Page 114 of Thorns and Ashes
“She isnot,” Ainsley says slowly.
My brows furrow. “Umm, ok? Can you tell me where she is?”
“We cannot,” Rory says, matching Ainsley’s cadence.
My teeth grind together as I look between the two of them, growing frustrated with the cagey answers.
“Can you tell me whynot?” I grind out.
“Sorry, Levi,” Ainsley says gently. “It’s nothing personal. We’ve been sworn to secrecy.”
I take a deep breath and hold it, counting to five before I breathe it out.
“I want to know where my girlfriend is,” I state firmly, making myself perfectly clear.
Ainsley retracts slightly, but it’s enough to set the pink firecracker off in front of me.
“That’s nice, and I want my best friend’sboyfriendto not act like a total asshole, but looks like neither of us is getting what we want today,” Rory snaps, her brow raised in a way that tells me I’ve already lost this battle.
“How does so much moxie fit into such a tiny body?” I grumble, mostly to myself as I roll my eyes.
“Trust me, Levi, you haven’t seen anything yet.” She grins. “But I will tell you that she’s okay and she will be back sometime tonight or early tomorrow morning...”
“What?” I grunt.
“Oh, please. If you’re going to get all macho-man, call Tom. He’ll tell you the same thing we have, but at least we won’t have to deal with you looking all broody and scaring off customers.”
“Tom?” My head tilts as I try to connect the dots.
“Goodbye, Levi.” Rory walks away, waving her hand behind her.
“Can I at least get a coffee—”
I’ve barely got the sentence out of my mouth when Ainsley hands me the to-go cup she brought over earlier.
“Goodbye, Levi.”
Tom was as much help as the girls were with telling me where Tris had disappeared to. I don’t like it, and I let Tom know with a few choice words that I’d never dare say to the ladies. He assured me that she’s fine and in safe hands, but that’s left me with more questions than before. After a long day of trying to get information out of everyone with zero success, and tossing and turning for the past two hours, I head to the kitchen.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” Chief teases when I grab the seat across from him.
“Trust me, I’d rather be sleeping,” I retort.
He snorts a laugh and runs his hand through his brown hair. “Yeah, me too.”
“What’s stopping you?” I ask, trying to distract myself.
“You first?” He gestures for me to share with an open palm.
“Well.” I huff a laugh. “Aside from the usual? I have no idea where Tris was today, and no one would tell me.”
“Did you try calling her?” he asks, already trying to help and come up with solutions.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I can’t. We fought the other day, and I don’t wantneeding to know where sheis to be the first conversation we have.”
“My guy... That makes no sense,” he says directly. “If you’re worried about her, call her. You don’t have to rehash everything. Save that for in-person, but I can’t imagine her reacting poorly to you checking on her well-being.”
The way he says it so plainly makes me realize he’s right. I need to call her even if she doesn’t want to talk to me.
