Chapter 37 Grace
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
GRACE
Seven is gone. They took him.
I replay the moment in my mind, bile rising in my throat as I remember sitting in that hole, unable to do anything but wait and listen as the police busted down the door and took him away. They searched the apartment briefly after Seven was gone, but thankfully, no one discovered my hiding spot.
Once I was positive they were gone, I waited another hour, then called Saffron just like Seven told me to. She was beside herself—with joy, disbelief, and a little bit of anger—but as soon as I uttered the words “I need you,” she dropped everything to come get me.
Now, I’m sitting in the passenger seat of Saffron’s car with a sleeping raccoon in my lap, staring out the window, unblinking and silent. My chest is aching, my eyes are burning, yet I can’t bring myself to cry, to feel much of anything.
I know Saffron wants to talk, to figure out where I’ve been and try to help, but I’m too wracked with guilt to even look at her right now.
She’s probably been sick with worry for the past few weeks, worried I was dead on the side of the road or buried in the Moriton forests.
Meanwhile, I was busy getting dicked down by a masked killer and living my best life, uncaring of the consequences.
I hurt my best friend, and Seven is gone. Everything is fucked, and I have no idea how to make it better.
“I’m sorry, Saf,” I whisper, still staring out the window.
“For what?”
“For worrying you. For not trying harder to contact you. For being a horrible best friend…”
I turn to face her, noting how her grip has tightened on the steering wheel.
“I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t worried sick.
I thought the worst, and no one would help me try to find you.
No one except Robert—Dr. Herrera.” She shakes her head.
“I wish you wouldn’t have left me in the dark after you called that one night.
It… didn’t help.” She lets out a long sigh, turning to me with a small, tired smile.
“But you’re not a horrible best friend, Grace.
You’re the best one I could ever ask for.
At the end of the day, I’m just glad you’re okay. ”
Saffron reaches out, her palm facing upward. I place mine in hers, and her fingers curl tightly around my hand. “Don’t ever scare me like that again, though, promise?”
“I promise,” I say.
“Good. Then all is forgiven.” She turns to me for a quick second, her lips tipped in a wry smile. “Did you have fun?”
I cough, choking on whatever I had planned to say. “What?”
“Did you have fun? You were with Archer, right?”
I gape. “How did you know that?”
She shrugs. “You went on a work trip with your boss, and then you and him went ‘missing’. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out.”
My mouth opens and closes, but no words come out.
“So… you going to answer my question?”
“I don’t… I mean, yes, I did, but also…” My face heats at the memories of all the kinky things Seven did to me, and I realize there are some things I’ll never share with Saffron. “I’m really happy to see you again.”
“Sure you are. I’m a treat.” She gazes out of the corner of her eye. “So, what? Did he keep you tied up in his basement or something?”
“Something like that…” I pick at a stray thread on my shirt.
Saffron clears her throat, stealing a glance of the animal in my lap. “I know you don’t want to hash it out until we get home, but… I gotta ask about the raccoon. What in the fuck is up with that?”
I laugh under my breath, instinctually, reaching to pet Zorro's soft fur. “Seven—Archer saved him. We tried to release him back to the wild, but he didn’t want to go. He’s kind of like my pet now.”
“Huh.” She sneaks a look at him out of the corner of her eye. “He is pretty cute.”
“You should see him eat a grape. It’s adorable.”
“I think I have some grapes in the fridge… we might just have to try it out.”
“Okay. That’s enough pacing. Come have a sitter.” Saffron pats the cushion next to her, and I know by her expression it would be pointless to refuse.
With a sigh, I walk over to the couch and plop down. As soon as I do, Saffron pulls her legs up under her, turning to face me fully. “You need to tell me what’s going on, Grace. I want to help you, to support you, but I can’t if you leave me in the dark.”
“You promise you won’t judge me?”
Saffron scoffs. “With all you know about me? Please.” She reaches out, placing her hand on my thigh, her face creased in worry. “Tell me everything, Grace. From the very beginning.”
I break down and tell her everything—about the night I met Seven, the day I was introduced to Archer Graves, and how I began falling for the killer and my boss at the same time.
