ON FIRE

THANE

The second I parked the car, I dug for my phone and dialled Rachel’s number again while using my other hand to adjust my bow tie.

Finally, someone picked up.

“Rachel isn’t here.”

That was the first thing I heard. I didn’t even need to ask who it was. I recognised the voice immediately.

But I didn’t give a damn why he sounded so entitled. What I cared about was why the hell he had Rachel’s phone.

“Where the hell are you, J?” I demanded, already heading inside.

I dodged a few guests and went straight upstairs to where J said he was waiting before hanging up the call.

The moment my eyes met his, a million things I thought I’d buried years ago came rushing back.

And deep down, I knew I wanted to kill him right there.

I’d always wanted to. If it weren’t for months of therapy and self-control, I probably would have done it already. Maybe over and over again until I was satisfied.

My chest pounded harder with every step I took toward him. Rage clouded my mind, and I could swear my fist was itching to move on its own.

“Hey, Thane,” he said casually, like he’d somehow forgotten we were mortal enemies.

I ignored the hand he extended and forced myself to calm down.

“Do you have any idea where she is?” I demanded coldly.

He sighed and dropped his hand, slipping it back into his pocket.

“She said she was going to the ladies’ room, but she’s been gone for about thirty minutes. I thought something might be wrong, so I asked T to check on her, but she’s not there.”

Something twisted sharply in my chest the second I sensed how he'd sounded like he was close to Rachel… I tried to ignore it. I needed to find T before she went to Pops or anyone else who could make this whole situation worse.

“Thank you,” I muttered, the words almost forced out of my throat.

I didn’t ask anything else. I just turned to leave.

“Hey. Everything okay?” he called after me. “I’m honestly worried too. I want to help if… You know… if you need me.”

“I don’t need you. Just keep quiet about this and stay out of it. That’s the only way you can help.”

He stepped closer. “Please, Thane. If something’s wrong with Rachel, I really want to…”

“You don’t know her, J,” I said, keeping my voice just calm enough to suppress the anger threatening to explode. “And please don’t make this harder for me. I’m trying my fucking hardest not to…” I cut myself off with a sharp breath.

“Alright. I get it,” he said quickly.

Thank God. Because if he’d said one more word, I didn’t know what I might’ve done.

I turned and rushed down the stairs, scanning the room for someone with short, bulky hair.

I spotted her just as she stepped through the exit.

“T!” I hurried over. “Hey! T!” I grabbed her arm.

Her head snapped toward me in surprise. “Thane? You’re here.”

“Yeah. You were looking for Rachel?”

She rubbed her forehead nervously. “Oh! Yes. Jae said she disappeared after saying she—”

“I know, okay?” I cut in quickly. “I’m handling it. Just make sure no one hears about this.”

My eyes drifted toward my father across the room. “Especially not him.”

“What? Why? Is Rachel okay?”

I nodded sharply. “She will be if you do exactly what I said.”

“Oh my God, Thane. You’re scaring me.”

“Just trust me.”

I walked away before she could say anything else. Halfway down the hall, I paused, remembering I probably shouldn’t trust J to actually stay put.

“Keep an eye on J for me,” I told Tiara when I reached her.

She nodded. Her face was already filled with worry.

The minute I hit the passage hall, I dialled the unknown number again. I’d been trying it even before I got here, but it wasn’t ringing at all.

Fuck.

I’d never been this scared in my life.

My eyes kept scanning every corner when my phone suddenly beeped in my pocket.

I pulled it out quickly and tapped the screen.

Unknown: Come to the first floor of the parking lot.

Fuck.

That was exactly where I parked my car.

I didn’t waste a second before rushing back toward the parking lot, my head burning like it had been set on fire.