Page 64 of Jacob

I squint my eyes, trying to see the car, but all I can see are the faint outlines of random objects. Nothing makes sense.

I want to scream for Jacob, but my mouth refuses to form his name. In fact, I can’t say a word.

The click of a door is the next thing I hear, and then I feel myself being bundled into what must be Jules’ car.

“Let’s strap you in the back seat to keep you safe. We don’t want anything happening to you now, do we? No, we do not,” he chuckles. His voice sends a strange cold shiver in my soul.

The last thing I remember is Jules’ faint words. “You’re safe with me now, my beautiful Skye…”

Jacob, help me.

22

JACOB

I glance up from my tablet screen and look around the boardroom table, searching for Skye.

She’s not here yet, which is totally out of character.

She didn’t text me last night when she got home like she promised she would either.

I figured she was too busy doing her weekly video tutorial for her channel. When she gets focused on something, the whole office could go on fire, and she wouldn’t notice.

She didn’t reply to my text this morning either.

Not wanting to come across as a paranoid boyfriend, because we’re not quite there yet, I didn’t want to call. But I have to admit, I’m beyond worried now.

“Where’s Skye?” I ask.

Every member of my team shakes their head and looks around the room.

“Did she take a sick day? Anyone know?” I ask no one in particular.

As if a rusty nail is scraping along the pit of my stomach, a gnawing sensation takes hold.

I pull my phone out of my pocket, locate her number, and call it.

Going straight to voicemail, I leave her a message before I hang up.

“Shona, please check with human resources to see if she’s called in sick today.”

My assistant pushes her chair back and heads out to check Skye’s status.

“We’ll wait for Shona to come back,” I inform the room.

While I’m waiting, I text Violet asking if she’s heard from Skye.

She messages me straight back with a no.

Fuck.

Shona steps into the room with a downturned mouth. “She hasn’t called in.”

“Meeting postponed. We aren’t doing this without her.”

As everyone filters out of the boardroom, I ask Shona, “Do you know where Skye’s roommate, Kimmy, is working now? Is she still at The Vault?” Kimmy changes job every two months. I can never keep up with where she works.

“Still at The Vault,” she confirms.

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