I tell her about the work trip and how Corey tried to assault me.
I explain how I discovered Archer and Seven were the same person, and how Seven kidnapped me and kept me in a cage.
The whole time, Saffron sits and listens, her expression unchanging as she takes it all in. The hardest part is explaining to Saffron that I’ve fallen for the masked killer, and telling her the story of how he was taken away breaks my heart all over again.
When I’m done, I let out a deep breath, staring hard at my hands clasped in my lap.
“Holy shit.”
“I know.” I wring my hands together. “It’s all so messed up, Saf. I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know what to do.”
She reaches over, grabbing my hand and looking deep into my eyes. “Do you love him, Grace?”
I bite my lip, nodding once resolutely. “I do,” I say, the words barely a whisper.
Saffron squeezes my hand tight. “Then there’s only one thing you can do. You have to help your man.”
“How?” I shake my head. “The police have him. It’s not like I can bust him out or something.”
She shrugs. “Maybe not. I think before you lose hope, you need to call that old guy Seven told you about. Viktor? He might know how to help.”
“Yeah… but what if he’s dangerous?”
She snorts. “If Seven trusts him, I’m sure he is. But if you want to help Seven, he’s your only chance, Grace.”
“You’re right.” I take a deep steadying breath, standing from the couch. “Okay. I’ll call him.”
“Take your time.” Saffron turns her attention to Zorro. “I’ll watch after the fluffy guy.”
I walk into the bedroom, closing the door softly behind me as I pull out Seven’s phone.
I scroll through his contacts, but there doesn’t seem to be one labeled with Viktor’s name.
I do, however, come across someone called ‘Old fuck—V’.
I’m going to take a wild guess and assume that must be him.
If it’s not, I’ll just hang up and call random numbers until I find him.
I press the call button and bring the phone to my ear, holding my breath as I wait for him to pick up. On the third ring, the call clicks through.
“I’m busy, Seven. Make this shit quick.”
I swallow hard, gripping the phone tight as I squeak out, “Actually, this is Grace. Seven is… well, he’s in trouble.”
Silence is the only thing that answers. “Hello?”
There’s a heavy sigh, and that impossibly deep voice crackles through the speakers once more. “How did you get Seven’s phone, Grace?”
“He… gave it to me. Right before the police took him away.”
Another sigh. “The police have him?”
“Yes. He told me to call you. Said you’d keep me safe, and help to free him.” I add the last part, hoping Viktor doesn’t see through my lie.
There’s a loud groan, followed by a resigned, “Fuck. Okay. Where can I meet you?”
“Do we… Do we have to meet?”
“We certainly can’t speak over the phone. Fuck only knows who’s listening.”
“Um. I can meet you outside of Beans in fifteen minutes, if that works.”
“It doesn’t.”
Okay… “Where would you like to meet, then?”
More shuffling, and then, “Stay where you are. I pinged your phone and saw you’re at Eclipse apartments. I can be there in five minutes.”
“I don’t think that’s the best idea.”
“Because?”
“My best friend is here with me. This is her apartment I’m at.”
“So you’ve kept your mouth shut about what’s going on?”
“Well, not exactly.”
He scoffs. “Then there’s no problem. If you’ve told her anything, she’s already involved. I’ll be there in five.”
“But—”
The line goes dead.
I let out a breath, shoving the phone into my pocket. At the moment, Saffron opens the door, looking particularly guilty.
“You heard all of that, didn’t you?”
“Most of it… So, he’s coming here?”
“Apparently. I tried to stop him, but he pinged the address on my phone.” My lips purse in a frown. “He doesn’t like being told ‘no.’”
Saffron just laughs. “Remind you of anyone?”
“I guess…” She sighs, checking the time on her phone. “He’ll be here in five minutes. If you leave now, you should be able to miss him. Or I can try running to the park and hope he finds me there instead—”
“Grace, I am not letting you meet this man alone. He’s coming here, and we’ll deal with him together.”
She grabs my hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “Besides, if it goes sideways, we have an attack raccoon to protect us.”
Despite everything, a laugh bubbles past my lips as I follow Saffron into the living room. I only hope I’m still able to smile once Viktor shows up.