Chapter 45 Spencer #2
I’d rather stand in silence, no matter how awkward it is or how odd it might seem to the people standing around us.
Apparently, my annoyance is clear on my face, though, because he doesn’t continue even though I can almost guarantee he could go on forever. They all can. I’m so sick of hearing about her and how damn amazing she is.
I get it.
She’s a badass. She’s so selfless. She’s the fucking head of Vengeance and beautiful. I know that.
Wait, what!?
I rub a hand down my face, fucking annoyed with my damn self at this point. I need to find someone to talk to who isn’t obsessed with Jade. Clearly, they're all rubbing off on me.
A snort of laughter has me turning my attention back to Trent.
“What?” I snap, my voice coming out much harsher than necessary with my current mood, but it doesn’t even faze him.
“Nothin', man,” he says with a shake of his head before he claps my shoulder in what I’m sure is meant to be a friendly gesture. All it does is make me want to punch him.
I contemplate the idea for a moment. I’m sure it would help my mood, at least for a little while, but I can’t say for sure that it wouldn’t draw a bunch of attention, and while any other night would be fine, tonight just isn’t that night. Sadly.
He walks away before I can decide if it’s worth it or not, and I take that as a sign that it probably isn’t.
Scanning the room, I spot Rick talking with his father and Kratos, of all people.
How ironic is it that the chief of police not only took in Jade but also has high respect for Kratos?
He might also be one of the few people in the city who doesn’t seem to understand his connection to Vengeance.
Just goes to show you never really know a person.
Giving up the charade of blending in, I head back toward Zan.
I only make it about halfway to him before I realize I hadn’t seen Jade.
Stopping dead, I do another glance around the room, but I still don’t see her or Jake anywhere.
I peer out the doorway but don’t see them out in the hall either.
It had to have been at least twenty minutes since they disappeared.
They should be back by now. Before I can think too much about it, I remember what Trent had said about his mother adoring Jade.
I suppose it’s possible they stopped to talk in the hall, and another quick glance lets me know she has yet to return as well.
I take a breath to calm myself, walking the last few steps back to our table.
This time I take a seat opposite the one I originally had so that I can focus on the doors instead of the room as I try to swallow down the pit that’s rising in my throat.
I don’t know for sure that something’s wrong yet, so I don’t want to alert the guys when it could be nothing, but something feels wrong.
Another twenty minutes, and I’m no better than Zan at this point. My leg jumps below the table as I wait, every passing second feeling like an eternity. While I might appear fine to anyone who walks by, inside, my mind is running wild with a million scenarios.
When Rhonda finally walks back into the hall, she’s smiling, and I half expect Jade to come around the corner any moment. But she doesn’t.
Rhonda makes a beeline for Trent, who now stands with Kratos, Rick, and his parents. I don’t know what she says, but whatever it is has Trent looking around. He searches through the crowd twice before he shakes his head at her, and I can see her frown from here.
My eyes catch Rick’s as his eyes sweep the room, his brows furrowing in concern. I push to standing quickly enough that my chair wobbles, and while it doesn’t fall, it’s enough to pull Zan’s attention.
“What’s up?” he asks, his voice both bored and hopeful at the same time, as if he thinks we might be able to leave now.
I hate to burst his bubble, but I think it’s actually the opposite.
“Something's wrong.” The moment I say it, I know it’s true.
I’d been feeling like something was wrong since Jade disappeared, but I didn’t want to be rash, didn’t want to worry everyone if she was just doing regular things.
I check my watch and see that it’s been almost forty minutes since the auction ended. They had left almost immediately after.
Fuck.
I can feel my panic rising as I try to rationalize what could have kept them gone this long, but nothing comes to mind.
“What is it, Spence?” Zan asks, coming up to stand beside me, but I don’t know what to say. How do you tell one of your best friends that the girl he loves might be missing right now?
Turns out I don’t have to.
I turn to look at him, and the color drains from his face. I’m not sure what he sees in mine, but it must be enough.
He takes a step back and searches the room, and I know without asking he’s looking for her.
I also know he won’t find her.
He takes another step back, and I want to tell him to hold on, to calm down before he does something rash, but I can’t seem to find the words. He searches the room again, and when he comes up empty, his eyes lock with mine.
“Zan,” I say almost pleading for him to stop and listen, but he just shakes his head a few times as if he can will this away. He turns and takes off out the door before I can say anything else.
I whip back around and find Trent, Rick, and Kratos all watching us, and I know they realize the same thing I did.
Jade’s gone, and so is Randall.
We all knew this was going to happen, or at least that there was a very real possibility it would. Randall had told her as much. That was the whole point of him insisting she come to the gala, after all.
So why does it feel so fucking wrong?