38. Chapter 38
Chapter thirty- eight
— FROM EDEN BY HOZIER
Waking up on my desk for the third night in a row is starting to give me a headache.
I don't mean to keep dozing off down here, but I can't—no, won’t—stop until I can find Ralph and end this fucking cat-and-mouse game once and for all.
I need to find him before he hurts the one person in the world I don’t want to live without. I thought eventually, as we dated, the feeling would fade, but somehow, I wake up every day wanting her more than the last.
Not just physically, but emotionally. Bree Hart has cemented herself on my soul. She’s part of me now, and there’s nothing that would make me stop wanting her—stop needing her.
For the past few days, while Bree is stuck inside her house, I’ve been working myself to death to try and figure out where this fucker is. Nico and I have found some similar faces in photos, but none have been Ralph.
I check my clock and see that it’s now two in the morning.
Fuck. I was supposed to head back up to Bree at midnight. Liv and Teags are sleeping in the guest rooms, and Tristan has taken over my old room since I've moved into Bree’s.
The three of them have been staying over more and more lately. I don't mind their presence, but I know Bree is nervous. I know she loves having them all around, but I can see the fear on her face when they offer to stay another night.
She’s the one in danger, yet she’s still worried about everyone else but herself.
I run my hand down my face, exhausted, as I stand from my desk and drag my feet to Bree’s room. I can’t wait to pull her body to mine and hold her until the morning comes. Falling asleep next to her never gets old, and waking up to her beautiful, shining face every morning has filled whatever weird hole I had in my body from all the years I spent alone.
Now, this house is filled with more people than just us.
And I don’t hate it. It’s nice having some extra noise around. It reminds me of when I was growing up. My parents and sister always had music on, always chatting about something, and my house was filled with noise.
Then, my parents passed, and everything was quiet. The absence of noise created an even bigger absence without my parents. It’s like their bodies were the soul of our house, their love so loud that it filled the room. Aria and I used to creep down the stairs after they put us to bed to watch them dancing in the kitchen.
There was no doubt in my mind that they loved one another, and instead of chasing the kind of love they had, I ran away from it.
I seeped further and further into the quiet because after their deaths, it was all I knew. It became my new normal.
But Bree has brought that noise back, and someday, I’ll tell her how thankful I am to be in a house full of music, laughter, and chatter.
I softly open the door to our room, and as I take my shirt off and crawl into bed, I don’t feel Bree’s warm body. Instead, the bed feels cold, as if she hasn't been here for a while.
Where could she have gone? I assumed if she was roaming around that house, she would stop in my office and force me back upstairs, but that didn't happen.
My mind races as thoughts of the worst scenario fill my head. Nico would’ve texted me if one of the panic buttons was pressed, and the alarms would have gone off, so I try to calm my mind, but it doesn't work.
Where the fuck is my beautiful girlfriend?
I check the bathroom and her closet, and she’s not in either having a panic attack, so that I count as a win.
I knock on the room next door, and when I get no answer, I open the door to yet another empty room. Liv and Teags are nowhere to be found, either.
Fucking hell.
I head to my last resort, and after a few knocks on my old door, Tristan opens it. He rubs his eyes, his hair looking like a mess since I just woke him up. “Dude, it’s so fucking early. What the hell is going on?”
“I can’t find the girls.”
That causes him to perk up immediately. “What do you mean?”
“They aren't in their rooms, and I can’t find them.”
He runs a hand through his hair before he turns around, throws a shirt over his head, and walks by me. “I’ll check up here, and you check downstairs?”
“Sounds good to me,” I say as I book it down the stairs, my feet moving of their own volition. I keep the lights off, because if something did happen to them and they’re stuck somewhere, I have the advantage. My eyes are already adjusted to the darkness. I take my phone out, texting Nico to double-check on the alarms.
Vince: No buttons were pushed? No silent alarms going off?
Nico: All good. Wanna tell me why you and Tristan are going crazy or not?
Vince: We can’t find the girls. Can you get a visual?
Nico: On it.
I pocket my phone as I search the first floor of Bree’s house, and minutes later, Tristan meets me downstairs.
“Anything?” I ask.
“Does it look like I found them?” He motions to the empty space around him, panic in his tone.
“Fucking hell,” is all I say. “Where the hell are they?”
“Do you think…” Tristan trails off, not wanting to finish his sentence. “Fuck!”
I can’t fucking do this right now .
I storm outside to the front of the house where my guys are at. They all turn their heads to look at me, surprise on their faces when they see me in my fucking pajamas. Not the best impression to make this early in the morning, but I couldn't give a fuck.
