Landon
After I leave the hideout, I ride around aimlessly for a while before going back to Blade’s. Something isn’t right, but I know that I won’t be able to figure it out on my own. If I want to help Vivian, I’m going to have to work harder than I’ve ever worked in my life.
Blade and Robin are settling down for dinner when I roll up. I can tell Blade’s annoyed, but Robin sets a place for me and pours me a beer.
“It didn’t work,” I say glumly, sitting down at the table and resting my chin on my fist. “She wouldn’t come out. I yelled to her, and I heard her yelling from the inside of the hideout. But I didn’t even get to look at her.”
Blade’s head snaps up like I just told him the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders had walked into the room.
“You did what?” He stares at me, his eyes wide.
“I went outside and I yelled her name a couple of times,” I say, raking a hand through my hair. “I know, it’s like something out of some dumb teen movie from the eighties. But I wanted her to know I was there. I didn’t want her to worry.”
“You’re a fucking idiot,” Blade says. “You realize that if someone was hanging around and waiting, that told them she’s inside?”
My heart sinks and I close my eyes.
“Fuck,” I say. “You’re right. I’m so fucking stupid.”
“Hey, stop,” Robin says. She reaches forward and grabs my hand. “That wasn’t the best thing to do, yeah, but it’s okay. We’ll figure out a way to make sure Steel understands that you have good information. Information that can help. You told him, right?”
“I tried,” I say miserably. I feel like such a fool. My heart is pounding and suddenly, I’m feeling so anxious that I don’t even want the beer in front of me. “I failed her, guys. I went to try to help and I failed.”
Robin shakes her head. “We’ll talk to him,” she says quickly. “I promise, Landon. We’re not going to let Vivian get hurt.”
I sense the unsaid implication of her words—we’re not going to let Vivian get hurt because you fucked up.
“I gotta go back,” I say, standing up from the table. “I gotta go back there and make Steel listen. Blade, can you call him?”
Blade’s already holding the phone to his ear by the time I ask. But he doesn’t greet Steel. Instead, his expression turns sour and he frowns, putting the phone down on the table.
“Steel didn’t answer,” Blade says. “You gotta go back over there.”
“But dinner—“
“He has to go now, Robin!”
In thirty seconds, I’m outside, climbing on my bike and driving towards the hideout. As soon as I get close, I know something’s wrong. The front door is open and light is spilling out all over the porch.
“Fuck!” Screaming, I climb off my bike and let it fall to the ground as I run towards the house. My heart is pounding and I don’t want to go in, but I know I have to look. Whatever’s happened to Steel and Vivian is all my fault, and I have to take responsibility for my actions.
I nearly scream again when I see Steel. He’s lying on the kitchen floor, covered in blood. There’s a stab wound in his chest and he’s barely breathing. His breath is slow, labored, and his eyes are closed.
“Steel,” I say, kneeling down on the floor and reaching for his wrist to check his pulse. It seems too slow–almost scarily slow. “Steel, man, it’s Landon. Wake up!”
Steel’s eyes slowly open and he blinks. I can’t even tell if he knows that I’m there.
“Landon,” Steel croaks. “Vivian’s gone.”
I’m on my feet before he even finishes the sentence, running through the house and screaming Vivian’s name. In the bedroom, her signature sweet scent still hangs in the air. But she’s not there.
Whirling around, I run back into the kitchen. “Where the hell did they take her?”
Steel shakes his head slowly. “She was gone before they got here,” he croaks. “She…she must have left out the window.”
My heart sinks and I bury my face in my hands. Vivian’s gone, and it’s all my fault. She must have decided to come after me after hearing me yell her name outside.
“You gotta go find her,” Steel says. He grabs my hand and squeezes hard. I’m sure he’s in a lot of pain, but he’s barely showing it. “You gotta go save my daughter, Landon.”
“I’ll find her,” I swear. “I promise.”
Steel shifts and a torrent of blood gushes out of his side. As much as I want to go save Vivian, I know that I can’t leave my former boss here to die. Quickly, I get to my feet and run into the bathroom for a medical kit.
When I get back to the kitchen, Steel’s eyes are closed again. I drop to my knees and rip his shirt open. The stab wound is huge, and it’s gushing so much blood that it looks like he was hit with an axe. As tenderly as I can, I pinch the folds of skin closed. Blood oozes through my fingers.
“What are you doing?” Steel croaks. He winces, and I know he must be in tremendous pain.
“Gotta patch you up,” I say grimly, reaching for the medical kit. “Have to make sure you’re okay.”
Steel’s eyes flutter closed, and I pray that it won’t be for the last time.