Page 102 of Defect
“He called you didn’t he?” Vince’s voice sent ice water through my veins.
Where the fuck did he come from?
I scanned my mind trying to remember seeing any vehicles around but there weren’t any. I knew there weren’t. He must have been waiting nearby where I couldn’t see him. I felt around on the wall for the light switch but before I could flip it on, Vince’s fist came crashing down on my face.
Blinding white-hot pain sliced through my cheek as I flew back against the wall. My head hit so hard that everything around me turned fuzzy.
Another hit. That time to my stomach.
“That little whiny brat called you didn’t he!” He growled like an animal before he hit me in the face again. “You want him so bad you can have him! I don’t give a fuck about him but you…” he grabbed my hair so hard I felt strands pop and come loose from my scalp. I howled in pain but Vince crushed my windpipe with his hand. “You were the only thing I ever cared about, Solana. You’re always going to be mine. Mine!” He shouted centimeters away from my face. I flinched and pain stormed through my middle.
“I don’t give a fuck about your boyfriend,” he threw me to the floor and brought his foot down on my sides. Something inside of me snapped with a sickening pop.
“Vince, please,” I begged. I wasn’t even sure if he could hear me because I couldn’t manage to speak above a whisper. It hurt too bad to draw in the necessary breath to speak louder.
My spirit was in panic mode.
My entire body throbbed with pain. Too much pain.
Before I invited blackness to take me away, I cried out to the only other spirit who always heard me.
I called for Ezra.
…
EZRA
“Where is Solana?” Amaris rushed through the triage doors frazzled, scanning the empty space for her sister. Something in my fucking gut was wrong. So wrong. I’d been feeling it since the ambulance pulled off.
“She went back home to get files for when CPS came and she wanted to call the lawyer.”
“Okay. That’s smart. How is Malachi?”
“They’re giving him an x-ray right now so I’m waiting…” My words halted in mid-sentence.
Something hit my chest.
Something heavy and sharp gripped my heart so tight that I had to put my hand over it. I rested my elbows on my knees and coughed. “Ezra, what’s wrong?” Amaris put her hand on my back then snatched it away like I was on fire. That’s exactly what it felt like though. It felt like my entire chest cavity had been set ablaze.
“I gotta go, Amaris. Please stay here with Malachi. Tell him I went to check on Solana.” I pushed to my feet and bolted toward the doors.
“Ezra! Wait a damn minute,” she fussed, running after me. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. All I know is I have a horrible feeling and I need to get to Solo. Now.”
“Didn’t you ride in the ambulance?”
“Fuck. Yes, I did.” She tossed me her keys and looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“Please go check on my sister.” I thanked her, took the keys and ran to the parking lot looking for her car. When I found it and got in, I called Solana.
No answer.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I called her twenty times in a row and got nothing but voicemail. When I pulled into the driveway and saw the front door ajar, my stomach sank to my shoes. I walked through water and fire until I reached her.
My sunflower.
