37. Chapter Thirty-Seven
”Okay, why did nobody tell me how hot Mumma Sophie was?”
Scoffing at Ryker’s lewd comment, I check my phone again. There’s no change. Still no reply from either Kat or Callie.
“Has anyone heard from the girls yet?” I ask, glancing around at everyone who’s currently lounging around in my living room.
Brad takes a sip from his beer and shakes his head, along with Connor and Callum, who are sitting beside him on the sofa.
“Not yet. Surely they should be ready soon, though,” Ryker says, flopping down on the loveseat.
“It’s past eight and we haven’t recieved a single message from them. I have a bad feeling.”
Callum assesses me with curious eyes, tilting his head to the side. “Do you and Kat have that twin thing too?”
“What twin thing?”
“Like, can you feel each other? Do you know when the other one is in distress or in pain?”
My face scrunches up in confusion, and I shake my head.
“It’s not scientifically proven Callum,” Connor huffs, side-eyeing his twin with a hint of annoyance in his tone. “You’re just weird and believe everything that you read on Google.”
“Hey, you know that it’s a fact with us two. We feel each other all the time!”
Brad and Ryker snigger and Connor slaps his palm against his face, shaking his head.
“Okay, guys, seriously. Can we go and check on the girls, please? I feel like something’s wrong.” I stand and grab my jacket from the back of the chair, slipping it on and start heading towards the front door, not waiting to see if any of them will come with me.
“Okay, okay. Chill, we’ll go and check on them.”
They all stand up and we shove our shoes on before going out to our cars.
“You guys can take Ryker. I need a break from him,” Connor grumbles, breezing past me and hopping into the passenger seat of Callum’s Jeep.
Nate:
Are you okay?
I’m worried
Answer me please Kat!!!
When we pull up outside Callie’s house, Connor and Callum are already climbing out of their car and walking over to the unmarked police vehicle.
As soon as Brad stops the car and pulls the handbrake, I open my door and rush out, hurrying towards the twins.
Connor steps up to the driver”s side window and ducks his head to look inside. When I hear him curse and then watch his head twist around to the house, my blood runs cold.
He takes off, running towards the front door, shouting Callie’s and Kat’s names whilst holding his keys.
Callum and I share a panicked look before following him, the sound of pounding footsteps sounding behind us.
When we all reach the front door, Connor throws his fist into the glass panel over and over until it smashes.
“Callie!” he roars, sticking his arm through the gap he’s created and reaching for a deadbolt at the top of the door. He steps back, pushing us away from him and then kicks the door multiple times until it pushes inward, finally giving us access to the house.
As soon as we enter the entryway, the sight of smeared blood across the floor catches my eye.
“Callie! Kat!” All of our voices mix together as we frantically call out their names and rush into the house. Connor, Brad and Ryker bolt towards the stairs whilst Callum and I run towards the kitchen doorway.
A strangled cry comes out of my mouth when I find Kat on the kitchen floor with a small pool of blood surrounding her head.
“Check for a pulse and make sure she’s breathing. I’ll call an ambulance!” Callum shouts as he crashes through the kitchen towards the living room.
I sit beside my sister, lifting her head into my lap and press two fingers against her neck with one hand and another two fingers from the other hand against her wrist.
“It’s going to be okay, Kat. If you can hear me, stay awake. Please, Kat. Stay awake for me.”
I lean down, cradling her against my body as tears leak out of my eyes. I place my ear above her mouth, listening intently to her laboured breathing.
“She’s breathing. Callum, she’s breathing!”
I lift my eyes from my sister”s face and see Callum slowly walking into the room, his face void of colour and tears tumbling down his cheeks.
“Ambulance is on the way,” he croaks out, his glassy eyes meeting mine. His chin wobbles and then he falls to his knees, a loud, guttural shout releasing from him.
He buries his head in his hands and curls into a ball on the floor, quietly murmuring.
“Callum, what’s going on? Is it Callie? Is she okay?” My fingers stay pressed against Kat’s pulse points but my eyes are fixed on Callum, watching him slowly fall apart.
Footsteps pound against marbled floors from behind me and seconds later, Ryker, Connor and Brad enter the room.
Connor and Ryker rush over to Callum, pushing him into a sitting position and his arms cling to Connor’s body. Brad comes to my side, his eyes darting between Kat and Callum.
“Is she okay?” he asks, pulling his phone from his back pocket and dialling 999.
“She’s breathing, and I feel a pulse. Callum’s called an ambulance.” He nods, ending the call.
“Callum, get a fucking grip!” Connor shouts, drawing my attention back to them. “Where is she?” Callum’s red-rimmed eyes lift to his brothers, his expression defeated.
“S-she’s gone. Cameron’s got her,” he wails, dropping his head to Connor’s chest.
Connor lifts his head back up, clasps a hand at the back of his head and presses their foreheads together.
“Hey, it’s gonna be okay. How do you know that Cameron’s got her?”
Callum’s eyes flick over to the direction of the living room and his face crumples, along with his body.
Ryker jumps up, rushing into the living room with Brad following.
A string of curses erupts, and then the sound of glass shattering.
There’s a few beats of silence, and then the sound of laughter fills the room.
Connor’s body goes rigid, and Callum stops quivering.
“It’s nice to see you again, Ryker. Now, where are those pesky little brothers of mine? I don’t want them to miss the show I’m about to put on.”
The voice is crackly and muffled like it’s coming through a receiver. My brows lower in confusion along with Connor”s.
“Has he called you?” Connor asks.
He shakes his head.
“There’s a laptop set up with a video feed.” His voice is shaky, and his chin trembles again as he speaks. “He’s got her tied to a table, Connor.”