Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)(32)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“She’s fine.” He said, and I paused and glanced over.

“How do you know?”

“Because the person who wants her dead is busy – got a big lead on it.”

“Why aren’t you out helping to look?” I asked.

He shrugged and motioned to the unopened water bottle on the table. I reached over and palmed the water. I drank it in one gulp. It was cold and felt good going down. I was beginning to feel the effects of my beating, but I refused to show any pain.

If I hadn’t known any better I would think that he stayed behind to make sure I was okay. Except why would he care? He’s the one that held me down to take the beating.

I stood, ignoring the way the room spun around me, “What time is it?”

“Sit back down.”

“I have shit to do.”

“You look like shit, and you’re about to pass out.”

I moved fast, and he wasn’t expecting it. I had my hand around his throat, and I was half lying across him where he sat, lounged in a beat up chair. “If you think a couple of broken ribs and some bruises are going to keep me down then you’re stupid.”

He shoved me away, and I landed back on the couch. I got back up with clenched fists.

“Chill.” He said, rising out of his chair. “You wanna leave? Go.”

“You might want to think about whose side you’re on. I’m not backing down.”

“Is that a threat?” His eyes narrowed dangerously.

“No.” I snapped. “It’s a fact.” I saw my keys lying on the table, and I grabbed them.

He smirked but he made no move to challenge me. “You better do something about your face before you leave. I have a feeling that little girl of yours might not take to seeing you like this so well. How are you going to explain yourself? Huh?”

I must have showed my doubt because he laughed. “You’ve got a lot to learn, pup.”

With that he walked out the front door.

I stood there for long moments, using my senses, making certain I was alone. When I was sure he wasn’t coming back I walked into the tiny, dirty bathroom and looked into the mirror.

I had an idea of what I would see, because my face hurt like hell. He had been right. I couldn’t go around Heven like this. I couldn’t explain, and she would be scared to death. I looked at the dried blood covering my face and the swollen bruises distorting my face. No, I couldn’t see her like this.

With a sigh I turned away from the mirror and turned on the shower. I healed fast but my injuries were pretty bad. If I was a normal person I would be in a comma. But I wasn’t normal. I should be healed in a matter of days.

I bit back a hiss when the water hit my back and sides. Broken ribs hurt like a bitch. And so did open cuts and burns. I scrubbed myself good anyway, ignoring the searing pain. The soap was the cheap kind, the kind that felt like sandpaper against your skin. I washed quickly, but thoroughly then turned the water off and stepped out. I didn’t have time to linger.

Just because I couldn’t let Heven see me didn’t mean I couldn’t see her.

The next few days were going to be endless, but I could do it. I had too. Staying away from her now was necessary. I couldn’t explain and didn’t know how even if I wanted to. So I would go back to watching her from afar, protecting her in the shadows. She was going to be hurt if I wasn’t around. I hoped she could forgive me.

But at least she’d be alive.

Chapter Eleven

Heven

“Earth to Heven. Come in Heven…” Kimber said, waving her hand in front of my eyes.

I blinked, my attention slowly coming back to reality. Back to the overcrowded coffee house that we were sitting in. I glanced at Kimber who was staring at me with an exasperated frown. “Sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

“Yeah, what else is new?” Kimber muttered

I sighed and looked down into my cappuccino. The foam on the top was thick and rich looking, and my stomach turned. “I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been a very good friend lately.”

“No, I’m sorry. That was bitchy. I would be acting the same way if Cole disappeared for three days and didn’t tell me anything.”

Three days. Three long, endless days of staring at my phone, the door, and the window, waiting for him to appear. I kept expecting that familiar feeling of safety that I have grown so accustomed to just wash over me, but it hasn’t, and my insides feel hollow.

Where are you Sam? Where have you gone and why did you leave me?

What if he was hurt or sick and no one was there to help him? He didn’t have a family, all he had were those creepy roommates, and I got the impression they would hurt him before they would help him. All he had was me. What if he was lying somewhere wondering why I hadn’t come and was feeling betrayed and hurt?

I felt betrayed and hurt. How could someone just tell you that they love you and then disappear?

My cell phone beeped, a signal that a text was received. I practically dived at my phone and hit the button. ‘No New Messages’ was displayed on the screen. Then the phone beeped again, and I realized it wasn’t my phone doing the beeping but the phone in the booth behind us. I resisted the urge to cry and shoved the phone in the pocket of my oversized hoodie.

“I don’t get it,” Kimber said, taking a sip of her latte. “He hasn’t called at all?”

“No,” I said for the millionth time. Before she could ask the next thing that she always asks, I went ahead and responded, “And, no I don’t know where he lives.”

“I always thought mysterious guys were hot. But now I am starting to think that they aren’t good dating material.”

I looked up at her and rolled my eyes. “You’re not dating him.”

“Down girl. Don’t shoot the messenger.”

I pushed the sleeve up and fingered my bracelet, taking care to make sure the clasp was still closed. He hadn’t been around to fix it. “He said he loved me,” I whispered.

“Why didn’t you say it back?” Kimber asked leaning over the table towards me. She reached out and fingered my bracelet.

“I don’t know – I thought I might but then he freaked over something he heard in the woods and rushed me home. I wished I would have. Maybe he never would have left.” I shoved the cappuccino away. I couldn’t stand its smell any longer. My stomach was in terrible knots, and I had a headache.

“This isn’t your fault.” Kimber said vehemently.