Angel Series Books #1-2.5

by Tracy Lorraine

  I watch Mum’s eyes light up before she speaks, “Beth asked for your number so you two could catch up. She’s single, from what I gather.” Oh, fucking great, she’s trying to set me up.

  “I guess it will be good to speak to her again, but don’t get any ideas, Mum, and definitely do not get involved please,” I beg, and she just gives me a look that says, would I? Yes, she fucking would, and if I know her at all probably already has.

  “I’ve got Caleb’s number for you, Abs, I’ll give it to you later.”

  Throughout this whole conversation, I’ve watched Molly’s eyes move back and forth between me and my mum like she is trying to figure something out. Surely she can see what my mum is doing, but I’m not liking the look on Molly’s face as she does this. She looks kind of resigned and that worries me. A lot.

  Everyone continues to chat apart from Molly again, who is staring down at her hands. Suddenly, everyone’s conversations are interrupted when Molly’s phone starts ringing. She grabs it quickly, apologises then hurries away from the table. I watch her talk briefly with whoever is on the other end before she returns, looking regretful.

  “I’m sorry guys, but I’m going to have to go. That was my brother. Something is going on with his wife’s parents and they need to me to look after my nieces,” she explains as she grabs her bag and coat. “The bill’s been settled but if you want any more drinks or anything then please go for it, they’ve got my bank details. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.” She then turns to my parents and sisters. “Have a safe trip back and I’ll see you all soon.”

  “I’ll walk you out,” I say, going to stand up.

  “No, I’ll see you later. Enjoy the time with your family.” Abbi and Liv give her quick hugs but then she is out the door barely before I can blink. We all look at each other, completely bemused, but slowly everyone gets back to their earlier conversations. Apart from me, because I am now more concerned than ever about what is going on with her. I need to get everyone out of here so I can hunt down where her brother lives.

  Molly

  The look on Ryan’s face as I announced I was leaving broke my heart, but it didn’t stop me practically running out of there and away from his interfering mother. I can’t believe she is trying to set him up with an old friend…wait, no, I totally can, especially if she lives in Liverpool. All Karen’s dreams could come true at once: Ryan could have a ‘nice’ girlfriend and move back home. I get a little choked up at the thought, so shake it from my head and focus on driving before I get so distracted and I end up in a ditch.

  I pull back up outside Jax’s apartment building and let myself in with the keys he gave me earlier. When I get in, I see that Jax is still laid out on the same sofa as he was earlier, but he has got on a different pair of boxers and his hair is a little damp, telling me he has at least managed a shower.

  I take my coat and boots off before throwing myself at the other sofa and lying in the same position as Jax. His living room is laid out with two sofas facing each other with a coffee table in the middle, so we can look at each other.

  “Hey, how’d it go?” he asks, looking over at me getting comfortable.

  “Shit. He’s so angry with me and hurt, but I just don’t know what to do for the best.” Jax raises his eyebrows at me, so I go on to explain all about Karen and her little scheme to get rid of me.

  “Wow, what a bitch. Abbi has said before how controlling she tries to be, but I didn’t think she would take it that far. You’ve got to tell him, Molls, he deserves to know what she is really like,” he says once I’ve finished.

  “I don’t disagree. He does deserve to know, but I just don’t know if I can do it to him. His family is so important to him; I don’t want to be the one to break it. I’d give anything to have a caring and supportive family like his, even if his Mum is a…little misguided.”

  “Don’t you think that is up to him to decide? I would say that you are just as important to him as his family, if not more, Molly. And really, you’d give anything to have a family like that? Have you looked at the people you have around you lately? The Morrisons, your brothers, Megan, Ryan, me,” he says, pointing at himself, “just to name a few. Just because we aren’t all blood related, doesn’t make us care for or support each other any less.”

  I think for a few minutes about all the people he has just mentioned, and realise he is right. “Yeah, you’re right. I need to focus on what I have got and not what I haven’t, because what I have got is really fucking good. Thank you, Jax.”

  “You’re still not going to tell him though, are you?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, what if she is right and I’m just not good enough for him? What if I’m not cut out for the committed relationship thing and I’m just going to hurt him anyway? Better to do it sooner rather than later, don’t you think?”