“Do you guys know where the girls are? They aren't in their rooms.”
“Well, sir—” Wilson says, but Tristan cuts him off.
“Where the fuck is my wife?” Tristan yells, and before he starts swinging, Wilson points to the left. Deep in Bree’s yard, I can see three silhouettes doing…something. I’m not quite sure what.
I see one of them turn around and start to run in our direction, and the two others follow suit a few seconds later.
As soon as I see Liv’s face, Tristan and I breathe a few sighs of relief.
“Pretty girl, what the fuck were you guys doing? We thought—” Tristan stops himself as he looks over to where they came from and the egg carton in Liv’s hand. “Seriously?”
“Sorry. We left you guys a note on the counter. Did you not see it?” Bree says as she smiles at me.
Tristan and I exchange looks with one another before he bursts out laughing.
“Just get it over with,” I tell him, knowing what’s about to happen.
Tristan just keeps on fucking laughing.
“What the fuck is happening?” Teags questions, an annoyed look on her face.
“This dude,” he says as he grabs my shoulders, still laughing, “is a trained bodyguard!”
“We’re all aware of that, Tris,” Liv says, a confused look on her face.
I’m rolling my eyes as Tristan speaks. “He’s the one who swept the first floor looking for you guys, and he didn't catch the goddamn note on the counter!”
“Fucking hell, before you die from a laugh attack, can you maybe think about how stressed I was thinking that all three of them were tied up in the back of a van somewhere?”
“You thought we were what?” Teags scoffs, as if we were the ones being ridiculous.
“We thought you guys were hurt, but it turns out, you were throwing eggs at Bree’s goddamn tree. Typical fucking Hart sisters. God, I love you guys.” Tristan presses a kiss to his wife’s forehead before he grabs her hand. “Don't fucking scare us like that again, though. Especially not now.”
“Baby, Teags and I were just trying to make Bree feel better,” Liv says, melting into her husband's frame.
“It worked, if that helps.” Bree smiles at me, hoping to ease some of my frustration .
“Plus, your men could see us the whole time, but you two went straight to freak out,” Teags quips, sounding bored.
“Can you fucking blame us?” I say as Bree slips her hands around my waist, her simple touch lessening the tension in my body. “Is this like a thing you guys do? Why the fuck are you so calm about this?”
“Trust me, dude. Throwing eggs at a tree is a rite of passage in this family. You, Nico, and I can try it sometime. It’s fucking awesome,” Tristan says as he smacks my shoulder. “Can we please go to bed, pretty girl? I’m officially stealing you away. You guys spent all night reading before you came out here.”
“Let’s go,” Liv says as Tristan picks her up and carries her inside. “Sorry to scare you two! Maybe next time, keep an eye out for a giant piece of paper explaining everything, or talk to your guys before you go crazy! Just a thought!” Liv all but yells before Tristan pushes the door open.
“You would think a professional bodyguard would be able to see a simple note, but maybe you’re getting old, Vincey.” Teags jokes before she too heads inside, leaving Bree and I standing on the small path in front of her house.
“I’m sorry, Vince. Teags and Liv heard me having a nightmare, and they all but dragged me out here to relieve some stress.”
Fuck, that kills me. My girl was having a nightmare, and I wasn't there to calm her down. But since I wasn't, I’m glad her sister and Teags were there. If it wasn't gonna be me, I’d rather have it be them. “Why didn't you come get me, angel?”
“Teags said you were asleep, and I didn't want to wake you because I know you’ve been burning the candle at both ends because of me, and—”
“Baby, I’d never sleep again if it meant you were safe. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay. ”
Her happy gaze wavers for just a moment, but it’s quick enough for me to catch before she masks it again. She doesn't believe me . “I know, Vince, but I’ll always worry about you.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Bree. I’ll be here for you until someone drags my dead body away, and even that might not be enough to stop me from protecting you.”
“Don’t say that.” Bree smacks my chest.
“Sorry,” I say as I press a kiss to her forehead. “Can we go inside? I’m fucking freezing, and I don’t want you getting sick from being out here all night.”
I can feel her roll her eyes at me from here. “It wasn't all night. It was an hour, max.”
“Autumn is on the way, which means it’s fucking cold at night, so I don't care how long it was. Let’s go get you warmed up,” I say, and before Bree has the chance to quip back at me, I throw her over my shoulder and head inside.
Fifteen minutes later, my girl is fast asleep in my arms, and I follow her to sleep a few minutes after.
And all night, I dream of the beautiful girl next to me, but just before I wake up, she floats away.