“But—”
“I’ll let you know if I find her.” I already started walking and then I was jogging to where my truck was parked near the cul-de-sac.
Slamming the door shut, I turned on the engine and gunned it down the residential street. Unease formed an icy ball in the pit of my stomach. The fear in her voice . . . she had been terrified when Tony grabbed her. The wigged-out feeling was back. As much as I wanted to deny it, to push it out of my thoughts, I couldn’t any longer. Something had happened to her. What, to be exact, I wasn’t sure.
I tried calling her on the way home, but as expected, there was no answer. My hands clenched the steering wheel until my knuckles bleached white. I pulled into the first parking spot I found at University Heights and raced across the parking lot. There was no point in checking for her car. In the darkness, it would be like looking for a needle in a pile of fucking needles.
My stomach was in knots when I reached our floor and rapped my knuckles on her door. If she didn’t answer, I would kick this door in, and if she wasn’t here, I would scour this damn county for her.
Then the door opened and Avery was standing there, eyes swollen and red, mascara and tears laying tracks on her cheeks.
But she was okay.
She was okay.
With my heart reaching my throat, I went inside and wrapped my arms around her, hauling her against my chest. Reaching up, I cradled her close, dropping my chin to the top of her bowed head.
I didn’t trust myself to speak at first and when I did, my fingers curled around the strands of her hair. “Jesus Christ, why haven’t you answered your damn phone?”
She didn’t lift her head as she spoke. “I left my phone in the car, I think.”
“Shit, Avery.” I pulled back, cupping her cheeks. “I’ve been blowing up your phone—so have Jacob and Brittany.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t—”
“You’ve been crying.” Anger rose again. “You’ve been fucking crying.”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Have you looked in the mirror?” When she shook her head, I closed the door behind me and then took her small hand. “Come on.”
She swallowed hard, but let me tug her along. I took her into the bathroom and flipped on the light. She sucked in a sharp breath as she caught sight of her reflection. “Oh God . . .” Our gazes met in the mirror, and then she dropped her head into her hands. “Perfect—just perfect.”
“It’s not that bad, sweetheart.” The knot in my chest ached as I gently pulled her hands away. “Sit down.”
Avery sat on the closed toilet seat and stared down at her fingers. “What are you doing here?”
Grabbing a washcloth, I ran it under the tap and then knelt in front of her. Disbelief kept me from speaking at first. “What am I doing here? Is that a serious question?”
“Guess not.” She hadn’t lifted her gaze.
“Look at me. Dammit, Avery, look at me.”
Her chin jerked up, eyes narrowed until only thin strips of dark brown showed. “Happy?”
My molars cracked as I grinded my jaw. “Why would I come here? You left a party without saying a word to anyone.”
“I told—”
“You told Brittany you were getting some fresh air. That was three hours ago, Avery. They thought you were with me, but when they saw me later they knew you weren’t. After what happened with that asshole, you scared them.”
Her face fell. “I didn’t mean to. I just left my phone in the car.”
Silent, I swiped the washcloth under her cheeks, erasing the streaky makeup. “You didn’t need to leave.”
“I overreacted. The guy . . . he really hadn’t done anything wrong. He just surprised me and I overreacted. I ruined the party.”
“You didn’t ruin the party. And that son of a bitch shouldn’t have been grabbing you. Fuck. I heard you say ‘let me go’ and I know damn well he did, too. Maybe I shouldn’t have reacted as . . . strongly as I did, but fuck it. He was grabbing you and I didn’t like it.”
Her shoulders slumped forward. “You didn’t need to come here. You should be at the party having fun.”
I honestly couldn’t believe that she thought I should be at the party while she was here crying. She watched me, her features pinched with confusion. “We’re friends, right?”
“Yes.”
“This is what friends do. They check on each other. Brittany and Jacob would’ve been here, but I made them stay there.”
“I need to get my phone and call—”
“I’ll text Brittany. I got her number.” I sat back, watching her. “The fact that you wouldn’t expect anyone to check up on you is . . . I don’t even know what it is.”
Her mouth opened, then she shook her head and started to look away. I palmed her cheek, stopping her. Using my thumb, I chased away the last of the tears that had been there. Her damp lashes lifted, and I would give anything to take back every one of her tears that fell.
“Why were you crying?” I asked. “Wait. Did that fucker hurt you, because I will—”
“No! Not at all.”
“Then why?” I held my breath as she turned her cheek into my palm. “Talk to me?”
“I don’t know. I guess I was just being a girl.”
My brows shot up “You sure that’s all?”
“Yes,” she whispered.