Chapter 43
Gone and Betrayed – Jack
I woke up in the middle of the night to someone calling me. I don’t recognize the number, but I answer it anyway due to its familiar area code, 954, which is from Fort Lauderdale.
“Hello?”
“Jack. Oh, my god. I am so sorry to call you. But I didn’t know who else to contact—”
I sit up. “Okay, try to calm down. Who is this?”
“It’s Callie. Callie Knight.”
With that, my heart drops down in my chest. I know Kayla was going out with her tonight.
“Kayla—”
“I don’t know where she is. She told me an hour ago that she was leaving with Yannis Drakos.”
My head feels like it’s spinning despite the fact I didn’t have a single sip of alcohol. “Wait a minute, Yannis? How did that happen?”
“She just ran into him at the bar we were at. Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Oh, my god. Do you think he did something to her?”
“Callie, I need you to stay calm. Okay?” Her freaking out isn’t going to help anything or anything.
“Okay, okay,” she slurred in between long breaths in and out.
“Perfect. Keep doing that.”
I then pull the covers off my body and pull a change of clothes from the closet. “Are you still at that bar right now?”
“I’m outside of it, yeah. They just closed.”
“Okay, stay there. I’ll come meet you, and then we’ll devise a plan. Alright?”
“Okay. But please hurry.”
In all my clamoring, I managed to wake up Bryant.
“Everything okay?”
“I—I don’t know. Kayla is missing.”
“I’ll come with you.”
So, we put on our coats and head out.
“She met up with this author of yours at the bar?” Bryant asks while we briskly walk to the club Callie mentioned.
“I guess so.”
“That seems odd.”
“I mean, we’re on an island of less than seven thousand people…” It’s not that I’m super pumped to talk about statistics and facts, but it is helping me keep my cool. “I mean, Fort Lauderdale alone almost has two hundred thousand.”
He sucks hair through his teeth. “I suppose.”
When we finally arrive, Callie is there and shivering. I take my jacket off and throw it around her.
“Thank you, Jack.”
“No problem. Did you see what direction they went?” I could see my breath in the brisk air.
She shakes her head. “I only saw them walk out the door.”
“Damnit.” I wish I had his home address. But then I think to call his agent, Dimitrios. “Hang on a second.” I excuse myself from them and dial.
“Hello?” His voice is groggy.
“Dimitrios. Listen, buddy. I am so sorry for waking you up at this hour. But I’m in a bit of a bind.”
“Okay?” Understandably, he seems confused.
“Can you please give me Yannis’s address?”
“Uh…”
“I know, I know.” He’s likely more used to keeping that a secret. “I promise it’s for an important reason. Um, I don’t want to implicate him or anything, but we have reason to believe he’s with a friend of mine.”
Thinking of him hurting her makes me grip the phone tightly.
“Please. He’ll never find out it was you who gave it to me. You have my word.”
With a little more convincing, he finally gives it to me.
“Thank you. Thank you.”
Fortunately, there’s a group of men walking by, and I ask them if they’re locals.
“Yes,” one of them responds.
“Can you please tell me where Philoxenia Apartments are?”
“It’s literally right over there, mate.” He points in front of himself.
“Thank you.” I don’t think another second before taking off running, and I feel Bryant and Callie behind me.
We get there, and I scan the caller box. Then, I find the number Dimitrios told me, but it doesn’t seem to be working.
“God damnit!” I exclaim, brushing my hair with my fingers.
However, our luck continues when someone buzzes in, and doesn’t seem to notice or care when we follow in after him.
My adrenaline is pumping as we get to his floor. I’m anticipating having to kick his door down or something, but as it turns out, she’s already out in the hallway.
“Leave me alone!” she yells before he follows after her.
When she turns to see me, her eyes are wide. “Jack?”
I engulf her in my arms before warning Yannis to take a few steps back. He raises his hands and does as I say.
“You’re safe now,” I whisper to her.
I pull her away and look at her for a second. There are tears falling down her cheeks.
“What happened?” My jaw is clenched.
“Nothing. Well, he tried. But I fought him off. I’m so sorry. I thought I was helping you.” She collapses against my chest, and I hold her.
“I—” Yannis starts. I put my hand up and then gesture with my head for Bryant to take care of him.
“Yes, sir.” He then stomps past us. “You, in there. Now.” Then, the door shuts with them inside.
Callie takes her turn hugging Kayla, and she wipes at her face. “I was so worried about you.”
“I’m so sorry,” Kayla repeats.
I have many more questions—like why the hell she would be stupid enough to leave and go home with a complete stranger—but those could wait for now.
“Did he hurt you?”
She holds her arms out. There are a few scratches.
“Do you think you need medical attention?” I have no idea what might be concealed by her clothing.
She shakes her head. “I think they’re mostly just surface wounds from when I was pushing him away from me.”
Seconds later, Bryant comes out again and looking completely unscathed.
“It’s done.”
I pat his shoulder. “Good man.” I then put my arm around Kayla, and the four of us make our journey out of the building.
“Should we call the police?” Callie asks when we get outside.
Bryant and I exchange looks before I answer, “No.”
She looks stunned. “Are you kidding me? You’re just going to let him get away with—”
“Trust me.” The Greek police have had a long history of corruption, and I don’t want this somehow spinning out of control. Yannis is a popular person in these parts, so I have no doubt he could point the blame on Kayla.
With that, Callie doesn’t say another word about it.
“Do you want to stay in our room tonight?” I inquire to both women, assuming they’re both feeling rattled by the events of the evening. In all honesty, I don’t think I’ll get much sleep if Kayla isn’t right next to me.
“I’ll sleep on the couch, you can have my bed,” Bryant offers to Callie.
Ever the gentleman.
“Yes, please,” Kayla mutters.
“What she said,” her friend agrees.
“Then, so it shall be.”
We ask a woman at the reception desk for clean linens, and then Bryant and I change his bed while the girls go in their rooms and change. I also want to give Kayla a little bit of privacy in case there are things she feels more comfortable sharing with Callie than me. I mean, I have no idea what went down in that apartment. But at least I know he didn’t assault her. I’m incredibly proud of her for being able to fend him off.
After they come back in their pajamas, Callie mumbles “Thank you so much for this,” before crawling into bed.
“Of course.”
Then, Kayla and I snuggle in mine. It feels amazing to know she’s safe.
“How are you doing?” I whisper, caressing her face.
She sighs. “Still reeling a bit.”
I then kiss her forehead. “I’m sure.”
I see another tear fall. “I swear, I thought I was helping you.”
“Shhh. That’s talk for another day. For now, just rest.”
She turns her back to me, and I scoot closer.
Eventually, her little coos and deep breathing lets me know she’s asleep, so I let myself drift off as well.