Page 72 of The Boy I Loved
I shook my head, attempting to rid myself of the horrible thoughts swarming my mind. Nothing about this life waseasy. There was evil and less evil, but never easy.
The sad truth of the matter was that we were both doomed. There was no way out of this life. Not for me and not for Hazel. She should have listened to me when I told her to run away. Hell, I should have forced her to and not given her the goddamn option. I didn’t realize Clay or Mason had turned their attention on her like they had. I knew it was an option; that should have been enough.
But like everything else, I fucked that up too.
The days began to blur.So far, no one had targeted Hazel or attempted to fuck her or touch her again. Most of the guys wouldn’t until her results came back, and unfortunately, they’d be coming in today. I already knew she was clean. If she wasn’t, they’d treat her if they could, and if it wasn’t curable … they’d kill her.
Nia was still alive for now, but the clock on that was ticking. Tristan had been discussing it with Clay, trying to get his approval—not that he really needed it. If Tristan wanted to kill someone, he’d do it with or without Clay’s word, and my uncle would barely bat an eye. He’d probably reprimand him for taking a girl’s life, simply because we were running low on them, but that would be the end of it.
Today was my day off, so it gave me some time to collect my thoughts and prepare. At least, that was what I’d hoped. Unfortunately, it only made me more anxious. If I was taking a day off, I couldn’t watch Hazel—the girl who had already been reported missing by her parents. The cops were scouring the area, looking for Stacy, Lauren, and Hazel. As expected, the police had their suspicions, but they refused to release them to the public until they had a solid lead. Even if they suspected me or any of the guys, they wouldn’t find anything. It wasn’t like we texted one another about all the crimes we committed, and we’d been careful in regard to being caught.
The hot water pelted my skin, cascading down every crevice of my muscular frame. My hands pushed through my hair, slicking it back beneath the spray of water coming from the shower head above.
Once I was done showering, I toweled off, and quickly got dressed in a pair of jeans and a gray T-shirt that clung to my build. I grabbed my phone off my bedside table, glancing down at the assortment of notifications awaiting me. My stomach twisted with a multitude of emotions, my gaze snagging on a couple missed calls from Hazel’s mom, followed by some texts. I’d done my best to avoid her since this all went down, unsure of how to interact. I might have been well-versed in criminal activity, but lying to the people I cared about wasn’t something that came easily to me.
My finger hovered over her name, unease trickling through my veins. What would I even say to her? That I was sorry to hear about Hazel and I didn’t know what had happened to her? I wasn’t a goodactor—not like that. I blew out a breath, clenching my jaw as I peered down at the texts again.
Luanne
Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you’ve heard from Hazel by any chance?
I know you must be busy but call me when you can.
Dominic, this is urgent.
I spoke to your mom today. She said you left. Is everything okay?
If you’ve heard from Hazel, or ran away with her, please just let me know. This is so unlike her.
I swallowed thickly, my fingers trembling around the device. Before I knew it, they were gliding across the screen.
Me
Sorry. I went away with my uncle for a little bit and haven’t had good service. I haven’t seen or heard from Hazel. Is she okay?
I pocketed my phone, my nerves going haywire through my veins. It was the best I could do for her. I knew the incoming texts were inevitable. We’d been best friends for years and I randomly vanished around the same time her daughter had. As long as she didn’t suspect I had anything to do with it, it was fine.
I slipped out into the hall, needing to separate myself from my warring thoughts and emotions. When I made it to the lounge, I wasn’t surprised to find Mason there—it was his day off too and he preferred it up here rather than the basement. I couldn’t say I blamed him. It smelt like pure death and shit down there.
His blue eyes darted to meet mine, a small smirk curling around the edges of his mouth, like he knew something I didn’t.
I dropped down into the chair adjacent from him, crossing one leg over the other as I settled back in my seat.
“How did you sleep?” he asked nonchalantly, swirling the clear liquid around in his glass.
“Like a baby,” I lied. “And you?”
He shrugged. “Can’t complain.” He brought the beverage to his lips, taking a long, slow swallow as he peered at me over the rim. “I just came back from the lab. Hazel’s results came in.”
I tensed, my fingers curling into the palms of my hands. “And?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
“She’s clear. But … you already knew that.” He shot me a wink, something sinister flicking through his irises.
If we weren’t surrounded by a whole bunch of people, I might have strangled him until the life faded from his eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he should know better than to threaten me with Hazel of all people. She was one of the only people I’d risk it all for if it came down to it.
I grunted in response, not knowing how else to reply. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of a verbal warning. I’d already fucked up when I punched him and threatened him. Now he knew my weakness and there was little I could do about it.
“I’ve gotten to sample the goods,” he continued. “Twice now. I’m ready for the real thing.”
