Chapter Fifteen

Dylan

After Cade left on Sunday, the house felt empty.

Sitting on the patio didn’t fill me with the same comfort.

I attempted to watch a movie in the theater on Monday afternoon, but I couldn’t take my focus off remembering him in there.

Monday night was quiet, and I debated calling him.

Texting him, even.

Tuesday, I still hadn’t heard from the man, and I thought maybe he’d decided it was all too much.

That freaking devil on my shoulder started his whispering again.

He got what he came for.

You told him everything.

It’s only a matter of time before your story is blasted on every cover.

So, when Charleigh came tearing down the driveway on Wednesday afternoon, I was afraid of what she had to say.

Whatever it was, she couldn’t tell me during our phone call.

She had to be here in person to break the news.

I meet her outside, and she immediately brings me into her arms. “Oh my God, are you okay?”

Confused, I nod against her shoulder. “Yeah?”

She leans back, her hands on my shoulders as she looks down at me. Charleigh was blessed with height, at least in comparison to my five-two stature. The frown on her face has me concerned.

“You haven’t seen the news?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No?”

“Oh my God. C’mon.” She grabs my hand and pulls me back into the house, where she brings me to the living room. Immediately, she has me sitting and is pulling her phone out. “I can’t believe you didn’t see…” Charleigh mutters.

“Well, considering I’m not a fan of false reporting,” I answer, likely snarkier than is called for, but Charleigh is making me anxious. Whatever she saw, whatever she needs me to see, was big enough for her to need to come here.

To be my person.

I know who I want to be my person, and he hasn’t exactly reached out…

I shut off thoughts of Cade, because they just confuse me. Hell, for all I know, the reason why Charleigh is here is because of him.

My phone rings from my back pocket, and I pull it out to see Cade’s name; it’s as if he could sense me trying to forget him.

The first call from him since he left Sunday afternoon.

I debate letting it go to voicemail but decide that would be rude of me. Besides, I could have called him, but I didn’t. I’d tried telling myself it was because he was the one with the grueling schedule, and for the most part, I let myself believe that was the reason I was letting him go silent.

It had nothing to do with the fact I was still slightly nervous about the things he made me feel.

The easy way I opened up to him.

Charleigh is still frowning over her phone, trying to find whatever it is she’s looking for, so I take the call.

“Hello.” If I thought I was snarky with Charleigh, I’m downright cold to Cade. I decide it’s a defense-mechanism.

Turning slightly on the couch, I give Charleigh my back.

“Are you okay?” His voice is almost as frantic as Charleigh’s, and now I’m concerned.

Before I can answer, he goes on. “The news just broke. It’s all over.”

I shake my head, looking over my shoulder at Charleigh. “What news? What’s all over?”

“Found it,” Charleigh mutters, at the same time Cade says, “The feds just busted a sex party ring, one with ties to trafficking. Grant and Aja Maxwell are part of it.”

My body grows cold, and I turn to Charleigh as she thrusts her phone in my face. I look at the article, not really computing it, as I mindlessly hold my own phone to my ear. Cade’s talking, but nothing is connecting.

After several tips, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local authorities raided the home of actor Grant Maxwell, finding incriminating evidence…

“Oh my God,” I mumble, frowning, as I continue to read. Hundreds of local girls had gone missing over the last two years, and the common denominator was an invite to a party; a party that was always attended by Grant Maxwell.

“I’ll…” I shake my head. “I’ll call you back.” My voice is detached; hell, I feel like I’m having an out of body experience. I hang up on Cade and take Charleigh’s phone, reading through the rest of the article.

“This means you’re free,” Charleigh says. “Make your post public. Share your story. Help bring that bastard down.” She’s pointing at the phone as she talks, and I can feel the intensity of her words.

But the line that keeps popping out at me is the one that states there are over twenty-members of this ring.

I swallow hard and shake my head. “It also means I don’t know who the dad is.” I hand Charleigh her phone back, as my heart begins to race. “I don’t remember that night, Char. I’d always just assumed…” My stomach starts to churn. “I’m going to be sick.”