Page 81 of Octane

Fuck, that doesn’t sound good.

Pulling up her number, I call her back immediately.

“Jackson, hi.”

“I got your voicemail. What happened?”

“We should talk in person. I’m at my father’s office. Can you please come meet us?”

“I was planning on going to see Sawyer.”

“I wouldn’t recommend that. Not yet. We need to talk first.”

I don’t like the tone in Carissa’s voice. She sounds like she’s in mourning.

“Why? Did he hurt her? What’s wrong? Carissa, you have to give me something. I’m freaking out here.”

“No, she didn’t look hurt. Just… I don’t know. Brainwashed or something. I need you to come to my father’s office. I’ll text you the address.”

“Okay. I just landed. As soon as I get off the plane, I’m headed to you.”

“See you soon.”

It’s going to take everything that I have not to go to the condo. But I know that if Carissa thought I should go there, then she wouldn’t ask me to stay away. As the plane taxis to the gate, the text from Carissa with her father’s address comes through. Immediately, I call the car service that I use, and they promise that a car will be waiting for me when I get outside.

* * *

Entering Zach’s office,I’m greeted by an older, cheerful woman.

“Hello, how may I help you?”

The moment she takes in my appearance—messy hair, wrinkled shirt, duffle bag, and I don’t even want to know how bad I smell—her smile morphs into a straight, worried line on her face.

“Hi, I’m Jackson Powell. Mr. Stone and Carissa are expecting me.”

Still regarding me with caution, she picks up her phone and presses a button.

“Mr. Stone, I have a Jackson Pow—Yes, Sir. I’ll send him in,” she says, waving me toward Zach’s office door.

The door opens just before I reach it, and Carissa greets me. She looks just as bad as I do with a messy bun on top of her head, sweatpants, and those soft, brown boots that girls like to wear.

“Jackson,” she sighs, pulling me in for a hug.

“Hey,” I put my arms around her and rub her back.

I can feel her body shaking as she cries. Her dad stands up from the sofa and walks over to us.

“Zach,” I extend my hand to him, and he takes it.

“Jackson, nice to see you again.”

I turn my attention back to Carissa, “Why can’t I go to her?”

“Jackson,” Carissa begins, “we know what Daniel is capable of. He got a little physical with me when I got there.”

“Are you okay?” I look her up and down, briefly.

“I’m fine, but if he’s so crazed that he’s willing to take his aggression out on me, knowing someone could find out, I know he wouldn’t hesitate to take his anger out on her. She’s behind closed doors with nowhere to go. No one to see. All the time in the world for an injury to heal with no questions asked. If he catches you trying to see her…” she shakes her head with torment in her stare.

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