Page 25 of Knuckles (Dragon Riders MC 4)
“I’ll never get out of here,” I whispered to myself.
I laid there until the water turned cold, and even then, it took me a second to move. I hadn’t cleaned myself down at all, but at that point I didn’t care. I sat up with the world spinning around my head and turned off the water. Then, I forced myself out of the shower. Dani would be home soon, and I wanted there to be at least a bit of hot water for her to use.
But as I wrapped a towel around my dripping wet body, I saw my hazy reflection in the steamed-up mirror.
And I found myself hating the little bit that I saw.
“You’re useless, you know that?” I said to myself.
Echoing the sentiments of my foster mother’s words every time I got myself into this kind of trouble.
Only this time, I knew the sentiment was right.11KnucklesGiggling came from behind me and I whipped around. But every time I thought I was facing the beautiful, ethereal sound, it always appeared somewhere else. Everywhere I looked, that sound was behind me. And in front of me?
Well, nothing but endless darkness.
“Hello!?”
The giggling continued. “Over here, JayJay.”
I paused. “Simone!?”
“Come catch me!”
I heard the pitter patter of her little feet and I took off in the direction of the sound. With my feet falling on nothing but darkness and the expanse in front of me nothing but a blank slate, I ran in the straightest line I could. But every time I thought I was getting closer, the sound quickly faded away.
As if it had stepped into another room that didn’t exist.
“Over here, JayJay!”
I whipped around. “I can’t see you, Simone!”
“Hide and seeeeek!”
Hide and seek. Her favorite game as a little girl. I grinned as I put my hands over my eyes. I started counting out loud, always to the number fourteen. Never any more or any less than fourteen seconds.
“Twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Ready or not! Here I—”
Something clung to my leg and I went to look down. But I couldn’t pry my hands away from my face.
“What the— Simone!”
She giggled. “So loud all the time.”
Something gripped tighter against my leg and tears rushed my eyes.
“Simone, is that you?” I asked.
She nuzzled against my leg. “Hi there, JayJay. Can’t look, though. I might go away again.”
“Why are you going away? I want to see you.”
“Can’t see me! Hide and seek.”
“We don’t have to play hide and seek, though. Not if you don’t want to.”
“But I wanna.”
I cocked my head. “Why? Why would you rather hide than be seen?”
She pulled away from me. “Hide and seeeeeek!”
I was able to finally move my hands. “Simone!”
“Bye bye, Jayjay!”
“Simoooooone!”
I shot up in bed like a bolt of lightning with a cold sweat dripping down my neck. I swung my legs over the edge of the mattress and got up, then pulled my t-shirt up to my face. I wiped off the wetness as I leaned against the wall, looking for something to hold me up. And as the midday sun streamed through the windows, I scrambled to find a clock.
“Holy shit, it’s already noon,” I breathed.
I had lost so much time sleeping in that I’d wasted half the damn day. I threw my clothes on, not bothering to shower, and quickly splashed some water in my face. I grabbed an energy drink from the fridge and cracked it open, chugging it as quickly as I could. Then I threw it into the corner that was piled up with Dr. Pepper cans and grabbed my things.
My wallet. My phone. My keys.
It was time for me to get back on the road.
I knew I smelled like hell and looked even worse. But I couldn't waste any more time for the day. I was already out five hours as it was, and I didn’t need to be out any more time. I had to widen my search radius. Maybe I needed to go more east than anything else. So, I slung my leg over my bike and slammed my helmet onto my head.
Before my Bluetooth started ringing in my ear.
I picked up the call. “What now?”
Bowser sighed. “We’ve got a lead on Skeleton. Figured you might want it.”
I growled. “Where is that son of a bitch?”
“Well, it’s not him, so calm down. But we do have sight of his men at that warehouse they’ve purchased. Ash says it’s still in their possession. They haven’t unloaded it to someone else like they have the motel. So, you need to go over there and do your original job. Recon on that building.”
“Not a fat chance in hell.”
“Not even if that’s where they might be keeping Simone?”
I swallowed hard. “You think they are?”
He clicked his tongue. “I know you’re hurt. And you’re worried fucking sick. But if we’re going to find Simone? Or her body? Then, we have to keep our sights on Skeleton. You know that’s who took her, right?”
