37. Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Roman
F eeling around for Eden's warmth, I’m startled to find only empty space where she should be.
Sitting up, the faint light of dawn barely illuminates the room, offering little to go on.
"Eden?" I call out, my voice echoing unanswered. There's no sign of her in the bathroom.
I get out of bed and find the drawers where I keep my clothes in disarray, their contents scattered across the floor.
"Eden?" I try again, my voice rising with worry. I grab my phone, hoping for some clues.
No missed calls.
My eyes scan the room, and then it hits me: something else is missing.
I move toward the dresser, glancing at the top.
Where the hell is my Glock?
I swing open the bedroom door and fidget with the waistband of my sweats, heading toward the kitchen. My gaze locks with Aiden’s, who’s sitting at the table with a spoon hanging from his mouth.
"Where’s your sister?" I demand, noticing the bruises and scratches on my sides.
"Isn’t she with you?" Aiden asks, looking disheveled and confused as if he had a rough night himself.
All our car keys are in their usual spot, untouched.
"I'm calling her," I snap, pulling out my phone.
I dial her number, but it goes straight to voicemail. I redial three more times, each unanswered call heightening my fear.
Zoey emerges from Aiden’s room, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"Hey guys—"
"Call Eden," I cut her off. "Something feels off."
Without a word, Zoey takes out her phone. Moments later, she looks at me with an expression I dread.
"Voicemail," Zoey mutters. "What’s going on?"
I pull up "Find My iPhone," my heart sinking as I see the last location where Eden’s phone was active.
"She was at your house this morning at 2 a.m.," I whisper, my eyes locking with Aiden’s. "Her phone hasn’t been on since, and my Glock is missing."
Setting down his cereal bowl, Aiden’s face hardens, all traces of playfulness erased.
“Why the hell would she go there?” Aiden’s voice trembles with unease.
“I don’t fucking know,” I growl, pulling on a hoodie and securing one of my pocket knives into my waistband. “But I’m not about to sit around and wait for answers. ”
I wrench open the front door, my breath catching at the sight of the visitor.
Echo stands there, his hand poised to knock, a large coffee in the other. Despite the years, his golden brown hair and rich dark eyes remain unchanged, though a deep scar runs like a river down his cheek—his only flaw.
“Jesus, if you were this excited to see me, I might have put on some ChapStick and given you a kiss—”
“Get the fuck out of my way, Echo,” I snap, shoving past my old friend with a raw edge of desperation.
Echo’s grip tightens on my arm, his eyes flashing with concern. “You and your girl are the ones who called me out here, Roman—”
“She’s gone,” I bite out, my tone hard as steel. “The last place she was is the last place she needs to be. Move aside, or I’ll break your arm.”
Aiden’s voice cuts through the tension. “Roman, it’s my dad,” He says, his voice barely above a whisper.
I whip around to see David’s name lighting up Aiden’s phone screen, my heart hammering in my chest.
“Give that to me!” I bark, snatching the phone from Aiden’s hand.
“David—”
“Put me on speaker, Roman. I’m assuming my son is there if you have his phone.”
With a reluctant swipe, I hit the speaker button, allowing Echo to step inside, his presence a grim shadow in the doorway.
“Am I on speaker?” David’s voice crackles through the line.
“Where the hell is she, David— ”
“Watch your tone with me, Roman. I’d hate for anyone to get hurt because of your disrespect.”
A piercing scream rends the air, Eden’s cries distorted by muffling, her anguish slashing through me like a blade. My heart constricts with every sob, the raw pain palpable even through the phone.
“Eden—”
“Ready to listen?” David’s voice is cold, detached, as Eden’s sobs recede into the background.
“David, if you lay another hand on her—”
“You’ll what?” His voice is a sneer, untroubled.
Echo, ever the professional, records the conversation, his gaze steely and focused.
“Here’s the deal, Roman,” David’s voice purrs. “We play this game by my rules. You cooperate, and everyone gets what they want.”
“What do you need from me?” My voice is a taut wire, every word laced with desperation.
My sole focus is keeping Eden alive, no matter the cost.
“What I need you to do is quite simple. Attend the bidding. Swear your oath to the church. Vow to keep its secrets buried deep, and then find your way out of Idlewood. Only when you leave town will Eden be free from the confines in which I’ve ensnared her.”
I slam the mute button on the screen, my gaze snapping to Echo.
“There’s no fucking way I can agree to that. He’s asking me to trust he won’t hurt her further. ”
“We need leverage,” Echo insists. “Proof that this isn’t just talk. If you can get me video footage from that church, I can bring in my team from the nearest city. Evidence is the only way we’ll end this, Roman. I can rig a camera on you, funnel the live feed to myself. We’re at a crossroads. We either act now and hope she’s safe, or we don’t and face the unknown.”
Staring at Echo, it feels like a loaded gun is aimed not at me but directly at Eden.
“Roman? 5, 4, 3, 2—”
“I’m still here, David,” I growl. “Fine. I’ll agree to your terms, but I need confirmation that she’s okay right now.”
I hear him scoff, followed by the shuffling of movement.
“Speak up, bitch,” David snarls.
Don’t you fucking speak to her that way.
I swear to God, I’ll kill David—
“Roman,” Eden gasps.
Has she been screaming?
