Chapter 65 DRENCHED
Troy’s POV
“I can’t believe you really left her on her own,” I said to Jaxon as he walked out of the bathroom.
He had his pants on and a bathrobe loosely hanging over his shoulders, which he immediately shrugged off before pulling on a hoodie. He ran his hand through his damp hair, water still clinging to the strands.
“What was I supposed to do?” he asked, standing in front of the mirror beside his wardrobe. “Carry her over my shoulder? Force her into the car?”
“I mean, you could’ve convinced her to leave everything to the cops. Why did you even let her call the cops in the first place?” My frustration was beyond words. It burned in my chest, refusing to cool.
First, I found out both of them were missing from the party. Then, minutes later, police officers were flooding the estate like we were hosting a crime scene instead of a celebration.
I let out a frustrated breath as I stared at Jaxon. He stood there casually drying his hair like he wasn’t even the slightest bit worried about Nancy.
“Are you seriously not going to call her?” I asked for what had to be the tenth time since he came back without her.
“Don’t put the blame on me, Troy. You and I both know how stubborn she can be,” he replied sharply. “First, she beat up those boys — and I think they deserved it. Then came Gary, who also got his ass smacked. But telling her not to call the cops would’ve been a waste of energy.
Especially when there was a girl in pretty bad condition. Do you think I don’t want to grab Gary by the neck and make him tell me what the hell is going on?
I want that more than anything else. But I keep having this feeling that this isn’t the way. And Nancy just had to be stubborn about it.”
He finally turned to face me.
I think that was the longest thing he had said since he arrived. I could see it now — the frustration in his eyes, the anger he was trying so hard to keep contained. And somehow, that only made mine worse.
“So, what are you saying?” I asked quietly, already knowing the answer. “That you left Nancy to learn her lesson the hard way?”
“It’s up to her whether she wants to learn,” he said, his voice hardening. “I’m tired of trying to explain to her that the people she’s dealing with aren’t people the law can touch.
“I’m pretty sure Gary will say he just happened to stumble into that house by coincidence. The other four will take the blame for sexual assault, and then — case closed.”
Jaxon was right.
We’ve been in this field long enough to know how this works.
But still… a clueless, stubborn detective would never listen..
“Fine. I’ll just go downstairs and order some food. I’m starving. I couldn’t eat at the party because I was too busy worrying about your dad showing up earlier. I mean, why do you think the boss invited your father over? No matter how much I think about it, I keep feeling like something is off with the boss.”
I said, walking toward the door, but I slowed my steps, waiting for Jaxon to respond. Waiting for anything. A reaction. A comment. Even a scoff.
Silence.
I paused and turned to stare at him.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? I thought you hated the idea of your father knowing — or even meeting — the boss.”
“That’s because, Troy,” he replied, his voice cold and edged with anger, “I don’t care anymore. All I want now is to focus on finding Ravyn Vale and exposing the person who ruined my life.”
The way he said it sent a chill through me. There was no hesitation. No emotion beyond the anger.
Something happened.
Or rather… he met the boss earlier today for a reason. And whatever that reason was, he hadn’t told me about it. That alone unsettled me more than I cared to admit.
“Would you like something to eat?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral as I watched him sink onto his bed, his eyes already glued to his laptop screen like the rest of the world didn’t exist.
“No. I’ll pass,” he replied without even sparing me a glance.
That did it.
“I’m ordering you something to eat, and you better eat it — or I’m calling Dr. Jenny first thing tomorrow morning,” I said.
That finally got his attention.
His head snapped up, and he glared at me.
Good.
I just shrugged like I hadn’t just threatened him and walked out of the room.
At this point, he’s going to be the death of me.
This is someone who nearly passed out today — someone who can barely stand without looking like the weight of the world is crushing him — and yet he refuses to close his eyes and sleep.
Frustration clawed at my skin, sharp and relentless.
Why can’t he just give himself a break?
Is that really too much to ask?
I sank into the couch in the living room as a heavy wave of exhaustion washed over me, pressing down on my shoulders.
I might as well rest.
Since someone doesn’t.
Jaxon’s POV
I did my best to drown myself in work, forcing my eyes to stay glued to the screen until they became too heavy to keep open.
The words in front of me blurred. My vision burned.
With a tired sigh, I set my laptop aside and picked up my phone, scrolling through my messages — just in case she had changed her mind. Just in case she had decided to text instead of call.
Nothing.
No missed calls. No messages.
It was already 2:00 a.m.
“Someone decided to stay stubborn,” I muttered under my breath before tossing the phone onto the bed and laying back.
My head throbbed violently, a dull tremor pulsing behind my temples, and my eyes felt like they were being scraped from the inside.
And somehow… I drifted off to sleep with the thought of her clouding my mind.
A loud rumble of thunder jolted me awake.
The wind howled through the open window, sending the blinds clattering back and forth against the wall. Cold air flooded the room, sharp and biting.
I pushed myself out of bed, my body still heavy with exhaustion, and stumbled toward the window to shut it.
Another flash of lightning split the sky, followed by a deafening crash of thunder as rain began pouring heavily outside.
What time is it?
The sky was still pitch dark. I had no idea how long I had been asleep.
What if Nancy called?
I grabbed my phone.
Almost 5:00 a.m.
No missed calls.
No messages.
She was really determined to stay stubborn about this.
Another rumble echoed through the sky as the rain intensified, pounding against the windows. And then an image formed in my head — Nancy sitting somewhere cold… maybe at the police station… maybe stranded somewhere alone.
Before I could even think it through, I had already grabbed my car keys.
I was dialing her number as I hurried toward the parking lot.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Four.
No answer.
I almost stopped myself. Almost told myself to turn back.
But I couldn’t.
I would just ask the officers about her. Just make sure she was safe. That was all.
I sat inside the car for nearly ten minutes, staring at the rain hitting the windshield, debating whether I should go or not.
Yet I couldn’t even bring myself to step out of the car.
Letting out a deep, frustrated sigh, I finally drove toward the station.
When I arrived, I immediately walked up to the front desk, where I recognized one of the officers who had come earlier.
“Mr. Lennox. Sir, what brings you here this early?” he asked as soon as I approached.
“I’m looking for the lady you brought in for questioning.”
“Oh, you mean Miss Carter?”
I nodded.
“She took off before I could even conclude with her. But my guess is she went to the hospital Miss Zoe was admitted to. Few minutes after she left, we got a call from the hospital saying Miss Zoe was awake.”
“Can I get the address to the hospital?”
“Yes… but may I ask your relationship with Miss Carter?” he asked, his gaze barely holding mine.
“We’re partners,” I replied.
He nodded slowly, repeating, “Partners,” under his breath with a nervous smile.
There were more questions in his eyes — unasked, lingering — but he swallowed them and wrote down the address instead.
I left immediately and headed for the hospital.
My guess was Nancy might be staying with Miss Zoe. I would just check on her, make sure she was fine, and then head back.
Or so I thought.
Until I drove into the compound.
My headlights caught a figure standing right in front of the hospital, completely drenched by the rain.
Nancy?
I immediately recognized the dress she had worn to the party.
What is she doing standing under the rain?