Page 32 of A Damaged Soul
I wanted to thank Kyle for that. The last thing I wanted to do was have this conversation while I was strung up like a carcass about to be slaughtered.
"Sorry, man," Arlo apologized when I hissed as he slowly lowered me from where I was hanging.
My entire body ached, and it hurt to lower my arms both from the broken ribs and the sudden circulation returning to my hands.
"Let me take him," Zack insisted, and internally I sighed. I knew what was going to come before it even happened. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"
Yup, I called it. "Can we talk about this later?" I was starting to lose consciousness, and maybe it was the coward’s way out, but I really didn't want to talk about it just yet.
"Yeah," Zack sighed. "But we will talk about it."
I didn't answer. Black dots started to swim in my eyes, and I knew it was only a matter of time before my brother would be carrying me out. I did have one thing I wanted him to know before I passed out though.
"Find Elle." Those were the last words I uttered before everything went dark.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Elle
ELLE
I hope you're okay!
I sent yet another unread text to Rhett.
It had been six days since he left, and to say I wasn't doing well was an understatement. I was sick with worry.
Literally.
I couldn't stomach anything to eat, and the little I did eat sat in my stomach like a heavy rock.
"Are you sure you aren't coming down with something? You look like shit," Molly so helpfully commented as we sat in my classroom.
Molly resorted to coming in early along with me each day to keep me company. She refused to say that was the reason, but I knew better.
"Gee thanks." I rolled my eyes but, at the same time, wondered if maybe that was the case. I couldn't remember the last time I felt like this. "I'm just worried about Rhett."
"Still no word from him?"
I shook my head. "Nothing. Not even a 'leave me the hell alone' response, and I've sent a message a day to him."
"Have you tried calling him?"
With a nod, I sighed, "It goes straight to voicemail."
"So definitely not ignoring you, then."
I had thought the same at first, but there was no way Rhett would permanently keep his phone off just to ignore a woman. That didn't seem like his style.
"Unless he blocked me, but I don't see why he would."
"What kind of messages have you been sending?"
I handed my phone over and let Molly read. There was nothing there I didn't mind sharing. Each text was basically the same. I just wanted him to be unharmed.
"Definitely wouldn't block you for those unless he's a complete ass, and from everything you've told me, he doesn't seem like that kind of guy." She handed me back the phone.
"He's not." I sounded awfully sure for a person who has only had a handful of interactions with Rhett, but they were enough to give me a pretty good idea of who he was.
