Page 190 of Deliverance

“No, I need the keys to Ms. Kadence’s unit.”

Preston’s silhouette is lingering in the corner of my eye and her face has gone pale, ashen even. She stuffs her fists into small pockets of her tattered leather jacket and watches us silently.

“I repeat.” My teeth grit so hard, my gums hurt, some of the pain lacing into my jaw. “I’m not going anywhere until I have the keys.”

This is where my self-control reaches its breaking point and all the emotions that have been crowding my chest ever since I woke up this morning, crushed and hungover, flood past the invisible barrier. I clutch a handful of his uniform, right at the collar. It’s an angry, white-knuckled grip that promises legal trouble, but at this point, I don’t give a shit about anything except Drew’s safety.

The color has leached from my vision and all I can see is Drew, and this overwhelming urge to make sure she’s okay is stronger than me.

Danny attempts to move back in his chair, but my fingers have glued themselves to his shirt.

“The key.” After a short pause I add, “Please.”

Probably recognizing that I mean business, the guard reaches for a line of hooks on the stand behind the phone, then grabs one and hands it to me. All that while I’m holding him hostage.

Preston shifts in her spot, her boots scuffing lightly against the floor.

“Thanks, buddy.” I release Danny’s shirt and he falls against the back of his chair.

We rush to the bank of the elevators.

“You met Drew at one of your group meetings, right?” I ask Preston as the car takes us up to the fifth floor.

She nods. “Yes.”

“Sorry if that back there was a little rough.” I smile meekly, but my blood is a raging volcano.

“Oh, it’s all good. I’ve seen people get mad before.”

She lowers her gaze and it dawns on me that not only has she seen people go off the rails but she might have been on the receiving end of it; however, I keep the revelation to myself.

I don’t want to be an insensitive asshole and say something that’s going to trigger her, and I seem to have a whole lot of those inadequate moments as of late.

Drew’s loft is void of life. Even her refrigerator is empty. Except for a can of pineapples, there’s nothing on the shelves. She’d planned on staying at my place until Wednesday, just like she told Preston.

The ring was a dumb move.

With my heart in my throat, I move around the first floor while the girl checks the bedroom area.

“The hair straightener is off, so…” she shouts, her figure appearing at the top of the stairs.

“Did Drew ever talk to you about her ex?” I ask cautiously.

“She talked about him at the meetings.” Preston’s voice grows tiny. “I only started going a few months ago, so I don’t know the whole story.” She pauses. “And we’re not really supposed to discuss this outside the…um…you know…” Her words turn into slurs and she picks at the stray lint sticking out of the seam running along the length of her jacket’s sleeve.

“It’s okay,” I say. “You don’t have to if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Not really.” Preston shakes her head and hops halfway down the steps and stops. “She talked about you.” The corner of her mouth tilts up a little, a shy smile. “At the meetings.”

My breath catches. I spin on my heels and absently study the living room, the details hardly registering in my mind.

“She was very nervous before your first date,” Preston whispers. “I personally think you two are great together. I never liked Rachel.”

A bitter laugh rushes past my lips and I shift my gaze back to the girl. “Well, thanks. Your approval means a lot.” It’s part joke, part truth.

“And for what it’s worth, the ring is amazeballs. You should try giving it to her again.” As she walks over, she pulls out the silver box from her pocket and hands it to me.

For a long moment, I just stare at Preston, feeling the insubstantial weight press into my palm, burning past my skin and bone.

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