Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 72659 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72659 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
He doesn’t respond, just keeps leading me away. Something doesn’t feel right but I can’t work it out. Where’s Logan? Why isn’t he taking me to Logan? All the questions hurt my head. I force my eyes to stay open as my head gets heavier and heavier. “Where are you taking me?” I slur.
"It's ok," he finally says as takes us into the shadows of the trees. "I'll have you back to your boyfriend in no time."
What does he mean by that?
This isn’t right. I need to find Logan and if he isn’t going to help me that I’ll have to find him myself. I try to push off him but he holds me tighter. “Let me go,” I slur.
“You ain’t going anywhere until I’m finished with you,” he says as he finally stops walking.
“I need Logan,” I tell him again. Why isn’t he understanding?
He lets go of me and my legs instantly give out. I fall to the floor hard. My knees hurt and I’m pretty sure the sticks and dirt I’ve fallen in have ruined my dress but at least from down here, the world has stopped spinning, well, mostly.
I find Max kneeling before me and I find my eyes growing heavy again. Sleep. I just want to sleep. Max? What’s Max doing here?
“Max,” I murmur.
“That’s right, baby,” he says as he reaches towards me.
I hold my hand out so he can help me up, only he doesn’t reach for my hand, he reaches for the strap that holds up my dress. He pushes it down my arms and I try to pull away. “Stop it,” I slur.
His hand comes out and slaps me hard across the face. I fall to the ground and scratch up my arms and chest in the process. I try to hold my hand against my face to stop the pain but I can’t control it.
“Shut up,” Max demands.
Why is he hurting me? He said he’d find Logan. I need to find Logan.
Max grabs my dress again and with one simple twist of his wrist, tears the fabric away from my skin. “No,” I say but my voice is hardly audible. “Stop.”
My eyes grow heavier and I know I won’t be able to fight much longer.
“Logan,” I call out but once again, my voice is silent. Where is he?
Max reaches for my underwear as a tear slides down my face.
My body gives in and I find myself surrendering to whatever it is that’s in my system.
My eyes close and I beg for this to all be a dream.
Chapter 21
Logan
“Have any of you fine ladies seen my woman anywhere?” I ask Sara and Bri as I throw my arms over both their shoulders.
“Nope,” Brianna says as she throws back the rest of her drink. “But when you find that little hussy, tell her to get her ass on the dance floor. Sara here is slowing me down.”
“Shut up,” Sara laughs. “If I wasn’t pregnant, I would have drunk you under the table by now.”
I ignore their banter and move onto the next crowd. Where the hell could she be? She took Brendan out half-an-hour ago and there is no way a taxi would have taken that long to arrive. I pull out my phone and dial her number but it rings out, though I’m not surprised. There would be no reason for her to have taken her phone with her, it’s probably still in her purse under the table.
“Yo, Tony,” I ask as I pass him. “You seen Elle?”
“Yeah,” he laughs. “She told me she was going to go find a real man.”
“That explains why she walked right past you,” I throw over my shoulder as I continue my search.
I head out the front and check there but as expected she isn’t here. I dash up the stairs and check my old bedroom but again, she isn’t there, besides, if she was tired, she would have come and told me so she could drag me along with her.
Just to be sure, I bring up Brendan’s number and give him a quick call. “What’s up?” he answers.
“Hey, you still with Elle?” I ask.
“Nah, taxi came ten minutes ago. She didn’t look so great, she’s probably gone somewhere to lay down.”
“Alright, thanks, man,” I say as I end the call.
I head back downstairs and find Carter and Sean at the bridal table, each sitting back with a drink in hand, watching their girls on the dance floor, except there’s a strange, depressing look in Carter’s eyes. “You guys seen Elle?” I question as a hint of worry seeps into my voice.
“Nah, have you checked upstairs?” Carter asks, turning his eyes on me.
“Yeah, she’s not up there.”
“Out the front?”
“Nope.”
With that, both their eyes begin scanning the room until those concerned creases appear between their eyebrows. "She wouldn't have gone out the back?" Sean questions, knowing just how daunting the backyard can be at night, especially to someone who doesn't know the area.