Page 86 of Crave

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I stepped back as rage rippled deep. I didn’t know what I expected to find…but it wasn’t this. I rounded to the rear, glancing along the long forgotten garden and stopped, picking up a heady rock and hauled it through rear door, listening to the glass shatter instantly.

Shards scratched my jacket as I reached in and unlocked the door from the inside before I pushed it open. Morning sunlight spilled through the windows as I made my way through the vacant house, heading to the stairs and climbed, taking them two at a time until I stopped at the landing. Bedroom doors were open on each side of me. I headed for the first one, stepping inside to an empty room.

The wardrobes were open and empty, leaving me to head across the hallway to the other room which was the same. The sonovabitch was gone…like really fucking gone. “Fuck!”

I shook my head and made my way downstairs and back to the kitchen…then I stopped staring at the item on the bench. “That gutless fucking bastard.” One step and I snatched the ID and security tag from the bench. The same one we all had.

We gave him everything, and at the first sign of trouble the bastard turned tail and ran.

Rage seethed inside leaving me to clench my fists. He’d better run, because if I got hold of him. He was a dead man.

The heavy thud of music from outside pushed into my mind. I turned my head, slowly drawing myself away from the rage to focus on the thick, heavy beat and made my way to the front of the house. A car slowly rolled toward the house. The black, lowered Mustang stood out like a neon sign amongst the Toyotas and family wagons. The windows were down, what looked like Latino guys hanging their arms out of the windows.

Was it them?

The Cartel del Diablo?

I stiffened as fear replaced rage and that icy shiver of realization made me step backwards. Had Sloane run? Or had he been threatened? I glanced over my shoulder to the ID cards on the bench. Either way it told me one thing. I was on my own.

My phone vibrated in my pocket as the black Mustang disappeared. I pulled it free and glanced at the caller ID, then answered. “Yeah?”

“She’s gone.” Gabe’s voice was frantic in my ear. “She’s just gone, Silas! I don’t know what to do. She was here one minute and then…and then I can’t find her.”

Everything else disappeared and all the desperation and rage came flooding back. I was focused now…so goddamn focused on her. “What the fuck happened?”

“I don’t know. She was in the shower and I was making breakfast and then when I came out the front door was opened and she was gone.”

“Her cell phone?”

“She had it with her.”

“Her bags?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

“Well, fucking LOOK!”

I was already striding for the rear of the house, leaving the abandoned ID cards on the counter behind. I didn’t care about them now. She can’t be gone. She can’t run…not fromME!“Goddamn little fucking bitch.”

Gabe’s heavy steps thundered in the cell as my boots crunched on broken glass and I strode out, hearing around the side of the house once more.

“They…they’re still here.” He gasped. “They’re all still here.”

“So she can’t be running fucking far, can she?”

“No.” My little brother answered. “She can’t.”

“Then start looking. I’m on my way.”

I strode out from the house and headed to where my bike was parked. There was no sign of the Mustang or anyone else for that matter. Right now the Cartel needed to wait. I pulled up my cell, scrolled through and hit the button as I climbed on my bike and pulled my helmet down.

“Silas.” Kieran answered on the second ring. “Any word?”

“He’s gone.” I kicked the bike off the stand and into gear. “And he’s not coming back.”

“Jesus Christ. Did they get to him?”