Page 44 of Bring You Back

I should’ve been thinking what her absence and unanswered texts could mean.

I should’ve gone to her an hour ago.

If she’s hurt. . .

Camille

“Have you heard from Reyna?” Julian booms, suddenly at my side. My mouth is ajar from having been mid-sentence. His brows are furrowed as he stares intently at Tommy.

“No,” Tommy says, pulling his phone from his pocket to check the texts he’s been sending to Reyna. I eye the screen. Still unanswered.

“Fuck,” Julian says under his breath, then presses, “Why didn’t she come with you?”

Tommy and I exchange questioning looks over Julian’s panicked concern, then Tommy relays the information he told me. “She told me to go on ahead and she’d meet us here.”

“Was her mom there with a guy when you left?”

“No,” Tommy draws out, worry shifting his features just as understanding dawns on mine. “But that was over an hour ago. She probably got caught up in a project,” he attempts to ease, knowing that while Valerie’s boytoys have said some questionable things to Reyna, prompting Julian to get fist happy, none have posed an actual threat.

“Reyna?” I chime in. “Turn down a party for a project? Next answer.”

“Yeah, that was my first thought,” Julian says to Tommy, ignoring my commentary. His eyes haven’t found mine or skirted in my direction once since he interrupted my conversation. I might as well be the barrel behind us.

I keep my stare on him. He can ignore me, but I can make him feel uncomfortable while he does it.

“What’s your second?” Tommy asks.

“She didn’t tell you?”

“Tell mewhat?” Tommy is growing as agitated as Julian who sighs before dropping the news that coils every muscle in my body.

“A guy Valerie had over slapped Reyna on the ass this morning.”

At the same time, “What?” flies out of my mouth, “Are you kidding me?” flies out of Tommy’s.

The anger in his voice pulls my stare back to his face. Tommy’s not considered an angry guy, like I’m not considered a sad girl, but deep inside, the feeling exists, and if there is anything that can unleash Tommy’s anger, it’s the possibility or reality of Reyna being hurt.

Which, now, our minds are teetering between the two.

One of Reyna’s good-for-nothing mother’s men laid a hand on her. Just this morning. Julian nor Reyna told Tommy—my lack of knowing is understandable considering I’ve been on the outside for the past year—and Reyna has yet to show or respond to texts.

We move forward, on a mission to Reyna when we spot her rounding a dune.Finally.She stumbles over in a fit of laughter, expanding her arms for balance, reeking of alcohol.

My stomach turns at the sight, and the smell.

“Hey, guys!” she greets us as she comes to a wobbly stop. “Oh wow.” Her smile falters as her eyes rove over the three of us standing together. “This is weird,” she says to my presence.

“Are you okay?” Tommy asks, taking a step closer, his eyes scanning the exposed skin from her dress for injuries.

“Yeah,” Reyna beams, then gives him a look. “Areyouokay?”

My muscles uncoil, and Julian and Tommy breathe sighs of relief, but none of us move an inch as we watch her. She’s drunk. She’s clearlynotokay.

I would laugh if a drunk Reyna wasn’t tied to her mother. Drinking is Valerie’s main vice. The one thing Reyna always refused to partake in to avoid turning out any more like the woman who brought her into this world just to act like she doesn’t care who can take her out.

Now the proof is running through her system, and it’s like we’re staring into the future.

What happened?

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