I laugh to myself as I turn back to the school gates and walk myself in. There are girls everywhere. Within seconds, Hendrix comes bounding toward me, instantly gushing about her father’s proposal over the weekend and all the wedding plans she’s already put together.
I gape at her, knowing there’s no point in reminding her that Mom hasn’t exactly agreed to anything yet. When she mentions what her dad told her about planning to watch Mom walk down the aisle as soon as possible, my head spins. For a guy with the means to make things happen, he could be talking weeks, not months.
Drix goes on and on about all the things she’d like to see happen. Apparently, she wants to become an A-list celebrity event planner, and putting together a dream wedding is a big deal for her. I, on the other hand, hardly know what the hell a bonbonniere is. She's raving about the silk rose gold bridesmaid gowns, insisting they are non-negotiable, but all I can picture is the price tag. I'm sure it will cost more money than Mom and I have ever seen.
Before I get a chance to remind her that this isn’t her wedding and that Mom will be the one making those kinds of decisions, my phone starts vibrating inside my bra. With a few minutes before the bell is due to sound, I pull it out and look down at the screen, my brows pinching as an unknown number flashes on the screen.
I stare at it for a moment before Drix rolls her eyes. “Either you’re going to answer it, or I am,” she tells me. “But whatever you decide, make it quick because I found the perfect dress that will look incredible on your mom.”
Letting out a breath, I realize that she’s right. What harm could a phone call bring me?
After accepting the call, I bring the phone to my ear, hating seeing unknown numbers flashing on my screen. “Hello,” I say hesitantly, hoping that I’m not about to regret this.
“Don’t use that fucking scared tone with me,” Christian says, making me wish that I had saved his number from the last time he called. “You should know by now that I’m not going to hurt you.”
I scoff, unable to help the comment that comes flying from between my lips. “You mean you won't hurt me unless your boss tells you to? Or you mean you wouldn't hurt me again?” There’s silence on the other end and I let out a sigh. “Look, the last time I had a call from an unknown number, some dick was telling me that I was about to get jumped.”
“Fair point,” he says. “Listen, I need to know if you’ve seen Russo?”
“You mean your father?”
There’s silence on the other end of the call, and for a brief moment, I'm left wondering if he hung up on me, until his sharp tone slices through the line. “How the fuck did you know that?” he demands, his tone terrifying and deadly. “No one fucking knows about that.”
My heart begins to race.
What the fuck was I thinking spurting out that bullshit? I assumed it was common knowledge. What do I do? What the ever-loving fuck do I do? I can’t lose Christian. He and Jaren are the only two allies I have in that place. Without him, I’m screwed.
I swallow back fear and decide that it’s best to come clean than to lie to him and have him always questioning my word. “I, uhh … kinda talked to your sister,” I tell him. “She’s the only one around here that can really understand what I’m going through and I … Shit, I’m sorry. I wasn’t meaning to start any trouble.”
Christian lets out a deep breath. “Fuck, I should have known it was her,” he says. “Just keep it to yourself. If Snake was to figure out that connection, then there would be real fucking trouble. We’ve kept it quiet for a reason.”
“You have my word,” I tell him. “I won’t say anything.”
“Good,” he grunts. “You’re going to tell me everything that got said with Roni, but first, Russo. Have you seen or heard from him?”
My brows furrow as I cut through the students to get to my locker. “No,” I grumble, accidentally nailing some girl in the shoulder as I squeeze past her. “Should I have?”
“No,” he says. “That’s just the thing. No one has heard from him.”
Well, fuck. That could only mean one thing.
Nic.Chapter 20ColtonMidday hits as I walk through the door of the old abandoned factory in Breakers Flats that my father had purchased a few years ago. I always wondered why the hell he wanted a place like this. It’s a fucking dump, but as of yesterday afternoon, I finally got it. The walls are fucking thick, and the security on this place is like none other, meaning no one can hear a motherfucker scream.