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I teetered on my heels for a second before I walked purposefully out the door. I forgot I was surrounded by people who could help. Help save Clara. Save me.
I forgot to ask for help.
ELLIOT
I took my eyes off her.
Because I’d been lulled into a false sense of security.
Because I trusted that all the darkness had left. That no more killers would appear in my restaurant, trying to take my woman from me. That I wouldn’t find Calliope covered in blood, curled on the floor.
All evidence pointed to that.
Calliope had been right—I was a simple man. Those kinds of things didn’t exist in my life. And I had felt certain that that portion of life was over. Life was simple. The ocean. The restaurant. My family. My woman.
She was happy too. Which filled me with purpose and pride.
Until I saw that her barstool was empty, her laptop sitting closed in what was ‘her spot.’ She carved her name into it with a steak knife to ensure that people didn’t sit there. Locals knew well enough, and she was more than happy to educate tourists. It amused me. Made my cock thicken. But when it came to Calliope, what didn’t?
I wasn’t entirely sure what made my hackles rise, seeing that vacant seat. It was the laptop—she’d never just leave it sitting there, nor the purse that cost more than a used Honda, slung over the corner of her stool.
Calliope wouldn’t just leave those things there, even if she was just going to the bathroom. We were in a small town full of trustworthy people, but she didn’t trust easily. I forced my heartbeat to slow, to give her some time to come back from the bathroom or a phone call to call me overprotective for all the concern showing on my face.
Three minutes. I counted them in my head even as I shook cocktails, poured beers, smiled at patrons.
“Have you seen Ca—” I leaned over to ask Betty, but she was gone. Likely delivering drinks to the full tables. We hadn’t expected the surge of tourists when the season was meant to beover. It was a zoo in here, so she’d offered to help behind the bar as well as waitress.
Which was why a scowling Beau had carried a tray of food out to a table. I flagged him over once he dropped it off.
“We need more fucking waitresses,” he grumbled.
“Calliope’s gone.” I forced my voice to remain calm, even though I knew my brother heard the rising panic in my tone.
Beau, to his credit, didn’t dismiss me. As if he had some kind of danger detector, he was instantaneously on guard. He didn’t know about what happened in New York, but he suspected that shit had happened. I hadn’t told him about Naomi either. I didn’t know if that was the right choice or not. I was living in the gray now.
“You check inside, I’ll go outside,” he said.
I looked at the rain battering the windows, making visibility shit, coupled with the rapidly dimming light. It was a shitty thing to have to do, running out there when Calliope was likely in the bathroom or taking a call somewhere, but Beau didn’t hesitate before he jogged out the door.
I flagged down Dave, telling him to take care of the bar while I took five. He nodded and easily took over. I forced my steps to remain unhurried as I searched the back, my office, knocking on the door to the ladies room, looking for her.
Nowhere.
I grabbed my phone from my pocket. Rowan answered on the first ring.
“Have you heard from Calliope?” I told myself I was overreacting and that she’d be furious at me for involving her brother.
“No.” His answering tone was already tight with apprehension. “Why?”
“Probably nothing.” I clutched the back of my neck. “She was at the bar, now she’s not. All of her things are still there.”
“It’s not nothing,” Rowan scoffed. “I’ll make some calls, be over there in five.”
The intensity and concern underneath his harsh tone did nothing to silence the low hum of panic that was radiating through my brain.
I wanted to tell him everything was fine, that I could handle it, could take care of my woman. But I squashed my ego. I’d rather have bruised pride from overreacting than regret that I didn’t take all the help I could get.
Already I was preparing for Calliope telling me off for involving her brother. I looked forward to it. I prayed for it, once I’d moved through the entire restaurant and couldn’t find a sign of her.