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“There, that’s better,” Pamela said. “Phew.” She mopped her forehead with the back of her hand. “I didn’t want to discuss this in front of him. You know, because it would be super awkward.”
“Pamela, I’m going back to the party.”
“Don’t you care that I fucked your guy?”
“Firstly,” I said, raising a finger, “he’s not my guy. He’s just a guy. People don’t own other people, even if they’re sleeping with them. Shocker. Oh, and while we’re on the topic? Sexual freedom doesn’t equal sluttiness or being a ho. That kind of attitude is so 2000s.” I exhaled slowly. “And secondly, Matt can do whatever he likes with whoever he likes.”
“Wow,” Pamela said. “Just wow.”
“What? Are you shocked about the ‘slut’ thing?”
“No. Just that you care so little about the guy.”
I blinked. “Of course I care about him.” A lot. I cared too much. Like a fucking idiot, I cared about him when it could never, ever happen. “But that doesn’t change anything.”
“Oh please. If you really cared, you’d be jealous as shit about the fact that I sucked his cock hard last night,” she said.
“I guess I just don’t buy it,” I replied.
“What?”
“You’re lying.” I spelled it out for her. “And I’m going back to the party.” I turned back toward the water and the sand.
“No, you’re not.” Her voice snaked from between the trees.
“What?”
No answer came. Instead, a cloth clamped down over my nose and mouth and the scent of chemicals seared up my nostrils and toward my brain. I kicked out in the sand, flicking it up, and opened my mouth to scream. I sucked in a mouthful of whatever was on the rag and choked.
My view of the Bahamian ocean faded to black.
Chapter Twenty
Matt
“This is bullshit, Matt,” Emilia said, pacing back and forth in the sand.
Scott had taken his spot at the head table and was trying to placate everyone with drinks.
“I don’t like this. She wouldn’t miss this for the world. Something’s wrong.”
My gut feeling said the same. Summer had been on the beach an hour ago, walking leisurely and dipping her toes in the water. I’d taken my eyes off her for a second, just to order a damn drink, and by the time I’d looked up again, she was gone.
Without a trace. At first, I’d assumed she’d gone to the restroom and would be back, but the minutes had passed.
I’d already been up and down the beach twice, calling for her. I’d gone up to the hotel, but she wasn’t in her room and no one had seen her come back in.
“People don’t just disappear,” Emilia said.
It had to be Cruz. He’d made good on his little promise earlier. That he would hit me where it hurt unless I gave him the data he wanted. Fury rose in my gut, and I clenched my fists, trying to keep calm for Emmy. Christ, for Summer.
Panicking now would only make this worse.
“I’m calling the police,” Emilia said.
“No.”
“What? What do you mean no?”
“Just trust me, Emilia. If you call the police, it will only make things worse.”
“What? That doesn’t make any sense.” Emilia shook her head at me. “Summer needs help.”
“And I can help her,” I said, drawing my phone from my pocket. “I can track her with the FindMe app. Her movements will be on the database. There will be a ping from her last known location.”
“Last known…” Emmy said faintly and clasped her forehead. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Just trust me. I’ll handle this.”
“No.”
“What?”
“Yeah, you heard me right. It’s my turn to say no. I’m not going to let this be a weird personal mission of yours. This is serious, Matt. She can’t just be gone. I’m calling them.”
“Emilia, trust me when I say that’s not the right thing to do.”
“Why?”
“I can’t tell you,” I said.
“How can I trust you when you won’t tell me why I shouldn’t call the cops?”
Scott jogged over from the table, his forehead wrinkling up. “What’s going on? People are starting to get worried. Should we do something? Maybe send out search parties?”
“No,” I said.
“Yeah, let’s do that,” Emmy put in. “Split everyone into groups. I’m going up to the hotel to call the cops. This isn’t right. I can feel it in my gut.” And she was off before I could stop her.
I swore under my breath. Scott headed back to the others, but I didn’t hang around to watch him split everyone into groups. It would be futile. An hour had passed, and they wouldn’t find Summer on the beach.
There was only one explanation. Cruz had taken her. He knew that we’d been together, and he’d decided to use her against me. It was crafty and it made sense, and fuck it, my gut boiled at the thought of this.
I didn’t buy into violence, but I’d pop that man’s head off his shoulders like a fucking pimple if he hurt her.
