Page 98 of The Devils Melody
Part of me wanted to ask her to wait around for me so she could take me back home, but I’ve missed being around Retta, so I don’t mind waiting at her place for Lennox and Kage. Besides, she’s going to freak the hell out when she sees them again and I’m dying to see her reaction.
Walking up to the front door, my anxiety only heightens. I don’t know why I’m freaking out but something feels off, I just can’t put my finger on it. As I get closer, it looks as if the door is slightly ajar.
Why would she keep the door open?
Knocking on the door, I push it open the rest of the way, calling out for her.
“Retta? Why is the door open? Are you alright?” I call out, but she doesn’t respond.
“What the fuck is going on?” I whisper as I take in the wreckage around me. Barstools are overturned, couch cushions ripped open, shards of glass littering the floor like tiny pieces of diamonds.
My panic spikes so high, it makes me dizzy. Walking further into the torn apart house, I check every room and find no signs of Retta anywhere. I pull out my phone as quickly as I can, my hands shaking as I try to find Kage or Nox’s contact.
Finding Kage’s first, I hit dial, holding the phone up to my ear as I look around the house.
“Come on, come on. Pick up, Kage. Please, fucking pick up!”
It rings, and rings, and rings, until I get his voicemail.
Fuck!
“Kage, it’s me. I’m at Loretta's house, I don’t know what’s going on,” I cry, trying to hold it together but it's no use. After finding my own apartment like this with Chen's blood everywhere, I can’t help but to feel like this is all connected.
“Everything is destroyed, there’s glass everywhere, I think?—”
“Hello, Wren.”
The ice that freezes down my spine is unlike anything I’ve ever felt in my life. That voice, I recognize it instantly. Turning around to face him, I look him dead in the eye, trying my best not to show any fear.
“Rich. What are you doing here?”
He smiles at me like he can see right through myI don’t give a fuckbullshit exterior. That smug, knowing look makes me want to claw his fucking eyes out. His face doesn’t look nearly as bad as it did two weeks ago, but he’s still pretty bruised. I guess Kage and Nox really did a number on him. How fucking unfortunate.
“Well, now, that’s no way to greet an old friend, is it?” he says smoothly, his voice sounding like nails on a chalkboard.
“You’re not my fucking friend, Rich. Now get the fuck out.” I yell at him as I point to the front door.
“Well you see Wren, that just won’t be possible. I’m sure you were hoping Loretta would answer the door herself, but…” He gestures lazily to the wreckage surrounding us. “She’s been…unavailable.”
My stomach plummets.
“What did you do to her?” I snap, trying to keep my voice steady, but it cracks under the weight of my terror.
Rich tsks softly. “Me? Nothing at all. Poor Retta’s beengone for weeks, Wren.” His eyes gleam. “But you…you came right on time.”
I spin on my heel, bolting towards the back door, only to slam into something solid. A masked man. Then another appears behind him.
“No!” I scream, thrashing wildly. A strong arm wraps around my waist, yanking me backward, causing me to drop my phone. It lands face up with the screen still lit, showing me that the voicemail is still recording.
“Let me go! Kage!” I scream as loud as I can. “Help! Nox?—”
My scream is muffled by the chemical stench rag that’s clamped over my mouth. Chloroform. I fight like hell, kicking and clawing, desperate to cause some kind of damage, but it’s useless.
Through the haze of my panic, I see Rich strolling towards me, calm as ever.
“Oh, Wren,” he coos, crouching in front of me as my vision starts to tunnel. “Leaving your boyfriends a little message, were you?”
He picks the phone up off the floor, the glowing screen reflecting in his blue eyes. Rich brings the phone to his lips, smiling directly at me as he says the last words I hear before everything goes black.
