Page 12 of Shattered Sinner
The conversation flowed effortlessly, touching on a little bit of everything. From the latest bestseller she was reading to some of the activities I was doing in my sorority. It was nice to have a lovely conversation where the other person didn't have ulterior motives.
"I can't believe how much the world has changed and how quickly technology is evolving," she mused, setting down her spoon to lean back in her chair. "Sometimes, it feels like I blinked, and everything just raced ahead."
I chuckled, picturing Gran racing against time. "Don't worry, Gran. You're not that far behind," I teased. "After all, you're excellent at texting."
Gran chuckled and I was happy to have brought a smile back to her face. Although I was talking to her, I couldn't help but think that whoever had kidnapped Iris had put together an elaborate scheme to keep her location hidden.
With Soren, being the last one to see her alive, the chances were high that he’d done this. But why?
What I did know was that I needed to tread carefully.
While my visit to Gran's had been lovely, it had done little to answer any of the questions I had. There was so much more that I didn't know, but I was determined to investigate it further.
I knew it wouldn't be easy, and I had no idea who I was dealing with. However, with that thought in mind, I made a mental promise to Gran that I would find out what happened to her granddaughter. And I didn't care how long it took.
7
BIANCA
The bass thumped in my chest as I pushed through the crowd. I absolutely loved the feeling it shoved through my body. I was in my element, in a time where I could ignore my problems and embrace my wild side, although it was temporary. The warm, sweaty bodies that I touched would have been icky normally, but I was used to this. The jeans and black tank top that I’d chosen to wear under my winter coat had come in handy due to the humidity that was prevalent in this room. Making my way through the couples that were grinding on the dance floor wasn’t my favorite sport, but it was what I needed to do to get to where I wanted to go.
Let’s be honest. I wasn’t the only college student here who was trying to outrun their problems using alcohol as a temporary Band-Aid.
I’d said goodbye to some of my sorority sisters that I’d come to the party with, and I wasn’t staying much longer. In fact, I was going to get my coat from the back room that I’d tossed it in earlier that night.
The music faded away when I collided with someone. To their credit, they did their best to steady me so I didn’t fall over. When my eyes met theirs, my mouth opened in shock.
Landon.
He was the person who kept me from falling and still had his hands on my arms. His touch was warm, and I wasn’t sure how it made me feel. There was something about him that made me feel strange, but I couldn’t quite place it.
I remember briefly meeting him at a party when I’d come here for a campus visit my senior year. It was also the same night Easton took my virginity.
“Bianca?” he asked, and I was surprised he managed to recall my name. A smile appeared on his face as his eyes scanned mine.
“It’s been a while, Landon,” I blurted out without thinking about it first.
Brentson was a big university, but even I was surprised that this was the first time I was running into him on campus. I hadn’t really thought of him since the night we met, but I assumed he’d transferred or something.
Obviously, I was wrong.
“That it has. I didn’t expect to see you here tonight. Do you have time to talk?”
I nodded in agreement. It had been the last thing I was expecting too.
We made our way to a quieter spot in order to get away from the blaring music and nosy eyes. Landon was a welcomed temporary distraction. If talking to him could soothe my overactive thoughts, I was willing to take it. Plus, it was probably better than drinking my sorrows away. We talked about our courses and how the school year was going so far, but we didn’t delve into anything too personal. For a moment, I was able to push away thoughts of Easton and relish the comfort of a normal conversation.
However, that didn’t last long.
As always, I found my thoughts circling back to Easton and comparing him to some of the things that Landon was saying. Every comment and laugh that I shared with Landon twisted my heart a bit more. I hated that this was what I’d become, but what could I do about it now?
"Hey, are you okay?" Landon asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. His expression was one of genuine concern, making me feel guilty about using him as a way to not think of Easton.
I nodded, forcing a smile on my face. "Just a little tired."
He didn't need to know about everything that was going on in my life because it wasn’t any of his business, but I hated that I lied with such ease.
Although the energy around me hadn’t changed, I had. My heart was no longer into partying with my thoughts returning to Easton even though I was talking to Landon. It honestly wasn’t fair to either of them, but I couldn’t stop my mind from doing it.
