29

SEBASTIAN

The sheer quantity of people at this party is unbelievable. There’re probably twice as many people here as there was at the party in the woods last night and unlike last night, there’s no bar or bartender, just kegs lined up on the floor with a guy taking money for a cup to drink from. It’s like the great unwashed came to Kingsacre overnight and all decided to congregate here, dancing to terrible music.

I expected to be able to find Starling straight away, to be able to “bump” into her and then mindfuck her into coming home with me again, but instead I’m pushing my way through the crowd aimlessly, trying not to lose my shit and start picking people up and throwing them out of my way until I find her.

My little bird is tiny, if she’s in the middle of this crowd and gets pushed, she could end up being trampled. Pulling my cell from my pocket, I text her security team.

Me: Location?

I expect an immediate response back, but two minutes later I still have nothing. Evan, Clay and Hunter are all here with me, but they look as pissed off as I am about having to push through the hoard of people. I text again.

Me: Location?

Again, I receive nothing in reply. I’d call but the music is so loud I can barely hear myself think, so there’s no way I’d be able to hear anything they say to me.

Me: Where the fuck is she?

When I finally receive a response, it makes my heart stop beating and panic surge potently through my gut.

Sec1: Location unknown. She entered the 4th house in Bufford Row with Sammy and a group of four men. We had eyes on her until they got separated in the crowd. Sammy and three men are in the house’s kitchen, Starling’s location is still unknown. We have backup heading to the area.

My emotions collide in a mixture of fear and anger. This is the first time in over two years that I don’t know where she is and what she’s doing. She could be in danger; she could be fucking that guy that she’s with. I did this, I pushed her too far again, expecting her to act in the way I anticipated she would, always feeling like I know when to zig to her zag.

I can’t let this happen. She’s mine and I refuse to let another man touch what always has and always will belong to me. Stopping, I turn to look to my friends, letting them see the panic on my face.

“What’s up?” Clay shouts.

“Starling is here.”

“Cool, let’s find her,” Evan smiles.

“Her security lost her, they know she went into one of the houses with Sammy and a group of guys, but the group got separated and they don’t know what happened to her and one of the guys.”

“You still have a security team on her?” Hunter growls angrily. “You told her, and us, that you told them to stop watching her.”