“Very well, Darius. Well, enjoy the evening. It will all be over soon. Emmet’s guard is outside the main doors of the A adept, get him.” He waves his hand at me, and I nod my head before leaving.
I’m glad I’ll no longer have to put up with him. I’m done with being his puppet. If I stay any longer, I won’t like what I see when I look in the mirror. I was already on the way until Luna fell into my path.
I quickly pass the message onto Matthew, and his smile is void of emotion as he walks into the Academy and down the hall to Arthur’s office. This place is full of narcissists and psychopaths. And the mentally unstable, if Tom, Bradley, and Sir are anything to go by.
I step back into the ballroom, and my body’s on edge when I can’t see Luna. Then again, I don’t see her friend Daria either, so it could be that they’ve simply gone to the bathroom. The guys did say they wouldn’t take their eyes off her, so she has to be safe. Then why do I have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, almost as though I took too long?
I grab Aeron the moment he hurries past, and I’m surprised to see that he isn’t high.
“Where’s Luna?”
“She went to get something from her room with Daria after you left. But she hasn’t come back. I’m off to see what’s keeping them now, you coming?” He pats me on the face, before swaggering past and I follow close on his heels.
“Why did you let her go on her own?” I demand, as I grit my teeth through the sense of dread swarming around me.
“We didn’t, she went with Daria. Besides, you can blame this one on Emmet. He’s the one who told her he isn’t going to share once graduation rolls around. That’s in three days, man. If he hadn’t upset her, she wouldn’t have asked for ten minutes alone with her friend.” He’s seething as much as I am, it’s written all over his face.
We take the stairs two steps at a time, before Aeron opens her door and freezes. I push him to the side, and see Daria on the floor out cold, blood dripping down her face from a head wound.
“Check her, while I search the rooms,” I order, not caring what his surname is.
Luna may have been upset, but she wouldn’t have run off, especially with her friend hurt. Someone must have taken her. It hasn’t been that long, so they couldn’t have gotten too far.
I balk when I find her dress lying on the floor, torn on one side. Her heels are on either side of the bedroom, and her closet is a state.
“She’s gone, Aeron.” My voice sounds void of everything, even to my own ears.
A loud shout comes from the living room, right before the sound of something smashing joins it. I haven’t got time for this, I need to figure out what happened, and where they could have taken her.
The bathroom is all over the place, and I can’t think. I don’t know where to start or how to tackle this. All I can think about is Luna, my Snowflake, and what could be happening to her right now.
“Darius.”
“Darius,” he says it louder. Right before a fist meets the side of my face. I whirl around, ready to strike him back, but he’s pointing at the closet, Luna’s necklace dangling from his hand.
“I already suspected they would have taken the necklace off,” I say bitterly, but he just continues pointing, until he walks into the wardrobe and starts pulling clothes off the hangar. What the fuck is he doing?
Oh shit!
“How did you see that?”
“You were standing too close, I just saw a glimpse of red on the wall and it reminded me of the lipstick she always wears.” He looks so fucking pale right now, as he rubs at the corners of his mouth.
Darius, Tracker.
“We can’t track her, she isn’t wearing her necklace.” He leans against the wall, glaring at her words. It takes me a minute to register their meaning, and I’m kicking myself for not seeing it straight away.
“No, man, this is a different tracker. One I gave her last year, when I couldn’t be here. She never used it, and it was the wrong thing to do, but I forgot to ask for it back. She has to have it with her.” Our eyes lock as we rush out into the living room.
I scoop Daria into my arms and we charge down to the ballroom. Emmet and Jake are before us in no time, and I hand her over to Jake.
“What happened?” Emmet seems calm, but it’s almost too calm, as though he’s already prepared for the worst.
“Someone’s taken Luna, but they underestimated how resourceful she is and how fucking creepy we can be.” Aeron looks pointedly at me, and I keep my mouth shut.
“Can you find her?” Emmet grips my shirt as I stare him down.
“I can, but I’m not hanging around. The minute I get a location, I’m gone.” He nods his agreement and Aeron rushes into the room to grab the others as I load up the software.
“She’s waking up,” Maddox says, and I have no idea when he joined us.
“Ri, baby. Are you with me?” Jake asks, and she groans.
“My head. Shit, Luna.” She tries to get up, but Jake holds her tighter.
“Who did this to you? Who took Luna?” Maddox asks as he takes her hand.
The minute she says his name, everything falls apart. Aeron starts throwing things, Tucker throws his fist into a wall. And Thallon roars.
“Where the fuck is my father?” Emmet shouts at no one.
“Last time I saw him, he was in his office with Matthew.” I can’t stop playing his name through my mind, I knew something was going to happen.
My phone beeps and everyone stills.
“I know where she is.”
“Good, let’s go.” Emmet tears open the door as Arthur appears.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Luna’s gone, and I’m getting her back.” He glares at Arthur and he smiles.
“Darius with me, the rest of you stay here. Don’t worry, son, we’ll get her back. You just have to trust me.” He places his hand on Emmet’s shoulder before he leaves, followed by Matthew and myself.
“Don’t trust him,” I say as I pass.
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” he says quickly and then I climb in his car and we set off to get my girl back.
51
Time For The Truth
Luna
Before
“Come on, Homegirl, I want to get my dance on.” D spins around, and I have a feeling she’s had a fair few drinks.
“Okay, just give me a minute.”
“What did you even need?” she asks, as she looks around my living room, as though she’s never seen it before, or maybe it’s for the last time. Damn, that feels weird.
“Nothing, unless space from Emmet staring at me counts as something,” I sigh, and she snorts.
“Course it does, go on. What did he do now?”
“Why do you always assume that he’s done something wrong? He’s not that bad, you know. He’s a good guy,. I guess the fact that I feel defensive is a good sign.
“I’m just more team Tucker or team Aeron, but if he hasn’t done anything, then why are you hiding?” She cocks a brow, before pushing me down onto the sofa.