Page 103 of Unmasked
Stryker
Something’s wrong. Mallory hasn’t responded to my texts. My messages are unread.
I’m trying to focus on work since we are so close to ending this. But I’m distracted.
Ryker nudges me as we sit in Zayne’s torture room. “What’s going on?” His eyes scan over my face. “You have those worry lines between your forehead.”
“It’s Mallory. She hasn’t responded to my texts.”
“Maybe something happened to her phone?”
“She hasn’t been using it, which is odd.”
“Have you tried calling her?”
“Twice. She hasn’t answered.”
My phone buzzes with a text. Hope flares in me until I see Corey’s name on the screen.
“I need to take this.” I look at Zayne, who is too busy working out his past issues to pay attention to me. “I’m going outside for a moment.” I stand, ducking out of Zayne’s torture room while the rest of the gang, including Luca, Keira, and Mia, who showed up a little bit ago, watch the violence play out.
As soon as I’m outside, I call Corey. My mouth is dry, and my throat constricts. Something bad happened if he’s texting me this late.
As soon as he answers, I cut to the chase. “What’s up?”
“We have a problem.”
My heart pounds sluggishly inside my chest. “What happened? Is she okay?”
He pauses. “Mallory appears to be missing.”
“What do you mean ‘appears’ to be missing?” My voice rises, an edge of panic and hysteria in it.
He tells me what happened at the haunted house, ending with, “Mandy and I thought it was you. That you showed up to surprise her. You patted my shoulder as you walked by and said, ‘I’ve got it from here’ before entering. Your voice sounded slightly different, but I thought it was from the mask.” His words are rushed, and he pauses, taking a breath.
“Then Mandy came out, a grin on her face, and said, ‘Let’s get out of here before all the screaming starts. And I’m not talking about the ghosts who haunt the place.’ We left, thinking the two of you were having a good time.”
The world spins so fast that I grab the closest tree, my fingers digging into the bark. “Jesus Christ. That wasn’t me. I’ve been here with Zayne. After I got fucking stabbed.”
“You were stabbed?”
“Who the fuck cares!” I scream, losing my shit. “I just want to know where Mallory is. Did you go back to the haunted house?”
“Stop screaming in my ear. Yes, I’m here with Mandy right now. Mandy thought Mallory skipped classes the next day to be with you. She’s been texting and calling and hasn’t gotten an answer, which is odd. So she asked me if I’d seen her.” His voice is full of shame when he adds, “I thought she was with you.”
My head pounds, fear making my heart race so fast that my head spins. “Do you have the wireless camera with sound?”
“Yes, I’m putting it on now.”
I turn around to march inside and grab one from Zayne’s dungeon, but Jaxson stands there, holding one out to me. His face is lined with concern. “I thought you seemed worried. I came outside to check on you and heard you screaming. Went back in and grabbed this after I heard you say she’s missing.”
“Thanks.” I can’t muster up a smile, too worried about my little prey.
Jaxson gestures to the camera. “I’m gonna be part of this. We’re gonna find her.” There’s a promise in his eyes as he puts the earbuds in. “Corey. It’s Jaxson. Are you inside the haunted house?”
“No. I wanted to make sure this works… Can you see what I’m seeing?”
Jaxson looks at me, and I nod and say, “Yup. Just like we’re there. We’re staring at the front of the house.”