My Prison Pen Pal

Chapter 17

Kyle brutally kicks my side and a sharp pain shoots across my ribs. I fall sideways onto the ground, still attached to the chair, and my face hits the concrete with a bang. My brain goes fuzzy for a few seconds, trying to stay conscious.

"This should be good enough. Smile Miss Lucy"

Sugar pulls out her phone from her back pocket and points it at me with a dangerous smirk. Snapping a photo of me, Sugar saves it to her phone.

"Let me call him actually, maybe we can get her to scream in the background."

Sugar presses a button on her device brings it up to her ear and leans casually against the closest wall.

Braden's POV

I lay awake in bed just staring at my phone. After we saw Sugar at the bar, I have been making Lucy text me as soon as she gets home from work, especially if she has the night shift. I would offer to drive her but I don't have my car. I could drop her off and pick her up with her car, but if something happens at work, I would want Lucy to have her car with her to escape. Even though I hate this texting option, it's the safest way.

I look at the clock again and realize that it's now 11 pm and Lucy still has not texted that she made it home safe. Deciding to not take any chances, I get out of bed and pull on the black jeans I was wearing earlier. Tucking my phone in my back pocket, I make my way out of my apartment and up one floor to where Lucy, Michelle, and Kiera live. Hopefully, Lucy just forgot to text me and she is safe, sound, and asleep.

Knocking on the door anxiously, I wait for one of the girls to answer. A few seconds later, a sleepy Michelle pulls open the door.

"Braden?"

I look past Michelle in the apartment and scan the area for Lucy.

"Hey, sorry to wake you but is Lucy here? She hasn't texted me that she made it home safe."

Michelle's eyes go wide and she steps aside to let me into the apartment.

"I thought she was with you. She slept over last night, I assumed she would sleep over there again tonight!"

My heart skips a beat and I barge into Lucy's closed room. Her room is empty and so is her bathroom.

"Shit."

I say anxiously.

"She is usually home by now. Where could she be?"

Michelle says, running her hands through her braids.

"What's going on?"

Kiera says annoyed, coming out of her and Michelle's room in her pajamas.

"Lucy hasn't made it home yet and her shift ended an hour ago."

I say frustrated to Kiera. I take a few deep breaths and pull out my phone to call her.

"Maybe she stopped for food or something?"

Kiera says hopefully while wrapping her arms around Michelle. Pressing her name in my contacts, I wait for her to pick up. After a few rings, her phone goes to voicemail. I try once more and it goes to voicemail again.

"She always picks up."

Michelle says nervously. A surge of anger flows through me and I lean against the wall trying to calm myself down. If they touch her, I'll kill them. A buzzing comes from my pocket and I look to see who it is quickly, hoping it's Lucy.

"Is it her?!"

Kiera asks, coming over to my side to look who it is.

"It's an unknown number."