Her Destiny (Reverie #2)(45)

I’ll take a quick shower, we’ll grab breakfast on the way, and I’ll put Reverie on that damn bus myself if I can. I don’t want her to leave but she has to get back to school and work. And I need to put together a quick plan to get myself out of here.

Feeling good, I climb out of bed and go into the bathroom to take care of business. None of the towels are damp and I figure Reverie wants to take a shower before we leave so it’s on my mind to tell her exactly that when I emerge into the living room.

But she’s not there.

She’s not in the kitchen either. There are not many other places she can be in my apartment but I look around anyway, as if she’s hiding from me in some dark corner, ready to yell out ‘surprise!’ when I discover her.

Panic rises within me as I hear nothing but eerie silence. She’s not in my apartment. I throw open the front door and barge right outside in just my sweats and nothing else, my feet still bare, my chest exposed to the cold air and rain. My truck is still there, right where I left it and the parking lot is mostly quiet.

A bag sits in the middle of the walkway, close to my front door. It’s black with a floral print. I remember Reverie bringing something very similar with her when we left her place, a change of clothes she wanted to have just in case something happened and she had to stay with me.

We got our wish. But where is she now?

I approach the bag and pick it up, zipping it open so I can look at the contents inside. The clothes look like something she would wear. I’m fairly certain it’s her f**king bag.

What the hell does this mean? Where did she go?

Glancing around I see nothing unusual, no one around. I immediately call Evan, waiting impatiently for him to answer.

“Have you heard from Reverie?” I ask the moment I hear his voice.

He doesn’t sound that thrilled to hear from me. “She texted me about twenty minutes ago and said you two were on your way to the bus station. Why? Have you left yet?”

“No.” I start jogging back to my apartment, her bag still clutched in my other hand. “I just woke up.”’

“Well, where the hell is she? You two need to get going, it’s nearly ten.”

“I…” I close my eyes, unsure how to say this. He’s going to f**king kill me. “I don’t know where she is.”

“What the f**k are you talking about?” Evan’s voice blasts at me through the phone so loud I have to hold it away from my ear. “How could you lose my sister you ass**le? Where is she?”

“Fuck, I don’t know okay? I’m gonna go look for her right now. I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll call you right back.”

“It better be nothing dickwad. You better find my sister.” Evan’s on a roll when I hang up on him, cursing me out but I can’t blame him.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I don’t know where she is. I don’t know where she could’ve gone. I text her, sending her a quick where are you but she doesn’t reply and I’m starting to panic.

Fine. I’m in full-on panic mode because I don’t know where the hell she’s at. I gotta find her. If something happened to her, I could never forgive myself.

She doesn’t reply to my texts and I head for Hal Benson’s apartment, rapping on his door with such force the wood rattles on its hinges with my knock. He might’ve seen something. Hell, I doubt it but I need to ask.

“What the f**k you knocking like that for, son?” Hal asks the moment he swings open the door. “You ‘bout scared me to death.”

He looks awful, like he just crawled out of bed, wearing a stained white T-shirt and faded blue and white striped pajama pants. His hair is sticking straight up and he scratches at his belly.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you. I’m uh, looking for my friend. She’s about this tall.” I hold up my hand at just below my shoulder. “With blond hair and blue eyes. Really pretty.”

“Aren’t they all really pretty, the girls you hang out with?’ Hal cackles and I push down the frustration that rises within me. I don’t have time for these games.

“Have you seen her?” I ask again. “I think she’s…lost.” I make her sound like a missing pet but damn it, I don’t know what could’ve happened to her. When did she wake up? How long has she been gone?

I have no idea.

“Nope. Haven’t seen any pretty blondes wandering around here lost and alone. Tell her when you find her that’s dangerous in this area. I hope you find her soon.” He slams the door in my face before I get a chance to say anything else and I’m left standing there, unsure of what to do next. I don’t want to call the cops because they’re nothing but trouble but who else can give me the help I need? Hal is hungover so not like I’m going to ask him. He’s useless. I’ve got no one in this godforsaken town except for Reverie and now I’ve f**king lost her too.

Where in the hell is she?

“Hey bro, what are you doing here?”

I turn to find David striding toward me, the same shitty smile he wore yesterday still on his face. He is the last person I want to see. “I could ask you the same question,” I mutter.

“I’m just checking in on Hal, like usual. Poor guy needs me, especially on Sunday mornings. He tends to binge drink on Saturdays for some reason. I guess it’s because he’s off work and has nothing to occupy his mind.” The smile on his face never fades. It’s like he has it glued on. “Were you just in there with him? How’s he doing?”