Page 11 of Pastel Kisses

She thinks I’ll break. That I’ll wither in the darkness, waiting for rescue.

But she’s wrong.

I shift my attention back to the shackle around my ankle. My fingers trace the metal, looking for any weak points, any imperfections I might be able to exploit. The chain is old, rusted in some areas, the metal corroding from time. That’s something.

My mind scrambles, flipping through every escape story I’ve ever read, every survival documentary I’ve ever watched.

I force myself to focus, searching for anything—any weakness, any edge, any chance. I don’t have anything sharp, no tools, no leverage, but maybe if I can weaken the metal enough—

A wave of dizziness crashes into me, pulling me under like a riptide. My limbs feel heavy, my thoughts sluggish, like wading through thick fog. No. No, stay awake. Stay alert.

I shake my head, trying to fight it, but the effort is useless. If it’s been days, these drugs are strong. Too strong. Or worse—she’s been drugging me while I sleep.

The realization sends a fresh surge of panic through me, but it’s fleeting, drowned by the blackness creeping in from the edges of my mind.

My body sags, unable to fight anymore.

Darkness wins.

CHAPTER FOUR

Kamden

The last couple of weeks have been absolute chaos. Avery’s disappearance flipped our world upside down, leaving nothing but a gaping void where she should be. Every waking moment has been consumed with searching, hoping, and grasping at any sliver of information that might lead us to her.

My brothers and I, along with Roman and Dan—Avery’s dad—have been relentless. We’ve joined every search party, attended every press conference, and pushed her case into every media outlet we could. We refuse to let the world forget about her, not for a damn second.

Jaxton didn’t hesitate—he quit the movie he was working on the second we realized she was gone, walking away without a backward glance. Liam and Lennox cleared their schedules, canceling every remaining contract for the year without regret. As for me, I handed over the reins of my restaurants to my executive chef, stepping away from everything I built to focus on the only thing that matters—Avery.

The latest press conference is another punch to the gut. The police just announced they have nothing—no leads, no new evidence, not even a whisper of where Avery might be. And now, they’re officially done with the crime scene, handing the house back over to her father.

It feels like a death sentence.

None of us say it, but we’re all thinking the same thing—this was supposed to be the place she came back to. Instead, it’s just another reminder that she’s still missing. Our hearts fracture all over again.

And then there’sher.

Sarah shows up, again, draped in fake sympathy while subtly—or not so subtly—flirting with Jaxton. It’s disgusting. She’s trying to worm her way back into his life, and we all see right through it. The only reason she’s tolerated right now is because her presence is keeping the media’s attention on Avery’s case. When Liam had to explain to Dan who she was, he merely grunted in displeasure, unimpressed but not particularly invested in her existence. His focus is solely on his daughter—where she is, and why the hell we haven’t brought her home yet.

The press conference wraps up with the same gut-wrenching disappointment as the last one. No new leads. No new evidence. Just another dead end while Avery is still missing. The weight of it sits heavy on my chest, suffocating, like an iron hand pressing down.

Dan stands off to the side, arms crossed, his face unreadable, but I know him well enough now to see the exhaustion in his posture, the grief that’s eating him alive. His daughter is gone, and no matter how much money, media, or manpower we throw at this search, we keep coming up empty.

“We should head over to the house,” Jaxton mutters, running a hand through his hair. “Make sure everything’s still in order.”

Dan exhales sharply through his nose. “I can’t go back there. Not yet.” His voice is gravel, like it physically pains him to admit it. “It—it doesn’t feel right. Not without her.”

Liam steps forward, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “We get it. We’ll go for you.”

Dan nods, his eyes glassy, but his voice is steady. “Just—just make sure everything’s alright. Water her plants. She’d be raising hell if they started dying.”

A sad chuckle ripples through the group because it’s true. Avery loved her plants like they were part of her family, fussing over them, making sure they had the perfect amount of light, water, and nutrients.

“She’s got a few new ones in the backyard,” Dan continues. “The heavy work was supposed to be done already… We were gonna finish it together.” His voice cracks slightly at the end, and he clears his throat, masking the emotion threatening to spill over. “Maybe—maybe you boys could take care of that for her.”

Jaxton nods. “Of course. Consider it done.”

Before any of us can say more, Sarah steps closer—tooclose—pressing herself into Jaxton’s personal space like she belongs there. “I could come with you,” she suggests sweetly, placing a manicured hand on his arm. “Help keep her house in order, maybe go through some of her things—”

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