“No. I mean, I saw him from across the room earlier. But we haven’t spoken. Why?” I’m suddenly suspicious, and I cross my arms. What’s Drew getting at?
“I can’t find him. He said he was going to the bathroom, but that was a half hour ago before they sat us for dinner. I checked the bathrooms, and he’s not there. I thought maybe you saw him.”
I shake my head, my worries growing. “Last I saw him, he was mingling around the room with you.”
Drew sighs. “What the fuck? Where did he go?”
“Maybe he just went out for some fresh air. Did you check outside?”
Drew nodded. “Yep, called his phone too. It went straight to voicemail.”
“Listen, I don’t know, Drew. If you hadn’t noticed, I don’t keep tabs on him anymore.” I don’t mean to spout attitude, but Drew’s irritating me. Why is he asking me if I know where Levi went? We don’t talk. Plain and simple. And with the worried look on Drew’s face, he made me think something worse happened than Levi leaving. “I need to get back.”
“Wait, Raina. I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t bother you unless it was important.”
“I get it. But Levi made it clear he didn’t want me around anymore. So, please excuse me.” I turn and walk away. Why did I even bother?
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Drew yells, his words stopping me in my tracks.
What in the hell?
“He took my keys! Fuck, he took my keys!” Drew yells, and I turn to see him frantically searching every pocket of his, his hands flying everywhere.
“What?” I’m lost. What keys? Drew has a car?
“My car keys. I drove my Jeep here, and my keys were in my jacket pocket. They’re gone.” Drew grabs his phone, punching at it with fervor. “We need to go find him. Now.”
“I’m so sorry, Dean, but I have to go. There’s an emergency. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” I hug him close, but he resists, pushing back and shaking his head.
“What’s going on?” Dean’s voice is full of concern, but I don’t have time.
Drew’s waiting impatiently outside after seeing his Jeep gone from the spot he parked.
“I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? I’m sorry.” With a quick peck on the lips, I hurry out the door, ignoring Dean’s voice calling my name.
Levi.
Where is he?
“Come on, let’s go.” Drew waves at me from a black car across the street, and I hurry over.
I hop in, the car impressive with its leather interior and sleek look. “Who did you borrow this from?” My curiosity gets the better of me.
“It’s Pete’s,” Drew answers as he backs out of the spot and takes off down the road.
“How do you know where to go? He could be anywhere.”
“I don’t.” Drew drives up and down different streets, looking around. “But I can’t not look.”
“Has Levi ever taken your Jeep before?” I sit on my hands to stop the shaking, my stomach a bundle of nerves.
“No, no one drives it but me. He knows that. Which is why I’m worried.”
“Did he say anything before dinner?” I can’t help the questions. My nervous energy makes my brain go into overtime.
Drew shakes his head as he makes another turn. “No, he was fine all night. I support him and drink water or soda, and that’s all we both had. The only other thing I can think of—”
He stops and glances at me before setting his eyes on the road. “Never mind, it’s nothing.”
“It’s me, isn’t it?” I whisper as tears spring to my eyes.
“Oh my God, that’s my Jeep!” Drew slams on the brakes, and my stomach drops to my feet.
The Jeep is completely smashed and unrecognizable except the skull cover of the spare tire.
Please don’t tell me Levi is in there…
Drew throws the car into park and runs toward the Jeep. I’m out of the car a second later, my own feet carrying me somehow.
No. No. It can’t be.
The street is dark and empty, a dead end on the outskirts of the city with no houses around, only trees.
No one to help.
Oh, my God. He can’t be in there.
Drew makes it first, and when he reaches the Jeep, he falls to his knees and cries out.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
It’s bad, isn’t it? I can’t…
There’s blood everywhere.
So much blood.
Sobs bubble up in my throat and burst out, filling my ears with a bloodcurdling scream. My scream.
“I can’t find his pulse!” Drew yells as he pulls out his phone and dials 911.
I rush in, falling to my knees even though glass digs into my skin.
So much blood.
It’s bad. Oh my God, it’s bad.
I reach out for him, my hands shaking, wanting to help, to do something, anything, but Drew pulls me back as sirens close in around us. “Don’t move him.”
This can’t be happening.
No.
That isn’t Levi.
Wake up, Raina.
Wake the fuck up.
It’s a nightmare.
A really fucking evil one.
I just saw him less than an hour ago, happy, laughing…
No…
I can’t breathe. I’m drowning. The pain’s too much.
I sob in Drew’s arms as police cars swarm the area with a fire truck and an ambulance behind them.
“Get back, please. Get back.” An officer ushers us away, but I don’t move. Drew has to drag me kicking and screaming in protest.
“No! No! I can’t leave him!” I sob, but Drew holds me back until my body collapses in defeat as the sobs take over.
“He’ll be okay. He’ll be okay. Shh…” Drew tries to soothe me, but it’s no use.
My entire world shatters at my feet.
I’ll never be the same again.
Chapter Thirteen
Raina
Numb.
Empty.
Blank.
It’s like all those bad movies you’ve watched. The ones that portray grief and tragedy in a way that’s unfathomable. Unthinkable.
Until it happens to you.
Time slows down, one moment blurring with another until you have no idea how much time has really passed. It’s surreal, as if you’re watching from the outside in, yet it’s still happening. Every last bit.
Drew carrying me to the car because I couldn’t walk on my own.
Both of us crying on the way to the hospital, one of the longest drives of my life.
Drew pulling me into the hospital while I barely can breathe, never mind walk. The emergency room a bustle of activity as doctors and nurses whiz by.
All of it’s happening, but I can’t process any of it. It’s as if my heart said fuck you, no more pain.
“Raina, listen. Do you hear me?” Drew shakes my shoulders, his face inches from mine.
I don’t speak, my mind replaying what I saw repeatedly.
Blood was everywhere.
So much blood.
“Raina!” Drew cries as he takes my hands in his and squeezes them. His attempts to make me talk don’t work. I take in his bloody shirt and his cut-up hands, and I want to throw up.