Chapter 37
37
OPHELIA
“O kay, tell me one more time what happened.”
I sigh heavily and Bailey squeezes my hand harder in hers. I look at her, then around at everyone who’s now standing in my living room. After Malcolm stormed off, I wasn’t sure who to call but I figured if anyone would know where he was going it would be his friends. So I called Bailey, who told Hank who then rallied the troops. Now his three best friends, Bailey, and Magnolia are all waiting for me to tell them the story again. I focus my eyes on Kolbi and instantly feel steadied by his gaze. He has this calming energy about him no matter where he is or what’s going on around him and right now, I’m grateful for it.
“He came over and I asked him about the fight you all had on Wednesday. He told me it was nothing and just wanted to…hang out.” I lick my lips and skip the part about what he really wanted. “It was crazy, he kept becoming this new person. His attitude would change at the flip of a switch and he was sweating and breathing heavily.”
The three of them share an uneasy glance.
“I think he’s using again,” I confess, looking down at my hands, and it feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room. The guys all look at me, dumbfounded. “Yeah, I know about that. He told me when we first got together.”
Hank laces his hands together and sets them on top of his head, pacing around the living room in small circles. Kolbi blows out a heavy breath, and Bailey and Magnolia cast a side glance to one another that drips with worry.
“Well, it makes sense if that’s what it is,” Conrad states matter of factly.
Kolbi squints at him. “What do you mean ‘it makes sense?’”
“Think about it. Marshall died at the end of January and then Malcolm became the owner of Butcher and Block. Two major life changes back to back. That amount of stress can be really triggering for an addict and cause them to relapse—to go back to a place of comfort they know, even if it’s destructive.” We all stare at him with slack jaws. “Look, I know you all think I’m insensitive and heartless but Malcolm is one of my best friends. I did a lot of research on addiction when he came home from rehab the first time.”
“I love him, too, brother,” Kolbi affirms, dropping a hand on Conrad’s shoulder and giving him a shake. Conrad’s lips pull back into a tight line and I feel my heart warm at seeing how much he cares.
“Do you have any idea where he went?” Bailey asks me, shifting her weight so she’s facing me on the couch.
“No, I have no idea. But I’m worried. The way he was acting was really scary. I’m worried he’s going to go do something stupid. I shouldn’t have upset him so much.” I feel more tears threaten to fall down my cheeks and bring my palms to cover them. Bailey wraps her arms around me and gives me a squeeze.
“Track him.” The idea comes from Hank and when I look at him, his eyes are set on Kolbi. They exchange a silent conversation while the rest of us wait to be filled in.
“Track him?” Bailey is brave enough to ask first.
“Isn’t that what they’re for, Kolb? For situations like this?” Hank raises his eyebrows and shakes his head, still only looking at Kolbi.
Another long breath comes from Kolbi and he shifts to one side, pulling his phone out of his back pocket. “Yeah, it is. I should’ve thought about it sooner.”
“How are you going to track him, Jack?” Magnolia questions now. He looks to his wife before his eyes flit to Hank who shrugs apologetically.
“With the trackers I have on all of you,” he announces more nonchalantly than appropriate, seeing as to what he’s just admitted to.
“All of us?” Bailey gawks.
“Well, not you and Ophelia. But everyone else in this room, yeah.”
“And where, might I ask, is my tracker?” Magnolia stands from the couch and moves to stand in front of Kolbi with her hands on her hips.
He takes her right hand, straightens the bracelet she never takes off, and pulls it to his lips. “There’s a reason I told you to never take this off, flower.”
She shakes her head and bites back a smile. “We’ll talk about this later, Mr. Vesey.”
“Can we focus please? Best friend potentially doing some very dumb and very illegal things right now,” Conrad barks.
“Right, hold on.” Kolbi looks at his phone and taps on the screen a few times.
“You said he came in his truck, right?” I nod.
“There, got him.” His face falls and he scrubs hit hard with his hand. “ Shit. ”
“What, what’s wrong?” I urge, leaning closer to him over the coffee table and fearing the worst.
“I know where he is and he’s definitely doing something very, very dumb. We need to go—now. Conrad and Hank, you guys come with me and Bailey?—”
“I got the girls.” She nods in reply.
We all grab our things and hurry to our cars to follow Kolbi to wherever his secret tracker is showing him Malcolm is. As we drive out of the city, I try to keep my breath steady and not go to the worst case scenario. But as the sky opens up and a heavy rain pounds against the windshield, it almost feels as if they’re piercing the glass and going straight through my heart.