His Identity

47

Two days.

That's how long it's been since I stood and watched Nick and Ryver been the hell out out of Brian. They let him go after that with promises of finding him and repeating what they did if he ever pulled some shit again.

"Ave," Nat's voice snaps me back to reality. I turn to look at her. She's leaning against the bar, her eyes narrowed on me as the man she just served starts to walk away with a drink in hand.

"What?"

"You're not here."

I shoot her a blank look at her words. "But I am," when I gesture to myself sarcastically, Nat rolls her eyes. "No," she shakes her head, "you're not here mentally. What are you thinking so hard about?"

"Nothing." My mom. The men who chased me. Brian. Nick. Nick. Nick.

"Uh-huh," she gives me a suspicious look then sighs. "I feel like we're growing apart. We're best friends for the love of god—" she lets off, approaches me and takes both my hands in hers. "I'm here for you, no matter what. You know that, right?"

I nod. "Of course." Nat and I are close, but there are some things I can't and won't tell her. One, I don't want her to be in danger or risk endangering herself by poking her nose where it doesn't belong. And two, I don't even know what to tell her. I am so confused myself.

How can I simplify what's going on with my life right now when it simply can't be simplified since it is one of the most complicated things ever?

"Good," she says, nodding, "just remember that you can talk to me about anything."

"I will."

"My parents are invited to some charity gala." That catches my attention. "It's weird," she adds, "but my mom's new friend, Maria or something— sent her an invite yesterday. The gala's next week."

"Are you going?"

"It's a charity gala," she replies in a tone that should've made it obvious why she'd go. "Of course I will. I've never been. I'll ask Rhys to come with me as my date."

"Sounds fun." As this leaves my mouth, my eyes catches sight of a figure standing in a corner of the place. Strangely enough, that person— who I'm guessing is a woman since I can see her red high heels, is wearing a long black coat and she's got the hood pulled on her head. An attempt to hide her face.

The way she's standing, her face turned in my direction makes it obvious that she's been staring at me. I don't know for how long she's been standing there, but I'm willing to guess it's been a while.

Suddenly my conversation with Nat is no longer interesting anymore.

"It does," Nat says. The rest of her words are blurry when the woman waves at me with her gloved hands. I raise my brows at that. Then she gestures for me to follow her with her fingers before she turns her back to me and walks right out of the door.

"I'll—" I'm already on the other side of the bar when I talk to Nat, "I'll be right back." She shoots me a look of disbelief then shakes her head, oblivious to what just went down.

I go in the same direction as the woman did, soon finding myself outside of the club but she's nowhere to be found. Still, I continue looking for her which results in me standing in the back alleyway alone.