Page 3 of Save Me

Last night I found Starlet’s bottle of bourbon, reminding me of the last time I drank from that bottle. It was the night we made love for the first time, right there on her kitchen counter. The memories flood mymind as I recall finishing the entire bottle, the burning liquid numbing my senses.

Reality crashed down on me like a heavyweight, hitting me square in the face. I hadn’t had time to process what had happened, too consumed by my determination to find her. But now, at that moment, I just needed one night to miss her, to mourn her absence. I look at Adrian, my bloodshot eyes conveying my silent turmoil. He understands without me saying a word; he knows exactly where I was.

“Sit down, you need to sober up,” he says, his voice filled with concern. “Chloe saw Zavier in town today.” My blood begins to boil, the anger coursing through my veins at the mere mention of his name, “He seems to act normal like nothing is wrong, but Chlo saw—what shethinks, is scratches across his forearms and neck.”

I still, my breath catches in my throat as a cold chill creeps up my spine. “What?”

I start to rise from my seat, but Chloe swiftly grabs my keys from the table, her hand snatching it away before I can react.

“Give it to me, Chloe. Now,” I demand, fueled by a dangerous combination of anger and alcohol.

“No, Argent. You’re going to do something reckless, and then we might never find her,” she snaps back, her eyes burning with fiery determination.

“What the hell do you expect me to do, huh?” I spit out, my blood reaching its boiling point. “I know for a fact that bastard has something to do with it, but he keeps slipping away. And now I finally have a chance, and you’re... what? Forbidding me?”

“You should have stayed away from her in the first place,” she coldly retorts, her words piercing through me like icy shards.

“Don’t you fucking dare put this on me,” I say through gritted teeth, the pressure causing my jaw to ache.

“Would you two just stop arguing?” Adrian interjects, his voice laced with annoyance. “Chlo, it’s not his fault, okay?” He tries to calm her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she pulls away from him.

“Maybe if he hadn’t stalked her, everything would have been fine,” she says, each word crushing me like a heavyweight. Adrian’s eyes dart between me and her, confusion etched on his face.

“W-what is she talking about?” he finally locks his piercing blue eyes on me, but I just stare back, my heart pounding in my chest like a runaway drumbeat. The room feels suffocating, the air thick with tension as I glance at Chloe, silently pleading for her to shut the fuck up.

But of course—she doesn’t.

“The reason why Zavier came back is that his brother went missing—because Argent killed him for touching Starlet,” she finally blurts out, her intense gaze boring into me like a searing flame.

Adrian’s lips remain sealed, his silence speaks volumes, and I yearn for him to break it. Suddenly, an explosive force collides with my cheek, sending me stumbling backward, my body unsteady from the lingering effects of alcohol. Before I can regain my balance, another blow lands, my head spinning from the impact.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” he roars, his anger palpable, poised to deliver yet another punishing strike. But Chloe and Demitri intervene, holding him back. Slowly, I gather myself, my gaze fixed on Adrian,crimson droplets staining my trembling fingers as I wipe the blood from my battered nose.

I don’t blame him for lashing out at me. I’m not proud of what I did.

Well, maybe a little proud.

“I shouldn’t have, and I apologize,” I mutter, my voice tinged with regret, “but something I will not apologize for is being in her life.” The metallic tang of blood mingles with the scent of adrenaline in the air. “She is something I never knew I needed, and once I realized that—there was no way in hell that I was gonna let that go and whether you like it or not, she needsme.”

Chapter 3

STARLET

* 3 WEEKS IN CAPTIVITY*

Idon’t even recallthe last time I slept through the night. The passing days have become a jumbled mess, and I can’t help but feel like I’m merely counting down the moments until it all ends. Lying on the freezing floor, I clutch the thin blanket, desperately trying to stay warm.

The piercing sound of a door slamming shut suddenly interrupts my drowsiness, snapping me back to full alertness. With each step, Zavier’s footfalls createa soft creaking sound on the wooden stairs, and I notice the distinct logo of the diner on the bag he’s holding.

“Here, you have to eat something. You’re starting to look like a skeleton.” He says, kneeling in front of me, holding the bag out towards me.

“I’m just trying to match my looks with how I feel,” I say, chuckling to myself, but his clenched jaw reveals that he doesn’t find it amusing.

Tough crowd.

“Eat, Starlet. Look, the food is fine,” he says as he takes the burger from the bag and takes a bite out of it, which now, makes me want it less. But at least I know it’s not poisoned.

I warily take the burger from his outstretched hands, my eyes scanning it for any hidden surprises. The pungent aroma of the juicy diner burger fills my nostrils, making my mouth water in anticipation. Slowly, I bring it to my lips and take a bite, savoring the familiar taste that engulfs my taste buds and I start to devour it like a starved animal. I haven’t eaten in almost a week, too scared to consume anything he gives me. With the back of my hand, I wipe the remnants of theburger from my mouth and gaze up at him, gratitude evident in my eyes. “Thank you,”

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