Page 126 of Sweetheart: Part One

The rich could be pricks, and Vex walked around with the word prey written across her forehead. Anxious, quiet, and far too pretty for her own good, she’d easily draw the attention of predators. That was before has-been Dean Trance announced her value to the world.

I had enemies, and this building was swarming with big names.

Where the fuck was she?

Ignoring a few questions tossed my way by set workers, I crossed silently to the hallway where the bathrooms were.

A beta woman walked out, and I held a hand out to stop her. She took one look at me, and that familiar recognition lit her face.

“Oh… Ebony Starless.” She smiled, tucking a lock of curly brown hair behind her ear nervously.

I smiled that well-worn smile that never felt right on my face. “Would you check the bathroom for my companion?”

She was nodding before I’d even finished my question. “Of course, it was Vex, right?” she asked.

Great, so everyone knew.

The woman hurried back in and I was left to wait impatiently.

When she returned, she was shaking her head. “No one else in there.”

The world drew to a halt. Enough that I didn’t even feel a flicker of irritation as I spotted the pen in the woman’s hand. “Do you think…?”

I was already scanning the hall, my mind going a million miles a minute.

Vex was gone.

My heart rate began to rise, but Love’s rules stuck, and I was signing the little notebook she’d held with barely a glance.

How long had it been? Twenty minutes, maybe?

I checked my mask as the beta woman doused me in thanks.

Still up.

I had to be careful, I knew how easily I might crack when I was off balance, and I hadn’t felt this on edge for as long as I could remember.

I reached for my phone, running through the contacts and calling Drake. Why didn’t I have her fucking number.

“Hey, damn bro, you didn’t say—” Drake began.

“I need her number.”

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. She wandered off. Big building.”

I hung up, not needing to worry him before anything was wrong. My phone vibrated with Drake’s text, giving me her number.

I dialled it and waited. I heard the muffled ringing in the hallway before she managed to pick up.

What the fuck?

I crossed toward the sound, reaching an unlabelled door right as she answered the call.

“Yes?” Her voice was quiet.

“Why thefuck”—I ripped the door open—“are you in a closet?”

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