“Eden, are you okay—”
“Roman. I don’t want to be here. Please—”
A harsh slap rings out, and she gasps. Gripping my phone with white-knuckled intensity, I fight to keep my composure.
“See what you’ve made me do, Roman?”
“Rot in hell, you bastard!” I roar, her muffled sobs making the situation even more unbearable.
David’s laughter drifts through the line, followed by a clearing of his throat.
“There’s someone else who would like to speak to you, Roman,” David’s voice takes on a mocking tone.
Another voice clears its throat, deep and authoritative .
“Quite a mess you’ve made, Roman.”
Father Kevin.
“Says the man who deceived me about the true nature of my priesthood at this depraved church—”
“Now is not the time for moral high ground, Roman. At least I’ve never sullied an altar server and made the mistake of falling in love with her,” He snaps. “I had grand plans for you. I thought you’d surpass those before you. But looking at your precious girl now, I understand why you faltered. She truly is delectable. See you soon, Roman.”
“Wait—”
The screen goes black as the call ends. Trembling with adrenaline, I hurl Aiden’s phone across the room, watching it shatter upon impact. My rage erupts in a scream, my only focus now on Eden.
“Roman, you need to calm down,” Echo’s voice is a calming force, his hand resting firmly on my shoulder.
“Calm down?” I explode, face-to-face with him. “The woman I love is being tortured, and I’m just standing here doing nothing—”
“You have an in,” Echo snaps back. “I’ll accompany you to the event. They can’t stop me. We’ll get her out, and all the other kids too. But until then, we have to be strategic. So, do your fucking job, keep a strong front, and when the time comes, help me expose all of this,” Echo pleads.
Eden’s screams and sobs echo in my mind, leaving me feeling nothing but defeat .
“So I’m supposed to just sit and wait, hoping for the best?” My question hangs in the air, met with silence from everyone around me.
“It’s all we can do for now, Roman,” Echo’s voice is a soft plea.
Shaking my head, I grab my coat and head for the front door, ignoring the barrage of questions from the group.
“Roman—”
“I still have a job,” I snap. “Or are we all pretending that everything is fine?”
The room falls silent, the weight of my words heavy.
“If anything happens to Eden, I will burn that church to the ground with everyone inside.”
With that, I slam the door behind me, my hand gripping the knife in my pocket.
They want to wait? Fine.
No one said I had to follow along.
Given the afternoon light, it’s far too early for anyone to be at the church on a Friday. As I touch my hand to fidget with my ring, a wave of nausea overtakes me when I realize its absence.
It’s around Eden’s neck.
I tuck my hands into my pockets, trying to steady my thoughts.
Approaching the office, I know the files within might be critical for Echo’s efforts to expose this place sooner. Inside, the room appears unnervingly pristine, as though someone had recently swept through and tidied up.
I search for anything useful, but all the drawers are bare. The only item remaining on the shelf is a solitary Bible.
Sliding into the office chair, I attempt to power on the computer, only to find its wires severed.
They’ve already swept through here.
“Trying to find her?” Kevin’s voice oozes from the doorway, his smugness palpable.
I turn slowly to face him. He stands there with a self-satisfied grin.
“I really thought you would have figured out where she was by now, given your military background in land navigation.”
Land nav? That’s all about paths and maps—maps.
The new construction plans. The renovations.
“Where did you put the blueprints?” I demand, my hand still clenched around the knife.
Kevin rises, a sneer playing on his lips. “You’re putting it together too late, Roman. If I wanted you to see the blueprints, I would have left them where you could find them.”
“She’s in this church,” I growl.
“Maybe. We had to transport all the items here for the big day on Sunday. Closing the church for a private event isn’t simple. Everything must be perfect—”
I move swiftly, grabbing his collar. “Where is she, Kevin?” I narrow my eyes, my voice thick with anger.
“I would assume right now they’re preparing her for the highest bidder. Though, she’s quite a fighter. They’ll need a lot of makeup to hide her bruises once we’re done— ”
I strike him hard, sending him crashing to the ground. I climb on top of him, drawing the knife from my pocket. Pressing it to his throat, he grins with a sickening delight.
“Where is my girl? Final fucking chance.”
Coughing, Kevin shakes his head defiantly. “You think I fear death, Roman? There will always be another ready to take my place. God is watching you, and He’s judging. Killing me won’t solve anything—”
“No,” I hiss, “I think it sends a message.”
I slide the blade across his throat, and his shock is palpable. As his blood spills onto my face, I shift the knife to his chest, stabbing him repeatedly until his movements cease. Feeling around, I find the church keys and decide to lock him inside.
When this is all over, I’d gladly face any jail time if it means I’m one step closer to Eden.
I search for anything else of use, finding his phone and tucking it into my pocket. Stepping over his bloodied body, I remove my shoes and wipe my face with my jacket before draping it over him.
As I exit the office, I lock the door behind me. The phone buzzes in my pocket. Checking the screen, a flicker of hope ignites.
David Faulkner:
Everything is ready.
Eden is fine.
Bidders will arrive tonight.
Are we clear? Is the office cleared out?
I reply with a terse “yes,” slipping the phone back into my pocket .
If God is watching me now, let’s hope He still has some forgiveness left.
Colossians 3:13 "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."