Page 134 of Lucas
I climb out and get into their SUV. Liam is driving, his jaw set in a grim line.
We’ve never talked much, but I know Lucas loves and respects him. And he came out here in the middle of the night to search for his brother.
“Thanks for coming,” I say, my voice hoarse with unshed tears.
Liam glances at me in the rearview mirror, his eyes soft with understanding. “He’s my brother. This is what you do for family. No need to thank me.”
I nod, swallowing hard. I wish my father understood that.
We continue down the dirt paths, slowly, methodically. Cora hands me a flashlight. “Shine it on the sides of the road. It’s not much, but better than nothing.”
I roll down the window and aim the beam into the darkness, searching for any sign, any clue. Neither of us says it outloud, but we’re both thinking the same thing—that something must have happened to him. Otherwise, we wouldn’t need flashlights.
It feels like we drive for hours, endless miles of empty road. I direct them, going by memory from my ride with Lucas. I pray he didn’t choose a different route today of all days, but we keep going and going, and there’s no trace of him or his bike.
“Where is he?” Cora mutters under her breath, her fingers drumming an anxious rhythm on her thigh. “Are you sure he went out on his bike?”
“No,” I admit. “I didn’t see him leave. I just saw that his bike was missing— Stop!” I scream, and Liam slams on the brakes, throwing us forward against our seatbelts. “Back up a little.”
Liam shifts into reverse and inches backward, the engine growling.
“Stop!” I yell again, and he jerks to a halt, gravel spraying.
“What did you see?” Cora asks, her eyes wide and frightened. We all scramble out of the car, pulses racing.
“There.” I point to the side of the road, my hand shaking. “There’s a bag.”
I run out, Cora and Liam hot on my heels.
Liam overtakes me within seconds, his long legs eating up the distance. He disappears into the ditch on the side of the path.
“Lucas,” I scream as I reach the ditch, breathless and dizzy with fear. I jump down into the muddy ravine, my heart in my throat.
Please let him be okay. Please, please, please...
Chapter Thirty-Five
LUCAS
Fuck.
I groan as the loud beep pounds in my head.
“Lucas?”
I blink, but my eyes refuse to open. The voices sound muffled as if there’s cotton stuffed in my ears.
“He’s waking up.”
I’m trying to, damn it. Why won’t my eyes cooperate?
“Lucas,” a soft voice says, clearer this time.
Someone squeezes my hand, the pressure grounding me.
I make another effort and crack my eyes open to narrow slits. I want to shield them from the blinding light, but I can’t lift my arm.
What’s wrong with me? Fear floods through my veins, and that annoying beep intensifies faster now.
