LOGINDAMIEN'S POV The car slows as we approach the industrial district. The buildings are dark and broken, old warehouses with shattered windows and rusted metal doors. The street is empty except for one car parked near the entrance. I recognize it—Jeremy's car. Stefano kills the engine and I'm out before the car fully stops. Emily is standing near the hood of Jeremy's car with her arms wrapped around herself. Ethan is beside her. Jeremy is a few feet away, his hands in his pockets. She looks up when she hears my footsteps. Her face is pale and her eyes are red. She's been crying. "Dad." Her voice is small and my heart aches. "Emily." I walk toward her. "I came as fast as I could." She doesn't move. She stares at me. "Why are you here?" "Because you're here. Because Leah is here. Because I'm not going to let either of you face this alone." She shakes her head. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to show up and pretend you care." "I do care." "Then where were you?" Her voice
EMILY'S POVI sit in the back seat of Jeremy's car and stare at the dark warehouses stretching out in front of us. The industrial district is silent and empty. The only light comes from the moon and the distant glow of the city."We were so close" I whisper. "We were so close. We were just quick enough"Jeremy turns around in the driver's seat and looks at me. "Come on, don't beat yourself up we'll find her okay ."I shake my head. "But we don't know where she is. We don't know if she's still""She'll be fine if? And as long as she keeps fighting and tries to reach out to us" he says. " We'll find her."I look at the dark street ahead. The warehouse district stretches out in front of us, dark and silent and empty. Somewhere in there, Leah is waiting and hoping someone will come.I can't sit here anymore.I open the door and step out into the cold night air. The wind hits my face and I wrap my arms around myself."Emily" Jeremy calls. "What are you doing?""I'm going to find her" I s
DAMIEN'S POVThe jet touches down in Miami and the city sprawls below me, glittering I can help but be constantly in awe of the city how can one place be so great and horrible at the same time?I've had my biggest joy in my life from this city and I had my biggest regret and loss in the same City.Despite Nina's help I don't feel relieved and am back in the city. I walk down the steps onto the tarmac and the air is warm and humid. The city I let them take from me.Stefano is waiting for me by a black SUV. He's tall and broad with a hard face and sharper eyes. He doesn't smile. He just nods once."Mr. Cross." His voice is deep and flat. "Nina sent me."I nod back. "Nice to meet you Let's go."He tries to say something “Mr Stefano I'm assuming that you are a very busy person but I can assure you that the airport isn't where you want to discuss business.” If you don't mind, let's go to my house. We have a lot to go over.He nods “Alright Mr Cross I'll drive you.”I slide into the back s
EMILY'S POV Jeremy's apartment is small and cold and I hate that I'm here. Jeremy sets up an inflatable bed in the corner of the living room while I stand there watching. He moves quickly, efficiently. The mattress hisses as it fills with air, and the sound is loud in the quiet apartment. "Here" he says, patting the mattress. "It's not much but it's better than the couch." I don't say anything. I just sit down on the edge of it. The plastic crinkles under my weight and I can feel the cold floor seeping through the thin material. Ethan is already on the couch, staring at his phone. The tracking app is still open and he hasn't looked away from it since we got here. I lie down and stare at the ceiling. The lights are off, and the only glow comes from Ethan's phone screen. Shadows stretch across the walls and the silence is heavy and suffocating. I don't sleep. I can't. Every time I close my eyes I see Leah's face.. I shiver and wrap my arms around myself. The cold seeps through
LEAH'S POV I sit in the corner of the cold room with my knees pulled up to my chest and my back against the wall. The phone is still hidden in my waistband, and I can feel it pressing against my skin, warm and heavy and full of hope I don't dare to hold on to. Sophie is asleep on the mattress with her head on Mom's lap. I don't know how long I've been sitting here for God knows how long it should be minutes maybe or hours it could be days. Time doesn't exist in this room, it just stretches on and on until you begin to forget what day it is. I reach down and pull out the phone. The screen is dark as I press the power button and it lights up. The battery icon flashes red. 5%. Just five percent of battery left. My heart sinks. I can't charge it. I look around to see if I can find an outlet but there is none even if I find one, I don't have the power brick. If I leave it on, it will die. If it dies, I lose everything and any chance of someone ever finding me. So I hold the
DAMIEN'S POV I finally calmed down after what felt like hours, crying in Nina’s arms like a child. I don't know how long I've been sitting here on the floor of Nina's study with my back against the wall and my face wet and my chest hollow. The fire in the hearth has burned down to embers. The room is dim and quiet. Nina sits in her chair across from me watching me waiting, letting me fall apart without trying to fix it. She didn't say a word, just kept patting my back and handing me wipes. I wipe my face with the back of my hand. My eyes are raw and my throat is sore. My whole body feels like it's been wrung out and left to dry. "I'm sorry" I say. My voice is hoarse. "I didn't mean to—" "Stop." Her voice is gentle but firm. "You don't apologize for feeling Damien. You're not a machine. You're a man who has loved deeply and lost deeply. That's not something to be ashamed of." I don't know what to say to that. So I just sit there in the silence. She stands up slowly and walk
DAMIEN POV I woke up wrong, something is definitely wrong in my system. I don't know how today will be but it doesn't seem like a good day. My head aches, just as my lower belly.I can feel it… It's going to be a long day. I have checked my phone several times. But not a single message from Leah.
DAMIEN POVIs she really packing? I didn't mean it that way. I just wanted her to beg. I thought Emily would be able to console her and she would stay. She is leaving and I can't do anything about it.“It's almost dark, I think the Uber should be here any minute” I heard Emily voice behind the doo
LEAH POVI blinked once, then twice. “What!” I asked again, like I hadn't heard him right. “I said move out of my house tonight!’ he said turning to make eye contact. Then I knew he meant it.I chuckled nervously. “You are joking right?” I asked, my voice breaking.“You heard me right, I don't wa
LEAH POVWhat is he doing here? How did he find out where I work? My heart started beating rapidly in my chest. I could see the look on his face. Blank. Not his usual admiring gaze. He doesn't smile when he sees me.Damien always does something when he sees me. Even when he's tired. Even when he's







