Page 90 of The Step Dare

My heart stops. The Piece of Shit. Taylor is with the Piece of Shit. “I gotta go,” I say, then run back for the hotel. I hear Atlas and Mila behind me but don’t stop, can’t, not until I get to Dad.

The whole time, I tell myself he won’t hurt Taylor. He never had in the past, but why is he here? Why is Taylor with him? And just because he didn’t physically hurt Taylor in the past doesn’t mean he won’t now.

My head is pounding, my chest hurting from the cool weather and running as I hurry into the elevator, hitting the button over and over as if that will make it move faster.

As soon as I get to Dad and Nicole’s room, I’m banging on the door, feel like I’m outside my body, like none of this is real.

The door pulls open.

“Bren? Is everything okay?”

“I can’t find Taylor.” I shove into the room, and it takes me a moment to realize our friends are right behind me, that along the way Colin, Ash, and Troy showed up and must have been in one of the other elevators. “We were in bed, and he said he was going for breakfast. I wasn’t ready to get up, so I stayed and fell back asleep. I haven’t been able to find him since. We looked everywhere. Mila said she saw him with a man this morning, and…and it sounds like Chris.” My hands fist. “Fuck! This is all my fault. Why didn’t I go with him?”

“Chris?” Nicole asks, voice shaking with panic.

My gaze meets hers. “I’m so sorry. I fucked up. I should have taken care of him.” I turn to my father, his body a blob through my tears. “Dad. Please…we have to find him. I can’t handle it if anything happens to him. I love him.”

I love him so fucking much, I ache with it. I can’t imagine my life without him. I think I’ve always loved Taylor, and I always will.

I swipe at my tears.

“Bren?” he says, clearly feeling stuck between me and Nicole, both of us losing it.

“I’m sorry. I know the timing is terrible. We were going to wait until after the wedding to say anything, but…” I step closer to Nicole. “I’m sorry,” I say again. “I didn’t mean to mess anything up.”

“Oh, Brenner. You have nothing to apologize for, do you hear me? Nothing at all. You have always been so good to my son. You’re the best friend he’s ever had. He’s thought the sun rises and sets with you every day since the moment he met you.” She holds my face in her hands, the same way my mom used to do. “It’ll be okay, do you hear me? We’re going to find Taylor, and everything is going to be okay.”

It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve heard that today, I don’t know how to believe it, but still I say, “Okay.”

When she pulls away, Dad wraps an arm around her and leans in, kissing her forehead. I see all the emotion behind it, thethank-youbecause of how she’s being with me, theI’m sorryandit’ll be okayfor Tay, and theI love you too.

“Do you have his phone number?” Dad asks Nicole.

“Not anymore,” she replies.

“Okay, you call the police. I don’t know if they can do anything. Taylor’s an adult, and he hasn’t been gone long, but let’s see what they say. Can you stay here in case the police come and so someone is here when Taylor gets back?” he asks, and I love that he’s not telling her what to do, but asking her since Taylor is her son.

“Yes. I…”

“I know,” Dad says. “We’re going to find him. I promise.”

“I’ll stay with Nicole,” Mila says.

God, she’s fucking great.

“Perfect. Now let’s go get Taylor,” Dad tells us, and somehow, I know he’ll make sure everything will be okay.

27

Taylor

“It’s good seeingyou again,” the Piece of Shit says.

Things have been a blur since I saw him in the hotel lobby.

I vaguely recall grabbing him and dragging his spinner luggage out into the parking lot, insisting he take me to his car. Once we reached it, I directed him to take me on a drive.“I’ll tell you when to stop,”I told him, like I was taking him hostage.

“Taylor, I just wanted to see your mom on the big day.”

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