Dulce

29

Adoor slamming jolts me awake.

I bolt upright in Dmitri’s room, but he’s nowhere to be seen. I run my hand over his pillow, but it’s cold. He’s been up for a while.

I climb to my feet, my legs unsteady as I slip on the robe from the back of the door before letting myself out into the living area.

The bright lights make me wince as I move toward Abe’s room and the source of the noise.

“What’s going on?”

Abe spins around with a pen and a notepad in his hand.

“Oh, Jesus, Everly, you scared the shit out of me. I didn’t know you were back.”

“Yeah, I was asleep.” I nod to the notepad before looking up at his face and realizing he looks freaked.

“What is it? What happened?”

“Casey is in the hospital and Sarah is missing.”

I blink, trying to understand what he just said.

“What?”

“I’m sorry. I know you guys are friends. Scott is losing his mind. He’s been arrested for causing a scene at the hospital. It’s a mess. I told him I’d call around and see if anyone has seen Sarah or heard from her.”

“I didn’t know you were friends.”

“We’re not. Not even close. I…he lost it, Ev. I’ve never seen someone care that much about someone else, you know?”

His voice has a haunting echo to it, which makes me wrap my arms around myself as I try to figure out what the hell is going on.

There is no way this is Luke’s work. He’s dead, and Cassandra would not have been in a fit state. As the boss, Dmitri wouldn’t risk himself by snatching Sarah. That just leaves one other person.

“Where’s your brother?”

“I don’t know. We got into a fight last night.” He indicates the trashed living room.

“He stormed out, and I haven’t seen him since the party last night. He probably got lucky. He isn’t answering his cell, but that’s not unusual after an argument. Why? You think something happened to him too?”

I spin and run back to Dmitri’s room and yank on some clothes. I don’t even know if they are clean. I just tug on the first pair of jeans and sweatshirt I can find before slipping on some tennis shoes and shoving my cell phone, ID, and knife in my pockets.

“What’s going on, Ev? Do you think someone took my brother?” Abe snaps, storming toward me as I walk out of the bedroom.

“No, Abe, I don’t. I think Cain is the one who took Sarah and is likely the reason Casey is in the hospital.”

“What?” he asks quietly, but there is a wariness to him now. An inherent need to protect not just his brother, but his twin.

“Abe, you can either help me or get the fuck out of my way.”

“He’s my brother, Ev,” he implores quietly.

“He’s a monster, Abe. You can love him, but you can’t save him.”

The stark honesty slaps us both in the face.

His head dips for a moment, the silence between us lying heavy in the room. He lifts his head, eyes glistening as he nods.

“You’re right. We have to stop him. I can’t…I can’t let him do this anymore.”

“Let’s go. We can talk more on the way, but we need to move now. If he took Sarah, they would want to get her out of the country as soon as possible. Isn’t her dad a country music star? It’s not like he will just let her disappear.”

“No, but pinning it on Casey will redirect the police’s attention,” Abe points out as we run down the steps and out the door.

We jog toward the entrance. I note that it’s quiet out. I expected, I don’t know, more of a reaction. But it’s as if missing girls are the norm now.

As if sensing where my mind has gone, Abe speaks up. “People are staying inside. It’s safer that way.”

“Good. Sometimes making the smart choice in a dangerous situation is the only thing that stands between you walking away and ending up dead.”

“You talk like you know this firsthand.”