The Heart Left Behind (Cole and Yvonne) novel Chapter 86

Jonas tilted his head up, refusing to back down despite Xavier's intimidating presence. Even though Xavier was younger, he had hit a growth spurt that made him taller, giving off the illusion of being the older sibling.

"You're not the boss of me," Jonas mumbled before finally dropping onto the ground with a defeated sigh. He gritted his teeth, but he couldn't argue. He knew Xavier wasn't going to budge.

When Xavier turned toward the house, he paused just a few steps away. "Aren't you going back?"

"Not until Ms. Sommerton comes back," Jonas said firmly.

I would be anxious if I knew Lorraine went missing.

Xavier rolled his eyes dramatically. "She probably left already. Why are you even waiting for her?"

"She wouldn't leave me here like this. Ms. Sommerton isn't like that," Jonas shot back, his voice shaking slightly. Jared was the one who'd leave without them.

Xavier groaned. "Then go find her yourself." He gestured toward a dark, overgrown path nearby. "I ran that way earlier. Maybe she's there."

Jonas followed his finger to the dense thicket, the shadows of the trees swallowing the path entirely. There wasn't a light in sight, and the entrance looked more like the mouth of a cave than a path. The scene sent shivers down his spine.

"Go ahead," Xavier said.

"It's too dark," he whispered, clutching his arms.

He shrank back, tucking his neck in. At home, he had always been the well-behaved one—mild-mannered and the kind of kid who was afraid of the dark.

In contrast, Xavier was bold and meticulous, willing to try anything without hesitation.

"Then just go in with me," Xavier said, clapping his hands as if he hadn't done anything wrong.

"You come with me to look for her," Jonas said, tugging on Xavier's sleeve and pointing toward the dark, shadowy path. "If we call out to her, Ms. Sommerton will definitely hear us and come out."

"I'm not going. I'm not even close to her," Xavier huffed. Even if he was close to her, he wouldn't go. He simply didn't like Lorraine.

Jonas stared at him stubbornly. He was silent but clearly unwilling to back down.