Page 42 of When Darkness Calls

My hands, cold, clammy, hold myself up by my knees.

A sharp whistle echoes through the empty alley, jerking my attention in its direction.

Cade stands in front of his trunk, waving his hand, beckoning me over.

The cracked and crumbling pavement catches the toe of my shoes, but I rush over, jerking the passenger door open, and climb inside.

Cade’s close behind me, settling into the driver’s seat with a quick once over before he looks over his shoulder to the back seat. I followed his line of sight, seeing Liz knocked out, leaning against the door, snoring softly.

Inside the truck is silent the entire way home. The drive goes by quickly, only the sound of the engine humming filling the small space.

When we get home, Cade carries Liz inside, laying her on the couch, covering her with the throw blanket folded up on one end. She mumbles incoherently before turning over and nuzzling deeper into the cushions.

I drag the trashcan over in case she gets sick and set a glass of water on the coffee table.

In the kitchen, Cade is tidying up the mess of papers across the kitchen table. His sandy hair is mussed, deep lines etched between his brows. A dark shadow lines his jaw, and smaller, deeper ones sit just under his eyes.

There’s a stiffness in his shoulders as he works to put away all the things he must have been working on before he showed up to the party. He must have left in a hurry too. In the warm kitchen light, I can actually see what he’s wearing. The loose green long sleeve is pushed up his arms…and the tag sticks out a little in the front.

Fuckkkk…

His shirt’s fucking backward.

Fuck meeee…

“What did I tell you the other day?” His words are unnervingly even.

I clench my teeth from the sour taste in my mouth. “Not to go out alone…”

Cade sighs. “I don’t think I need to say any more, do I?”

I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I tried to stay with her, Cay. There were just so many people that when she took off it was impossible to find her again. I tried calling and texting her. I walked around for hours. You gotta believe me. And I didn’t go off by myself completely, stayed near the crowd,” I murmur.

“I know. I saw the calls and texts when I found her.” His tone darkens.

I step up beside him. “How—What even happened?”

Cade lays his palms flat against the table, leaning heavily on his arms, head hanging between his shoulders. “She called me. Sobbing. I could barely understand her between the music in the background, her gasping and choking between words which were very fucking slurred. I got her location from her phone and left. I broke every fucking traffic law known to man because the entire drive all I heard was her cries over the speaker in the truck, Dee. I just—”

He wavers, stifling a sharp intake of breath. “You weren’t the only one who answered the phone fearing the worst.” Cade’s eyes level with mine and I can see the fear, the anger, the disappointment.

My arm wrapped around his neck as my head lies on his shoulder. “I’m glad you found her.”

The tension slowly eases out of his body. “I am, too.”

We’re quiet for a moment. Just taking comfort in knowing we’re all okay, aside from the wicked hangover Liz will have tomorrow.

“Where are the guys? I kind of thought they’d be holed up here with you since you had the house to yourself.” I let go of him, turning on my heel to get a glass of water.

He snorts, sitting in one of the chairs, and laying his head back against the wall. “No. Keegs is probably in a coma from his double. Nick is…somewhere. And Grays and Alex are at Bruiser’s warehouse.”

I glanced over my shoulder. “You didn’t wanna watch the fight?”

He rolls his head back and forth along the wall, shaking it. “I had more important things to do. Lucky too. If I wasn’t home, I might not have gotten Liz’s call until later.”

The chill returns. My spine straightens.

God.