SAGE novel Chapter 18

Sage Miller

Damn Evernly!

Wren hung up after I promised I'll look for her too. I frantically stood up and searched for my car keys.

Thoughts flooded my brain. Too many what ifs made my blood turn cold. I ran my head through my head trying very head to think straight.

This is all my fault, if only earlier I didn't say all the things I said she wouldn't be so upset. I shouldn't have waited for her to come around. I was out of line and should've apologized for it.

My brain felt crippled and numb but the thought of her lying on a ditch somewhere dead.

"What happened?" I faintly heard Connor ask.

I blinked not knowing what to do next. it was as if I'd forgotten how to move. My brains felt like jello.

"I... it's." Words failed me. I was panicking. "I gotta go. Eve."

I vaguely told him. The sentence didn't make sense even in my own ears but I couldn't be bothered to clear it up for him.

I looked back at him then at the door that led to the hallway. I saw a passed out Smurf in the corner of my eye.

"Um... can you carry her to my room?" I asked Connor slipping some trainers on.

He groaned but said he'll do it. I gave him a quick goodbye and ran out the out to my white Audi.

I drove around the neighborhood, to bars I knew she regulated but nothing. I searched dinners then finally intent to the cemetery thinking that maybe for some reason she went there to visit dad's grave but she wasn't there either.

I called her phone with no answer until when I called it sent me to voicemail.

I was quickly loosinh hope as the time ticked showing that it was late, very late.

I was so close to giving up when I thought of Styles. Maybe she went to him.

I took out my phone and scrolled looking for his number. I called him even though I knew how late it was and he'd be pissed but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

He answered on the 7th ring.

"This better be fucking good because I swear I'll chop off your fingers." He threatened and unlike every time he threaten me I wasn't afraid. My panic overrides my fear.

"Styles I need your help it's urgent. I wouldn't have called to waste your time." I begged him.

I heard shuffling on the other end hoping I would hear Eve but I quickly concluded Eve wasn't with him.

"Talk." He demanded.

"I can't find Eve can you track her phone's last location. Everyone is worried about her." I frantically asked.

It was quiet on the other end for some seconds.

"Yeah.. yeah I will. I'll coming to you right now." He said.

Although he tried not to sound like it, I could hear the panic in his voice.

"No, could you not. I just need her location." I didn't want Eve seeing Styles and getting even more upset. It wouldn't be good for either of them.

"I can-." I cut him off.

"Please don't come. I just need her location." I pathetically begged him and he groaned giving in.

"Give me two minutes. I'll send the location." He told me and hung up.

I avoided thinking about Styles tracking Eve before now but I somehow knew he did. I think I know him well enough to know he has no limits.

For my sanity I had to believe he didn't. And they way he easily gave in made me think that he'll do the exact opposite. He'll follow me to get Eve.

In exactly two minutes, my phone vibrated. I opened the text and saw an address and when I punched it on the GPS, I realised it was on Sebastian's street.

A bar on Sebastian's street. In the bad part of town.

My blood turned cold and my knuckles turned white on the wheel.

That side of town wasn't the best especially for someone as fragile as her.

She could get mugged or killed or raped.

Fuck. And I'm on the other side of town.

I only knew one person who was close enough. I quickly called Sebastian.

I warned him not to go near her. I just wanted him to make sure no one touches her and she doesn't leave.

I trusted Sebastian enough not to repeat the Ms Simpson's situation with Eve. I reminded him that the Godfather would kill him if he so much as thought about it.

I relaxed knowing that Sebastian found her.

I quickly texted Wren that I found her and I'll bring her to her.

Twenty minutes later I parked next to the bar. Looking at it now, it wasn't bad as I thought it would.

I walked in and they didn't even ask for an Id. I spotted Sebastian right away then my eyes scanned for Eve.

She was seated at the bar with a drink in hand. She was talking to the bartender. I frowned.

I approached Seb first not taking my eyes off Eve.

"Thanks man. I owe you one." I told him when I was close enough. I gave him a fist bumb.

"No need. It was an easy job. She did nothing other than drink and talk to the bartender. The bartender did all the job by taking care of her and no one went near her." He explained and a wave of relief washed over me.

"But still. Thank you." I said to him. "I'm just gonna get her now."

"See you at the hideout dude." I nodded then he left and I walked up to Eve hoping she didn't flip on me.

The bartender glared at me when he realised I was going straight for Eve. I glared back at him showing him I afraid of him.

His glare is nothing compared to Styles.

Now that I'm closer I realised that he was young. Twenty one maybe.

Eve turned around. I'm guessing following the dickhead's glare.

When her eyes landed on me her whole face lit up and I relaxed.

"Sagie." She beamed.

I let go the breath I've been holding since I walked in. I'm glad she didn't flip. I truly thought she'd flip on me.

"I'm here to get you." I stated my gaze locking with the bartender.

Surprisingly he wasn't glaring at me anymore.

"Have a drink with me." She half asked half ordered.

"You've had enough drinking so let's go." I softly told her.

Please don't resist me. Please don't resist me. Please don't resist me.

Because even if she does, I'll still drag her out of here and that wouldn't look good on me.

