Chapter 63
-Sebastian-
I tried to get to Maine as fast as I could, but there was no going around the storm. I also tried to contact Bucky, but I wasn't going through. And I need to get through, especially with the last message he sent me.
**I FOUND HER. NO NEED TO COME. I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT. **
"Goddamit Bucky! Answer your phone!" I yelled at the screen of the car I was driving. I was still a couple of hours out, and the traffic on the interstate wasn't making my progress any quicker.
I dialed Deluca's number.
"Mr. Cross. Have you taken care of our little super soldier?" Deluca said without missing a beat.
"I'm on my way. I'm not going to waste your time with specifics. I called to let you know he's headed your way." I tried to sound as calm as I could.
I heard a loud clank. I think he just kicked something.
"Fuck Sebastian! You had one job! ONE! And you've fucked it all up." Deluca yelled. His voice reverberated in the car.
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white as Deluca's rage echoed through the phone. His words pierced through me like shards of glass, slicing into my already fraying nerves.
"I wouldn't have this problem if you took care of him like you're supposed to," I yelled back and ended the call.
He tried calling back, but I didn't answer the phone. I don't have the time to be chastised like a child. Not when everything is going to shit. I tried calling Bucky again, but he didn't answer as expected.
The storm raged on, the rain lashing against the windshield of my car as I raced toward Maine. Each drop of water conveyed a sense of urgency, a foreboding that mirrored the turmoil within me. Bucky's cryptic message replayed in my mind, his words etching deep into my consciousness like an insidious tattoo.
**"I FOUND HER. NO NEED TO COME. I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT."**
Minutes turned into hours as the miles stretched on. The interminable traffic only amplified my growing impatience. I cursed under my breath, my knuckles turning even whiter as I gripped the steering wheel tighter.
Finally, the storm began to subside as I neared the outskirts of Maine. The rain eased to a drizzle, and the sky became an ominous gray hue. It felt as if nature itself mirrored the uncertainty that consumed me.
I glanced down at my phone, desperate for any sign of a missed call or message from Bucky. But the screen remained stubbornly blank, a cruel reminder of his silence. My frustration was palpable. Then the phone rang, and I immediately answered without checking who it was.
"Boss?" it was Asher. Fuck.
"What." I snapped.
"Ummm... Bucky just called," he said nervously.
"WHAT! WHEN?" I yelled.
"Just now, boss. He was looking for you." Asher stammered.
I slammed on my breaks. I heard the cars behind me screech, honk, and the drivers curse. I didn't give a fuck about the chaos erupting around me. All I cared about was Bucky and what the hell was going on. My mind raced with a million possibilities, none of them good. The call from Deluca, Bucky's cryptic message, and now his sudden call to Asher—everything was spiraling out of control.
"What did he say, Asher?" I demanded, my voice a low growl.
"He said he found her," Asher replied, trembling.
"Get him on the line, now!" I barked at Asher, my voice pulsating with anger and urgency.
I heard Asher fumble on the other side and came back a few minutes later.
"He's not answering, boss," Asher said dejectedly.
Godddamit!
I let out a frustrated curse, my grip on the steering wheel tightening even more. Bucky's disappearance intensified my mounting anxiety. Bucky had found Jianna. That's it. Game over.