Page 2 of Save Me

“You look amazing, Star,” his words whispered through the air, sending a sickening wave of disgustthrough me. I raised my head, tears welling in my eyes, as his emotionless gaze bore into mine. With a cold touch, he brushed a stray hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear, and all I could think of was spitting in his face.

“Are you going to slaughter me like you did her?” I ask, venom lacing my voice as I gesture to the lifeless girl lying in a pool of her own blood, the decaying smell enough to make me recoil. His eyes lingered on her, unaffected, before he uttered words that made bile rise in my throat.

“Not if you behave.” He leaned closer, leaving a wet peck on my cheek, before retreating up the stairs, abandoning me in the frigid darkness of my personal hell. Slowly, I sank to the icy floor, breaking down as tears blurred my vision until they overflowed.

I am going to die here. With him.

“Please, please...Argent, find me,” my plea barely escaped my lips, lost in a whisper, as more tears streamed down my cheeks. Pulling my legs to my chest and resting my chin on my knees, I stared ahead, my mind flooded with the horrors that awaited me. There was no escape from this nightmare.

He’ll find me. I know he will.

“He’s not coming,” Zavier states, his sudden voice jolting me. I didn’t even hear him come back. Just as I part my lips to respond, he raises his phone, directing my attention to the screen. Confusion clouds my mind as my eyes focus on the image displayed, and a sickening sensation churns in my stomach. There, on the screen, is a picture of Argent’s car. That pristine white car, now mangled and crushed beyond recognition.

“Looks like your little boyfriendwason his way, but unfortunate events got a hold of him,” he states, a sinister smirk curling on his lips. “RIP, asshole,” he coldly adds before turning away and exiting the room, the sound of the door slamming reverberating through the air.

I remain frozen, my gaze fixed ahead, struggling to comprehend the enormity of what just unfolded. Shallow, rapid breaths escape my lips as tears continue to stream down my face. A wave of anguish crashes over me, and I tightly shut my eyes, unable to contain the agonizing scream that erupts from within. Collapsing to the side, my body meets the frigid floor,each sob punctuating the profound grief coursing through my entire being.

He's not coming for me.

He's gone.

Chapter 2

ARGENT

'Ithas been almost one year since a beloved local student and server at The Diner Shop, Starlet Macklamor went missing. Authorities say there is no new information about the whereabouts of Miss. Macklamor and the possibility that she is still alive are very slim.'

The overwhelming noise of the news pulls me into a dark abyss and it feels like time has stopped completely. I’ve been tirelessly searching for her without any success. There’s no trace of her anywhere.

It’s like she vanished into thin air.

Every single one of my men is searching for her. Demitri and Aiden are trying to hack into anything that works with technology to try and find anything that might lead me to her.

Nothing.

Where are you, my little star?

“Turn it off,” I demand, fighting the tears on the verge of streaming down. Demitri snatches the remote, turns the TV off, and turns to me, “She’s still out there. We're going to find her. Alive.” I hope so, not only for my sake but for the person who took her too. The thoughts of what I’ll do to them for taking her from me are nothing compared to the actions I’ll take if they hurt her.

Dead.

She can’t be dead.

Without her, the world turns monochrome, devoid of life’s vibrant hues. The silence becomes deafening, suffocating, as the absence of her voice leaves a void that cannot be filled. I am a hollow shell, wandering aimlessly through the void, yearning for her light to guide me back to life.

A resounding knock at the door abruptly disrupted my thoughts, echoing through the quiet room. Adrian and Chloe have been trying to help with finding Starlet, but no one has had any luck. As Chloe strides into the living area, her disdainful glare pierces through me, a silent reminder of her lingering resentment towards me for stalking Starlet. She should build a fucking bridge and get over it. I have more important things to worry about.

“Hey, man, how are you holding up?” Adrian’s voice, laced with empathy, reaches my ears, accompanied by a gentle smile that tugs at the corners of his lips, grabbing my shoulder.

“Fine. I’m heading out for a few hours. I’ll be back later.” In a rush, I snatch my keys and jacket, hastening towards the door. However, I come to an abrupt halt in front of Chloe, my gaze descending upon her. Tear-filled eyes meet mine, her quivering bottom lip tugging at my heartstrings, shattering them into countless fragments. I reach out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, “I’ll find her. I promise.” I assure her in a soft tone. She responds by pulling her bottomlip between her teeth, nodding silently before averting her gaze. With that, I slide into my jacket and leave.

Every night since she disappeared, I find myself drawn to her house, tiptoeing through the quiet darkness. I enter her room, the dim moonlight casting a gentle glow on her bed. I sink onto the mattress, feeling the softness envelop me. With trembling hands, I trace the delicate curves of the note she left, its words etched into my memory. The familiar scent of her lingers in the air, a bittersweet fragrance that once brought solace. But as time passes, her scent gradually fades, replaced by a heavy sorrow that hangs in the room. Each night, as I step through the door, a flicker of hope ignites within me, imagining her lost in her studies or getting ready for a night out with Chloe, but she’s not there.

Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision as I lay on her bed once again. Before I could stop it, a single tear escapes, trailing down my cheek and my chest constricts, a suffocating tightness that leaves me gasping for breath. I can’t even recall when was the last time I cried, my whole life I was numbed with pills andneedles. I clench my jaw and forcefully wipe away the tears. In the silence, I whisper into the void, my voice barely a whisper, “I will never stop looking, my little star.”

I stumble into our apartment; the door creaking loudly behind me, causing everyone’s head to snap towards me. The room is dimly lit, casting long shadows on the worn-out furniture.

“Where the fuck have you been, bro?” Adrian asks, concern lacing his voice as he gets up and walks towards me, his footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor. He tries to steady me, his hand on my arm as I struggle to stand up straight.

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