Rise Above ✓

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

The food was ready and the table was set.

All that was missing was Chris.

Tom had given the alpha enough time to walk off what was bothering him so now, the omega was getting anxious. He glanced at the clock and Chris had been gone for nearly an hour. What if something was wrong? He stood up and began to pace before glancing at his watch again and then staring at the table.

He'd set it up for two – white lace table cloth, candles in his finest candle holders, wine ready for pouring and the dishes holding the food along with the plates and glasses. The place smelled and looked so homely and inviting that it made Tom's heart stutter with love and nervousness.

He'd been so immersed in what he was doing, so eager to please Chris and no doubt see the look of pure awe and adoration that would cross his face when he saw the made up table, that Tom had completely lost track of time.

He glanced at his watch again and thought fuck it! Grabbing his coat, wallet, phone and keys and heading to the elevator. Chris can't have gotten far so Tom was going to drive around the neighbourhood until he found him.

He cursed himself for not getting Chris a phone – fuck, that should've been the first thing he got him when they went to the mall. There was no point crying about it now but when he got downstairs and into his car, he put a reminder on his phone to get Chris a cell the next day. They had nothing planned. Tom planned on going to his studio – no doubt his co-workers were missing him. Because he owned the place, he sometimes didn't bother showing up except to check on how his people were doing.

He didn't think he'd seen them since he'd come back from his last heat.

Thoughts of heats made Tom flush as he remembered the heat he'd shared with Chris. He smiled a little, basking in the arousal simmering in his blood and wondering if he could have a quickie when he found Chris and they got back to the apartment.

Except, Chris wasn't in the neighbourhood. Tom had been so distracted that he didn't even get worried when he'd driven through every street in the neighbourhood and Chris was nowhere to be seen.

Okay, Tom, don't panic yet. Maybe he stepped into a shop or something.

So Tom drove around the neighbourhood again and Chris was still nowhere to be found.

The panic began to build slowly in the pit of his stomach.

He drove around the neighbourhood again, this time nearly breaking the speed limit because the sun was setting and it was getting dark but still, there was no sign of the alpha. Oh gods, could Chris have left the neighbourhood?

No, his mind disagreed vehemently, he wanted to take a walk to clear his head. He didn't need to go that far!

Tom drove around the neighbourhood again, this time stopping at the shops and walking out to check in them to ask around if they'd seen Chris. He stopped at all the parks and walked through them, remembering the last time Chris had ran away from his apartment when he'd gotten his memories of his family back. Chris wasn't in any of the parks either.

Tom switched his headlights on as he re-entered his jeep, his hand clutching the steering wheel before he finally let the panic hit him full on.

He didn't even think twice before reaching for his mobile and calling his twin, hoping to the gods she wasn't busy at work.

Thank the goddess, she answered on the second ring.

"Tweenie!" she said in excitement, "Hi!"

"T-Tania," Tom whispered, his voice shaking as he finally let the panic seep through his bones, making his hands tremble.