54. Jace
JACE
With my heart hammering in my chest, I sprint to the bus and charge up the stairs. “I need everyone to help me look for Rory.”
The guys pause drying off, and Cooper snorts. “I ain’t going anywhere.”
“She’s out there with Edmond. I think he’s the Cherry Smasher.” I turn to Derek and Shane. “Please. I need your help. I found her shoe in the middle of the shopping center.”
I hold it up to show them, and Shane frowns. “Yeah, that’s weird.”
Cooper chuckles. “Or it belongs to a homeless person.”
Fuck this guy.
I head back out and Shane and Derek follow me. As we round the bus, I’m about to suggest we split up when we bump into Edmond. I grab him by his collar. “Where the fuck is she?”
“Who?”
“My fucking wife.”
He blinks several times. “I came out to escort Rory, to make sure she got to the restaurant, but I couldn’t find her.”
Bullshit. She wouldn’t just leave her shoe out there like that.
Squinting through the rain, Frank puts his hand on my arm. “Let’s take this inside. Edmond, I’m going to need you to explain.”
The second we’ve boarded, I shove our security guy. “Where is she?”
“Like I said, Jace, I don’t know.”
He’s drenched. We all are. His expression seems sincere, but my gut screams he did this.
And I’m learning to listen to my gut.
I study him, waiting for him to say something. When he doesn’t, I try another approach. “Show me your hands.”
“What?” He frowns, clenching his fists. “Why?”
“Either show me your motherfucking hands or I’m gonna call the cops and you can show them.”
His eyes go blank, but he holds them out, palms down. I lean closer to look at them. “There. Are ya happy?” he asks.
If Rory fought back, I’d see a clue. A bruise. A bite mark. Something. “Show me the other side.” After a minute, he relents. I grab his wrists, but there’s nothing. Come on, Rory. Leave me a clue, baby. Help me here.
I shove his security jacket up his arms. He’s wearing a short-sleeved polo underneath.
Just above his wrist are scratch marks. “Where the hell is she?” I shout, desperate for answers.
Frank leans forward to study the scratches. “How did you get these, Edmond?”
He pauses. “Moving your gear last night.”
I grab him by his collar. “Those cuts are fresh.” I point to my manager. “Call the cops.”
The longer Rory’s missing, the worse my chance of finding her is. Everyone knows that. I run outside because she can’t be far. I shout her name.
Tornado sirens go off in the distance, and I retrace my steps to the restaurant, this time staying in the parking lot instead of the sidewalk in front of the strip mall. She has to be here somewhere. Please be okay, baby. Please.
If I find her, I’m never gonna let this woman go. I’m gonna love her with my whole heart and soul until the day I die.
I pray to God she’s safe. Then I beg. I’ll give everything if she’s okay.
Each minute feels like an eternity as I scan under cars and trucks and behind dumpsters. When I make it back to the bus, I look underneath it.
Damn it. Where are you?
Then I head to the rear of the bus. To the extra storage locker we’re towing. “Rory!”
The sirens blare. Rain pours down. Lightning strikes a tree at the edge of the lot. The ground rumbles.
A tornado is gonna have to sweep me away to get me to stop looking for Aurora.
That’s when my eyes snag on something sticking out from the storage locker. A piece of fabric.
Her shirt.
I race back to the bus and shout, “Frank! Get over here!”
He follows me to the trailer, and when he sees what I’m pointing out, he gets out his keys. Fumbles them. Drops them.
Come on. “Rory!” Then I hear it. A knocking. Coming from the locker. “Baby, is that you?”
Her voice is like an echo in a dream. “Jace!”
“I’m here!”
“Help me.”
Frank tries key after key.
Finally, it opens. There she is, nestled against our amps.
I fall to my knees and grab her as she wraps her arms around me. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? What did he do to you?” Because I’m gonna kill that motherfucker.
“I’m okay. I think he…” She trails off, her eyelids heavy.
“Come on, baby. Talk to me.”
Closing her eyes, she slumps against me. “Hit my head.”
She’s so out of it. Worry spears me, and I gently run my hands over her. She has a goose egg above her temple. “I’ve got you.” I kiss her forehead. “I love you so much, Rory. Stay with me.”
How have I not told her sooner? She means the whole fucking world to me.
I yell to Frank over my shoulder. “Did you call the cops or an ambulance? Rory’s hurt.”
He wipes the rain from his face. “That’s gonna cause all kinds of problems, Jace. Maybe we can handle this quietly. I’m not sure Niles wants—”
“Fuck Niles. Call the cops, Frank. And get a goddamn ambulance, or you’re fired.”
His eyes widen, but he nods.