I had been at work while she had been fighting for her life. I felt sick. I took out my phone and cal
led Officer Cortez. “Mr. Stoneridge, how can I help you on this fine day?” he yawned on the other end of the phone.
“She’s gone.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“She’s gone, Cortez! She’s fucking gone!” I started to hyperventilate. I bent down to try and breathe, but it wasn’t working. I wouldn’t fully breathe again until I had Lucy safe in my arms.
“You need to start from the beginning. I’m on my way.” His sirens blared on the other end of the phone. He really was on his way.
I looked all around the apartment for a clue of her, to let me know if she was alright, but all I saw was the broken lamp, the busted tv where it looked like someone’s head rammed into it, and I was back to not breathing. “Her apartment door was open. It trashed. She isn’t here. It’s Brian. He took her. I know he did. I feel it, Cortez. I’m going to kill him!”
“Don’t let me hear you say that because if he does end up dead, I’ll have to interrogate you.”
“Just fucking get here and find her!” I hit the end button on my phone as hard as I possibly could and pinched the bridge of my nose to try and get my shit together. I had to call her brother. I dialed his number next, and at first, he didn’t answer. “Pick up the fucking phone, Green,” I cursed when it rang again.
“Hey, Mr. Stoneridge.”
“Don’t Mr. Stoneridge me. I don’t give a fuck who you are with. Get to your apartment now. Lucy is missing. Your apartment is trashed.”
“No,” he whispered at the same time a clank of metal fell to the ground at the worksite he was at. “No, no, no!” he roared. “She has to be there. If he has her…”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I warned. I didn’t want to think about what would happen to her. Horrible things played in my mind. I pictured him hitting her, stealing kisses, forcing himself on her, and I screamed bloody murder at the top of my lungs, smashing my fist against a nearby wall. My knuckles bled, but I didn’t care. “Get here.”
The next person I called was Haden. I hadn’t seen him in ages because I had been so busy with Lucy. I hadn’t been a good friend, and I hoped like hell he wasn’t angry with me and would there when I needed him most.
“Hey stranger,” he answered happily, just like him. He always sounded like nothing put him in a bad mood.
I fell against the wall and slid down it, giving in to my bodies need to fall. I couldn’t hold myself up anymore. “Haden, I really need you to come to Lucy’s.”
“What happened?” The playfulness left his voice, and I knew when I told him what happened, he’d be on his way in a heartbeat. “Talk to me.”
I couldn’t.
“Godrick, talk to me. I can’t help if you don’t speak.”
“Something happened,” I said as my vision blurred, and wetness touched my cheeks. I was crying. “She has a stalker. He has been leaving notes, flowers, and he found her the other day. She isn’t here, man. The place is a wreck. I’m about to lose it. She’s it, Haden. She’s the love of my fucking life, and she isn’t here.”
“She’s fine. I bet she is okay. Stalkers like him usually want women to themselves. It will be fine. Think positive. And don’t touch anything. We need pictures because once we build a case against this asshole, we are going to put him away for a long time.”
“I’m going to kill him, Haden.” A murderous urge made me lose all sense of reality. I didn’t give a damn about consequences; I wanted his blood on my hands for taking what was mine. I should have been here. I should have been protecting her. I gave her space when I shouldn’t have. I knew better, but I was so afraid of smothering her and losing her that I ignored my instincts.
Never again.
Haden sighed on the other end, but I knew it was him giving into the idea. I knew if I did something bad, he’d be the person I could call and help me get out of it. “Do I need to bring a shovel? Are we digging a grave?”
“No. The bastard doesn’t deserve a grave.” I rubbed my fingers through my hair from stress, slightly tugging because I wanted to feel pain. I deserved it for what I let happen to her. It wasn’t right.
“Holy shit.”
I jerked my head to the right, keeping the back of my skull against the wall as I saw Officer Cortez enter the apartment. He got out his phone and snapped pictures and then called for backup because now this was a possible abduction.
Well, that was what he said on over the radio, but he knew just as well as I did that it was, especially with the threat of Brian that always lingered. I hung up the phone as I stared at Cortez, my blood boiling. This was all the cops’ fault. If they didn’t have to wait until her well being was in danger, none of this would have happened.
I stood on shaky legs and charged forward like a bull, readying to tackle the fucker to the ground. Why hadn’t he done anything to prevent this? Why didn’t I?
“Woah,” Logan took the hit, blocking what belonged to Cortez and held me steady, stopping me from killing a cop and a friend. “Calm down. It won’t do anyone any good if you get arrested for assaulting a police officer. All of our efforts and energy need to be focused on getting her back. Okay?” Logan barricaded me in his arms, planting his feet on the floor as I pushed against him. “Stop it,” he said as I shouldered my way into his chest. “Stop,” he pushed his weight on me, and I stumbled back, slamming against the edge of the wall.