"Well if you're going to be a party popper I suggest you leave." She rolled her eyes and turned around.

The bartender's eyes were dancing with amusement.

I groaned and sat down next to her.

"Now was that hard." She mocked and again I groaned.

She gave me a side glance.

"Can I get a beer for him?" She asked the bartender whose name I still didn't know nicely.

He gave me a beer and I chunked it so I can relax.

"You know it's illegal to sell alcohol to a minor?" I asked the bartender almost threatening him.

"She had an Id-." He pointed out and of course she had a fake Id. "-and it said twenty one."

I knew he knew it was fake but didn't do shit. Eve hardly look seventeen and she couldn't even pull a twenty one look.

"I didn't have an Id." I told him.

"You didn't order the beer." He countered and that shut me up.

"I'm Blake by the way and you're Sagie." He smirked and I rolled my eyes. "If I didn't let her buy here she would've went to another bar and I rather she drank here, in my eyes."

I sensed the sincerity in his voice as he explained but it didn't matter much because I still didn't like him.

He sold alcohol to my Eve and I'd never like someone who does that, no matter how considerable he's being.

"I didn't see her car upfront." I said in an accusing tone. He smiled instead of being offended.

"I parked it in the back. It's safer there. A Bugatti in this hood-" He shook his head. "-let's say it wasn't safe but here are the keys."

He handed me the keys and I bit my tongue so I couldn't thank him.

"I would've never guessed you were younger than her." He said.

"What?" My eyes snapped to him.

"I mean you act like you're older than her." I raised my brow at him. "She told me."

He answered my silent question. I brought the beer to my lips and Blake went on to do his job.

I wonder how much she told that stranger.

I turned to my sister and saw her bouncing to the rhythm of the music.

"Why did you run?" I blurted out.

"I needed some fresh air." She quickly answered but when is it ever about fresh air.

"Ok. Now the real reason." I told her.

"Wren was angry because of the stunt I pulled at the mall. I was all over the tabloids and they wrote nasty things about me. She was pissed because she found out from her own station what happened and she kept telling me how useless and irresponsible I was."

"She said What?" My eyes widen.

"Well she didn't use those words but she might as well have." She mumbled.

"I'm sorry." I told her. I didn't even know what I was apologising for.

"I had every right to do what I did because no one messes with my brother. She deserved everything I said to her. I don't want anyone to break you like they did me. It might be selfish and misunderstood but I can't stand anyone hurting you. I didn't wanna see you broken like me."

It's too late. I was broken a long time ago. I wanted to tell her that but I didn't.

"I will always be okay. I'll always be fine for you." I told her and that was the truth. She'll always see me the way she wants to.

Pure. I'm not gonna live past twenty anyway. It won't be that hard to let her see me that way.

The bartender, I mean Blake came back.

"How long has she been here?" I asked him. He thought for a moment.

"Roughly seven hours." He answered and I gape.

"You mean to tell me she's been drinking for seven fucking hours." I hissed at him.

"Calm your tits. I'm not that much of an asshole. I gave her water from time to time and watered all her drinks." He whispered while he explained calmly whipping the counter.

"Oh." I was lost for words. "And you're paying for them."

I told him harshly and he rolled his eyes. I couldn't help but think that he looked like a male version of Eve.

"Relax. It's covered." He told me.

"You made her pay before I came in, didn't you?" I accused narrowing my eyes at him.

Again he rolled his eyes.

"You're a real asshole ain't you?" He countered.

"What did you take for payment? Some expensive bracelet in her car or some money in her purse? I know she keeps too much money in that thing." I continued.

"If I wasn't so impressed by your protectiveness I'd be offended. And I didn't take anything. I'll pay for the drink and if you don't trust me you'll check anything missing when she's sober."

"I'll do that." I admitted even though I won't do it. "Why?."

"Why what?"

"Why pay for drink for a girl you barely know?" I asked confused because if it was me I wouldn't pay nor care for a wellbeing to go as far as watering her drinks.

"I'm a nice guy." I rolled my eyes. "And don't say I don't know her because in the past seven hours I got to know her and she's so likable and polite. Down to earth too. She was so sad when she got here that I just couldn't just ignore her."

I waited for Eve to finish her drink.

"Ok. You said one drink, let's go." I told her already on my feet.

"No I didn't." She denied already protesting. "I'm not going."

She looked to Blake for help but I glared at him and he chuckled.

"Is'ok Cupcake. You can come tomorrow. I'll be here." He coaxed her into coming with me and I grimaced. Cupcake.

"I'll come by tomorrow." She told him.

"She has a boyfriend." I told him.

"No she doesn't but that doesn't mean I wanna date her. She told me about an asshole she's in love that cheated."

"If you know what's best for you. You'll stay away because he'll kill you." I warned him. "Literally."

"Gotcha." He taunted and I tsked.

I walked off without another word.

Outside the bar, I looked around for Styles. I knew that he was somewhere in around.

I saw a familiar black SUV with a window window rolled up. When he realized I was looking at the car he rolled up the window.

I opened my car for Eve and left her there and approached the SUV.

I knocked on the window and he rolled it down.