“What are you doing?” she yelled at me, hot on my heels.
“I told you!” I raced into my room and starting throwing shit around. I crammed a few pairs of underwear and a bra into a small carry-on along with a pair of jeans and a few shirts.
“Perry, seriously!” she screeched, grabbing my arm and making me stop. I’d never seen such worry in her eyes before. “Don’t just go and do this. You don’t know anything for sure.”
“I know that if he just wanted to talk to Dex, he wouldn’t have sought me out. He wouldn’t have done what he did to us. You saw his eyes, that…that emptiness. You know he’s bad news.”
“But he wants you to come to New York,” she said. “He’s baiting you.”
I stood up straight and looked her dead in the eye. “Then I’m taking the bait. But I can’t stay here and hope that he’ll come back, hope that I’ll get a hold of him. We both know that’s not going to happen. It’s this or it’s nothing and I’m supposed to marry the fucking guy! If there is anything I know about me and Dex it’s that nothing is never an option. I’m going to New York. And you’re letting me go.”
“Fuck that,” she swore, a strange gleam coming over her eyes. “I’m not letting you go. I’m going with you.”
“Ada,” I said incredulously. “No way.”
“Yes,” she said. “You’re my sister and I’m not going to let you do this by yourself.”
“You’ve got school,” I said feebly. Truth was, I wanted her to come. More than that, I needed her to come, I could feel it in my gut, like I was stronger with her by my side. But I wouldn’t be a good sister if I didn’t insist she stay out of it. She was too young to get wrapped up in something that neither of us understood.
“You can’t stop me,” she said full of fiery conviction. “If you do this without me, I’ll be right behind you. You have money on your credit card? I have money on mine.”
“You’re too young to travel alone,” I countered.
She smiled coyly. “I have ways.”
“Mom and dad will never let it happen.”
“You let me worry about them.”
“Ada.”
“Perry,” she answered and for once I saw how damn serious she was. “If you’re going after him, I am going with you. End of story. Now, would you rather me go with you now or trail your ass through the city trying to catch up? Though perhaps I’ll meet some nice New York men who’ll be willing to help me.”
I grimaced at the thought of my little sister alone in the Big Apple and trying to duplicate scenes from Sex and the City. Throw in some blood and gore and it would be pretty accurate.
Don’t think like that, I told myself. Don’t think at all. Just go there. Keep calling, keep trying. And go.
And so I did. There was no way I was able to prevent Ada from going with me either and from the conviction in her face, I know she’d be stupid enough to try it alone. She was better off with me, even if I had no clue what I was about to do.
While she packed in a whirlwind – I think, despite the dire circumstances, she was excited about going to New York for the first time – I called a cab and sent texts to Maximus, Rebecca and Dex. I knew the Dex one wouldn’t go through – normally I could tell when he read them and it wasn’t the case. I still watched with my breath in my mouth, hoping that he’d read my words.
When I realized he wouldn’t, I put down the phone and closed my eyes.
Dex! I yelled inside my head. It was a long shot, but I was still going to take it. Dex, can you hear me? I don’t know where you are or what’s going on but I know you need me. Michael, your brother, he’s not a good person and I’m scared for you. I’m coming to New York, hoping you’re there. I paused. I love you.
Even in my head, it came out more like a whisper.
I waited again, not knowing if he could hear me wherever he was, and if he could, if he would respond. But there was a void. There was nothing but the prickly grey behind my eyes and the sound of Ada running down the stairs.
My heart never felt so empty.
Ada put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. “Hey. We’re gonna get him back. He’s gonna be fine.”
I looked at her and tried to draw in her strength. I nodded. “Cab will be here. Let’s go wait outside.”