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Lucas' POV

I felt like shit.

I was feeling so bad for raising my voice at her but she had to understand that she was my responsibility. She was mine to protect and keep away from harm. Why couldn't she understand how worried I was for her when I found out she wasn't at home?

I know what I saw when she was found in a pool of her blood. She was so pale and cold that I thought I would lose her. I had thought that I would lose the one woman I was in love with and that traumatized me. I understood she was someone who wasn't dependent on people doing things for her but she needed to know that she was now going to be a mother and needed help from the people that cares for her.

With a sigh, I parked my motorcycle in a parking spot and turned off the engine. I unbuckled my helmet and pulled it off my face. I ran my fingers through my hair and propped the helmet onto my lap. My thoughts drifted back to the question that Jackie had asked me. I didn't have an answer to her question because I didn't know how she could take what I had to say.

It would break her heart and I didn't want any of that. I was only left with finding a solution to my problems before she found out anything.

I got off the motorcycle and took out the key. With the helmet in my hand, I walked toward the restaurant where I was to meet Axel. I walked into the boisterous place and looked around for him. I spotted him toward the back, away from the wandering eyes. I nodded and made my way to him. Once I got to the table, I sat down and dropped my helmet on the table.

"What's up?" I asked and he smiled.

"We live together. Why are you even asking me that when we saw each other an hour ago?" Axel asked and took a sip out of his smoothie.

"I'm not asking how you are, dumb fuck. I was asking to know what information you have," I replied and he placed his hand on his chest.

"Awe, that's so sad," he said and cleared his throat right after. "So, about our dear sister. My guy was able to find some suspicious things concerning her. Like the love letters which were written about you but never sent. Here," He said and placed bunches of folded paper held by a rubber band on the table.

I was stunned at the volume of it and repulsed at the thought of my sister doing such a thing. Hesitantly, I took the letters and pulled one out. I swallowed and unfolded the letter.

"Read it out, please," Axel said, pointing at the letter.

My heart was pounding at the idea of what was in the letter. It disturbed me that I started to sweat a little.

"Okay," I said and cleared my throat. "Dear, Lucas. Today I saw you practicing at the basketball court at the back of the house without a shirt and you... This is just too disgusting to read, Axel."

"Just try."

I nodded. "You were so hot, with the sweat and everything running down your back. You keep giving me reasons to fall for you and I know it's bad, that it's a sin but love is love, right?"

"Now that's offensive. Love is love but not crazy and illegal type of love," Axel said, anger in his tone. "Carry on."

"I have been holding myself back from telling you how much I care about you. It's so hard when I see you with those stupid girls from your school all over you. I hate how they giggle and pretend before you. They don't know that you're mine. You love me and are protective of me so I know you have some type of feelings for me, right?"

I squeezed the paper and tossed it aside. I was boiling with anger. She took advantage of my care for something else. I protected her and made sure she was safe when our parents barely paid attention to her well-being and she decided to pay me back in such a sinful way.

"I can't read anymore. I can't, Axel," I said and leaned back on my seat, looking to the side.

"You don't have to. I'll try to read everything to see if I can find any clues of her whereabouts," Axel said and took the letters back.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, my head aching from everything happening. Things were getting more complicated by the day. I had to find Ruth, I just fought with Jackie, I had to hide some things from Jackie too. I was between a rock and a hard place.

"Do you have any other information?" I asked.

"I am supposed to be getting one this week. My guy was able to find the place where those boys are staying. They are in some state called Abuja in Nigeria but their location is unknown. I already gave this information to the police, so they can help us in case they have any faster means of finding them. Once we find them, we should be able to know where Ruth is."

I nodded. "Thanks. We have to find Ruth and those boys and put them in prison."

"Alright. I gotta go. I'll meet you at home," Axel said and rose from the seat. He patted my shoulder before walking away.

I spent an extra five minutes sitting down before I left the restaurant and rode home. When I parked my motorcycle in a parking space and turned it off, I got off and made my way to the entrance of the apartment building.

"Lucas?!"

I turned at the sound of Maddy's voice. She jogged up to me and stopped beside me.

"You're back?" I asked.

"Yeah, I had to make sure my mom isn't finding means of trying to get out of jail with her connections. Hey, how's Jackie? Is she upstairs?"

I tensed at her question, not knowing how to answer her. I haven't even thought of how I would apologize to my girlfriend for picking a fight with her.

"I don't know. She should be upstairs," I said and we started walking toward the doors ahead of us.

The moment we climbed the steps, I heard my phone notify me of a text. I paused and so did Maddy. I took it out and unlocked my phone. I clicked on the message from the unknown number and the moment my eyes landed on the content of the message, I felt like my heart had stopped beating and that the world around me went black.

"What is it? You look pale," Maddy said and leaned forward to look at the text. "Jesus Christ!"

I could not believe what I was looking at. It can't be true.