma. "Did you just say Damien is Julian?”

"Yes. They are the same person,” I reluctantly admit.

“What the fuck? We need to get her back.” Anger protrudes from him.

“Rogue’s hacker wants to help us. He reached out to Barrett, and they talked. We don't have all the details yet, but as soon as he gets in touch again, we will know more." I try not to let my apprehension leak into my tone.

“How do you know the hacker is telling the truth? Why would he want to work with us?"

“Rogue has been threatening the hacker's wife. He wants our help getting new identities and setting up a new life. From what Barrett said, he seemed desperate."

"If he's some special hacker, why wouldn't he be able to just get himself out? Why does he need us?"

"I don't have the answer to that. When he reaches out again, we can find out more."

"They’re probably hurting Callie." This realization breaks him a little, and tears well up in his eyes. I can tell he is thinking of something, but he keeps it to himself.

"We will have a plan in place to bring her home as soon as we can. I just don't know when that will be," I try to reassure him.

He has a look on his face that I know all too well. He wants to protect her. He wants to crawl out of the bed right now to do it, but he's too weak.

"Don't be stupid, Ky. I know what you're thinking, and you're not in any shape to go anywhere. Let Barrett and me handle this. Now that you're awake, I can devote more time to getting her back."

"THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING ALL ALONG!" he shouts, the veins in his neck pulsing beneath his skin. "YOU LEFT HER THERE! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING TO HER."

"You need to calm the down before I have the doc bring something to put you back to sleep. You just woke up, don't make me do that to you."

"I don't understand how the two of you could let this go on for so long. Barrett told me he loved her. How the fuck didn’t he find anything? Didn't she tell you what her father used to do to her?"

"He's been trying. We don't know where she is. He's been doing his best to keep everything together, so don't you dare make him feel bad. He's struggling and feels terrible about it. You almost died, Kyler."

"I would have gladly died if it meant she was safe. It's been five days, Sebastian." He leans back in the bed and stares up at the ceiling. "We need to get her back."

"It's my prioritymoving forward; you have my word. Focus on healing and getting yourself in good health. The next couple weeks are going to be rough," I say with a sigh.

"I know you want me to sit this one out, but that's not happening. I need to be involved. I have a bad feeling."

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