Page 43 of Mastered By Bliss

He’s right, I should shut up.We don’t want to scare off Billings before he can share what he knows.

Gage continues, “My girlfriend was just in an accident.She was in my car.I don’t know where it happened.I can’t find her.What do you know?”

Billings is quiet.I want to reach through the phone and strangle him.Gage just stares patiently at his phone, waiting.

Billings starts, “I won’t say who’s behind it, but…”

Gage finishes for him.“So it’s Vanessa.Where is she?Right now, where is she, Harvey?”

“I don’t know.”He hesitates.“I can call her.But don’t involve the police.Please.She needs help.”

“She’skilling people.”

“She needs help,” Billings insists.“She’s mentally unwell.”

Gage closes his eyes.“Find her.That’s how we can get her help.Call her right now.Keep us on the line.”

I look at Gage and mouth, “What the fuck?”

A couple of beeps sound through the phone’s speaker, and I’m worried that Billings hung up on us.But the other line rings.It sounds several times before going to voicemail.“Hi!”a bubbly, feminine voice says.“This is Vanessa Billings.Please leave a message.”

“Try again,” I say.

He does it again.And again, it goes to voicemail.I want to claw my way out of this penthouse and find our girl.The ringing tone is making everything worse.

“Can you locate her phone?”Gage asks.

“No.”Billings makes a sound of dismay.“I should be able to.She must have turned the location off, or she’s out of range.”

“Keep trying.”Gage looks at me while Vanessa’s phone continues to ring.His face mirrors the panic I’m feeling.He covers the phone and says in a low voice, “I’ll keep him on the line.But we have to get out.We have to go…somewhere.We have to find Leah.”

* * *

Leah

Brody isn’t moving.I need to know if he’s all right.Is he breathing?He can’t be dead—no, I can’t say it, can’t even think it.He has to be alive.

“Brody?”I whisper.“Hey—Brody.”

It feels wrong to touch him.I haven’t known him longer than a few hours.The headlights beyond our car don’t illuminate much.I can’t tell if he’s breathing or not—not by looking at him.

Fear strangles me, pressing in on my chest and windpipe worse than the seatbelt.

I have to touch him.“Brody.I’m going to touch you.Please be alive.Please.”

I reach over and place my palm against his chest, trying to feel for movement, a heartbeat, anything.

There.A slight rise and fall.I don’t think I imagined it.I push in gently with my hand, applying pressure.I don’t want to hurt him, but I need to wake him.“Hey.Brody.It’s me, Leah.Wake up, okay?We need to get out of here.”

He groans softly.

It’s a start.It’s something.

I can’t depend on him to get us out of this mess.He promised he would, but he’s done everything he could to keep us both alive.There’s nothing he can do right now.

It’s my turn.

“I’m going to get help.”I swallow back the emotion clogging my throat.All I want to do is cry, but there’s no time for that.“I’m afraid to move you.Can you sit tight?”

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