Page 179 of Scarred

“I love you, Mae,” I say, breathing in her warm cinnamon scent that always has a way of making everything seem better.

“I love you too, honey.” She squeezes me tight before letting go.

Reaching over, she pushes my phone on the counter toward me.

“Now call your girl and beg her to forgive your stubborn ass. If I were you, I would start with the I love you part.”

Feeling like I can breathe for the first time in two days, I pick up my phone and find Luna’s contact before hitting call, not wanting to wait another second to hear her voice again.

I frown when it goes straight to voicemail.

I leave a message asking her to call me back before setting my phone down.

Thunder booms overhead, and I walk to the windows overlooking the city.

The streets, usually flooded with headlights at this hour, are now scarce, with only a couple of brave drivers out in this weather.

I watch the wind whip at the trees, and the streetlights swing on the wires as the fierce rain pushes through.

My heart starts to beat frantically in my chest as I walk over to my phone and try to call Luna again.

When it goes straight to voicemail, my stomach twists.

Luna always answers her phone even if she’s busy.

I try again and hear no ring as it sends me to her voicemail again.

Not being able to stand here and wait, I grab my keys off the counter.

“Are you okay alone with Scarlett if I leave for a few hours?”

“Of course,” Mae says, watching me pull on a hoodie and flipping up the hood. “Are you sure it’s safe to go out in this? Her phone’s probably just dead. She’ll call you once it charges.”

“If she were home or at the studio,” I say, throwing on my shoes, “she would’ve charged it. I have to make sure she’s okay in this storm.”

Panic rises in my body, but I shove it down as thoughts of that night three years ago resurface.

Luna’s okay.

She has to be.

“Please be careful driving,” Mae whispers, holding me tight. “I can’t lose you, too.”

“I’ll be careful. I’m not going anywhere,” I smile, trying to make Mae feel better even though I’m seconds from losing it on the inside.

I walk to the door and turn the handle.

“Cayden,” she calls out, causing me to turn. “Bring our girl back home safely.”

“I plan to.”

I leave without another glance, my heart in my throat as I take the stairs at a run, not even bothering to wait for the elevator doors.

I keep trying her phone, hoping she will answer, but it keeps going straight to voicemail.

Thoughts of Luna lying in a ditch somewhere flash through my mind, blurring the past and present together.

Images of her taking her last breath all alone when I should have been there to hold her hand.