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Chapter 19

When nightfall came, and Calax still had not arrived, I felt myself panicking. Where could he be?

I could tell by the tense faces of the other guys that they, too, were worried.

Okay, let’s think this through, Addie. What do you know about Calax? He likes control, that much is obvious. And what else? He likes you. Correction, he loves you. Think, Addie. Think.

“Don’t knock yourself out,” Ronan said from where he was sprawled out on the couch. I leveled at him my best glare. Sadly, my glare resembled Mof’s glare more than anything scary.

“He thought you were dead, Sweetie,” Tam said gently, and I blinked at the term of endearment. He hurried on, “Do you know where he would go to feel close to you?”

I thought that through. If what he said was true, if Calax was grieving over my supposed death, than it would stand to reason that he would want to feel connected with me somehow. Where would I go if I wanted to remember Calax?

The answer came to me easily, and I could’ve facepalmed myself for not realizing it sooner.

“Of course,” I hissed. Ignoring the questioning looks from the other guys, I turned to Fallon. “I think I have an idea where Calax went.”

“Care to share with the class, Princess?” Ronan asked.

“Where we met. His house.”

* * *

Despite the boys’protests, Fallon refused to allow any of them to accompany us. I could tell that didn’t sit well with any of them, especially Declan. My old best friend glared at Fallon with an almost elemental fury. I was not wrong in my initial assessment that Declan was a scary motherfucker when he wanted to be.

Ignoring him - and Ryder who insisted that we were car buddies - Fallon wheeled me to the sedan. Unlike before, I was able to claim shotgun.

“So, Sargent,” I mused. “Like the army guy?”

“That’s Sergeant,” Fallon said roughly. “And yes, I am that as well, but my last name is, ironically enough, Sargent. Spelled S-A-R-G-E-N-T.” He glanced at me as if I was an idiot – but really, how was I supposed to know his last fucking name was spelled differently when it was pronounced the same way?

I didn’t bother with small-talk after that as we curved through the winding roads of the town. I knew Sarge wouldn’t be receptive to any communication outside the occasional grunt and snorts. I had to admit that it took a very special person to create his own language.

Fallon snorted beside me (case in point), and I realized I must’ve spoken aloud. Oh well. You win some; you lose some.

After what felt like hours, but I knew was only a few minutes, Fallon pulled the car into an apartment complex that looked as if it had seen better days. Though not completely destroyed, a tree leaned precariously against the white siding, and glass now took up residence in the once thriving garden. I would know since I was the one who had planted it.

Long story.

“He’s probably not up in his room,” I mused to Fallon who, of course, didn’t respond.

At least I hoped Calax hadn’t been stupid enough to climb up three sets of stairs to his room. That building looked as if it was going to fall apart at any moment, and I really didn’t want to get trapped again.

Or sacrificed. I didn’t want that either.

Fortunately, I spotted the silhouette kneeling near the pond. I wasn’t surprised to find him at that particular spot.

After all, it was where we had our first, and only, kiss.

“Stay here,” I instructed Fallon. He glared at him, not used to taking orders, but remained where he was after he helped me into my chair.

The headlights from the car illuminated the paved trail down to the pond. Despite this, I still managed to get my chair stuck on a rock and face-plant into the granite. Okay, so it may have been more of a pebble than a rock, but that shit hurt! Fallon, laughing like the bastard he was, got out of the car, helped me back into my chair, and then retreated to lean against the bumper.

“Go away!” Calax bellowed as I got near. “I don’t want to talk to any of you!”

I had never heard his voice sound quite like that before. I had heard him growling, and I had heard him upset, but I had never heard him sound so...empty before. From the hunching of his shoulders, it almost appeared as if he had given up.

I didn’t like that.