NovelEnglishLUKE
For a second, | had no idea why | was looking at a picture of the man that almost... almost... | couldn't even think
about it.
Bryan's face-the man who'd wrecked lives and torn Jess's world apart-was smiling. Why the hell was he smiling? |
should have made sure he couldn't smile or move his face for the rest of his miserable fucking life.
"I don't understand, man. Where did you get that, and why the fuck am I looking at his face?"
Francesca sidled up, eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Who are we looking at?"
I ignored her. | couldn't deal with Francesca right now, with my eyes still locked on Bryan's face. "How did Laura
even get this?"
Josh let out a slow breath, rubbing a hand across his jaw. "That guy Jess has been seeing-
Eric?" He paused, "Well, Laura asked for a picture of him and a location because Jess was headed to his cabin or
something for the weekend. He doesn't have social media and apparently hates having his picture taken. This is
the fucking picture Jess ent Laura. | wasn't sure, but now | am," My mind was reeling. What was he saying? Was
Jess with him? Right now?
"Josh..." | gripped the railing, my knuckles whitening. Francesca stepped between us. "Can someone please tell
PART 4-CHAPTER 172
going on?" she wined, and Josh just stepped past her.
"Now we fucking know why he didn't want his picture taken! Because he's been lying to her all along. This is just
perfect for him. Jess lost all her memories, so instead of running the fuck away when she saw him, she didn't
know."
| felt my jaw tighten to the point of pain. "She can't remember him? Surely something in her should be
screaming to get the fuck away from him." | said more to myself than anything else.
"Not to be an asshole, man, but if Jess didn't remember she loved you, which not overreacting - but you were her
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtentire world - and if she
can't remember that, then | doubt she'd remember this asshole and what he did," Josh said, but his words were
hazy like he was just background noise. Bryan was with Jess. Fuck.
"What the hell is he doing out of jail?" | seethed, and Josh shrugged, helplessness in his eyes. "Man's got friends
in high- places, plus a bank account that could buy him a country. He- was rich before he played football,
remember. Family money." Francesca stepped between us, looking frustrated. "Earth to Luke! | am standing right
here, and you guys are talking about things | have no clue about! Can you please just fillin?" Francesca
stomped her foot, and Josh frowned at her. "What the fuck are we still doing here!" | finally said, and Francesca
pouted, ready to throw a tantrum.
"Now's not the time," | said, barely looking at her, but she swung her head in front oflike a giraffe. Well,
that's too bad, because | need to talk to you! Like now," she said, folding her arms. | stared between Josh and
Francesca. This wasn't even a 21.99%
08:51
PART 4-CHAPTER 172
choice. | needed to help Jess.
| paced back and forth, the image of Bryan's smug face still burning in my mind. Jess. She was with him. Right
now. The thought was unbearable.
Josh finally broke the silence, his voice steady but low. "As long as Bryan doesn't suspect that Jess knows
something, she'll be fine."
| stopped pacing and turned to him, my fists clenched. "And what if she does know something? What if-"I
swallowed hard, my throat tight. "What if something sets him off?"
Josh ran a hand through his hair, his expression hard. "I talked to the police. They're already on their way, but
they have to search through all the cabins. They don't know exactly where she is yet."
"Luke, listen to me," Josh said firmly, stepping in front of me.. "Right now, Bryan thinks she doesn't remember
him. He's keeping up his act. She's safe as long as nothing tips him off."
My fists tightened at my sides, the anger surging throughlike a tidal wave. "But what if... what if he touches
her, man?!" The words tore out ofbefore | could stop them. The thought of Bryan laying a hand on Jess-my
Jess- madewant to tear the whole world apart.
Josh's face softened for a split second, but he kept his calm. "The police will find her before anything happens."
He said it like he believed it, but | could see the tension in his shoulders, the sfear gnawing at him that was
eatingalive. "I can't just sit here, man," | muttered, turning away as my
PART 4-CHAPTER 172
stomach churned with helpless rage. "I don't care what the police say. We need to find her. | need to find her."
25 Wouchers
Josh grabbed my arm, forcingto face him. "I get it, okay? But we don't even know where she is. Think about
it."
His grip was tight, and for a moment,
| wanted to push him away, to fh
anyone who tolgme(t6 ait wh e
JEsSwaY i" danger. But he was right.
: fi
As much as | hated it, we couldn't
rush in and risk making things worse.
| turned away from him, breathing
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmhard, my fists shaking with the effort
of holding myself bel) diar® waht
tortie what could happen if
: f
we were too late. Didn't want to
imagine what Bryan could do to her if
things went wrong. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
But the images kept coming, no
matter how hard | tried to block them
out. Jess, alone ithe, vulnerable.
b : p
| EollaMstand it. | couldn't stand not
knowing if she was okay, not being
there to protect her. The content is
on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
I slammed my fist into the wall, the impact sending a shock of pain up my arm, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't
enough to stop the anger, the fear, the desperation building inside me.
Josh stepped closer, pulingback from the wall.
"I can't... | can't lose her, man," | said quietly, my voice breaking. The raw fear in my chest was too much.
"You won't," Josh said, his voice more certain than | felt. "We won't let that happen."
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