Page 75 of Dark Encounter
Chapter 27
Erik
Islept the rest of the day and all through the night without even turning over. Clarity rested on me the next morning when I woke up, and I was sick over some of the things I'd said to Grace. Get rid of the baby? What the fuck was I talking about? He was a representation of the love between us, of her opening up her beautiful body and letting me in. I was the only man she'd ever let touch her, fuck her, explore her.
Something like a vice grip tightened in my chest, and I knew what I had to do. It started with an apology. Life was fucked up, and there was no way in hell I was bringing her into my darkness, but I'd figure out a way to kill my old man or run to another country and hide. Either way, she and my son would be beside me.
I walked to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face. Yesterday was a blur of sorts, as if someone had been putting something in my food. What the hell?
The sound in the hallway caught my attention, and I moved toward the kitchen to find Lizzy and my father wrapped up together, talking about something softly. A bottle of liquid Vicodin sitting next to a plate with breakfast on it.
"No fucking way," I mumbled and turned, jogging through the house and making it outside without anyone seeing me. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Cole, expecting a response right away. Nothing. "Whatever."
I drove to the library, breaking every rule known to man only to find out that Grace hadn't shown up for her shift that morning.
Had she left town like I told her to? I called Jenna, hoping she would answer, but only got her voicemail.
"Where the fuck is everyone?"
Nate's number appeared on my phone, and I answered it. "Nate."
"Hey man. Sorry to bother you, but Jenna's pretty upset. She was supposed to meet Grace for breakfast this morning, but Grace never showed."
"Did she call?" I got back on the bike.
"No, man. Do you know where she might be?" He sounded sick.
"No, but I'm headed over to her place now. I saw her yesterday, and things didn't go too well, but I'm praying like hell that her missing isn't because of me. Have Jenna call her brother, Thomas. I'll check in shortly."
My body ached, but I ignored it, pushing harder on the bike until I pulled up to her place. I ran from the bike to her door, popping the lock and hoping that I'd find her half-dressed and pissed as a hornet about me breaking into her place.
"Grace? Kitten?" I walked through the house, finding everything in place. "Damn." I jogged back down and found her car in the parking lot, which was even more reason to panic. Where the hell could she be?
Nate called a minute later. "Thomas has no clue, dude. We need to track her phone."
"It was sitting in her kitchen, Nate." I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled. "Goddammit. I swear if anything happened to her, I'll kill everyone involved."
"Walk me through what happened yesterday, man. You went over there and what? Did you talk about her being pregnant?"
"Yes, but my father's maid has been giving me Vicodin, dude. I was out of it yesterday. I faintly remember you coming by, but not much more."
"You shot at me twice, you cock." He didn't sound too thrilled.
"Foreplay, Nate. Get over it." I let out a breath I was holding. "We have to find her. I'll go back by the library."
"Find Cole. He'll know where she's at."
The idea alone chapped my ass. "Andwhywould Cole know where my girl is, Nate?"
"Dude, I don't know why the cop has a hard-on for you, okay? He's watching your back non-stop. That's why he knows where she is. He's been treating her like a little sister since you guys became a thing. Sue him, but don't hate him. He's on your side."
"But why?" I screamed into the phone, gaining some odd looks from a couple of older women who walked by.
"Find Cole, Erik. Stop worrying about the why and let's just find him and Grace."
"Fine, but this shit isn't over. When everything is settled, I'm tying his ugly ass up and beating him until he comes clean on what the fuck he's up to."
"Deal. I'll help."