  “What if you don’t hurt him though? I mean, I’ve only seen you together a couple of times, but you are so perfect together. I really think the two of you could have what it takes.”

  “Jax, you’re a bit of a romantic at heart, aren’t you?”

  “I guess. It’s my parents’ fault! They have been head over heels in love since they were seventeen. They have only been with each other and they love each other more and more each day. I want that; the connection they have is out of this world. I’ve always been in awe of their relationship. I have thought a couple of times I might have found it, but it’s always been shattered. Abbi…well…Abbi came closer than anyone. The effect she has one me is like nothing I’ve experienced before. It’s just a shame she doesn’t feel the same, I guess.”

  My heart breaks listening to him. To the rest of the world, Jax looks like this tattooed bad boy, but underneath all that ink is such a sweet and passionate guy. Abbi doesn’t know what she’s thrown away.

  “Have you tried calling her?”

  “Of course I have, but she won’t answer or reply to my texts. I feel like I’m understanding what the problem is the more I listen to you speak about Karen, but is what she thinks really important enough to throw away what we’ve got?”

  “Do you know what happened to Abbi when she was younger, with an ex?” Jax looks over at me with raised eyebrows, making me think he doesn’t.

  “No, she’s never said anything. Why?”

  “I don’t know anything. Ryan always changes the subject, but from little bits I’ve heard, something happened with a tattooed bad boy in the past and I think Karen is concerned that whatever it was is going to happen again. Everyone is very tight-lipped about it, so I’m guessing it wasn’t good.”

  I watch the cogs turning in Jax’s head before he jumps up, “I need a drink.”

  “What about the hangover?”

  “The hangover isn’t numbing the pain. Alcohol will, though. You with me?”

  “Absofuckinglutely!” I follow Jax into his kitchen where he pulls out a bottle of wine, a couple of beers and a bottle of vodka. He turns and grabs a wine glass and a couple of shot glasses before filling them and handing me my drinks.

  “To interfering mother-in-laws that need to keep their fucking noses out of our business and love lives,” he says, raising his shot glass.

  “To being fucked over by your mother-in-law,” I agree, before necking the shot at the same time as Jax.

  “So where does Ryan think you’ve gone? Because I’m thinking that if he knew you were here, he would have broken the door down by now trying to get to you,” Jax asks, starting to slur his words slightly.

  We’ve been drinking now for nearly two hours. It’s dark out and I’m waiting for that bang on the door to happen anytime now. I know that everyone would have headed home by now and I’m sure Ryan set straight about finding me. I’m not stupid enough to think he won’t find me here, I’m just sorta hoping he’ll get bored looking for me or just hope I’ll come back eventually, which I guess I will have to, seeing as I live with him.

  “I told him Steven needed me to babysit the girls. I’m sure it won’t b
e long before he figures out where I am.”

  “He doesn’t know where I live though, does he?”

  “I don’t think so, but I’m sure Abbi will soon tell him.” Jax just groans and downs another shot at the sound of her name.

  “If she means that much to you Jax, you’ve got to fight for her.”

  “What, like you’re doing for Ryan?” he says with a quirked eyebrow.

  “Shit!” I squeal putting the wine glass and bottle down before trying to wipe off my t-shirt and jeans. If I can’t successfully fill my wine glass back up, I think it means I’m drunker than I thought. Jax just watches me and laughs. “Have you got anything I can change into? These are soaked.”

  “Yeah, come on,” he says, holding his hand out to pull me up. “I’m guessing you’re sleeping here tonight?” he asks as he pulls me into his bedroom.

  “Uh…yeah, I guess. Is that okay?”

  “Of course. Here, take this,” he says, handing me a t-shirt, “you can have a shower if you like.”

  “Thank you, Jax,” I say, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. “You’re a really good guy, you know that? Abbi is stupid to let you go.” He lets out a breath at my words before plodding back towards the living room, leaving me in his bedroom.

  Chapter Twelve

  Ryan

  “And you haven’t spoken to her all day?”

  “No. Ryan, I’m sorry, but she really isn’t here,” Steven repeats for about the tenth time since I’ve been on the phone. At first I thought he was covering for her, but now I’m starting to believe him. “Will you call me when you find her, though? You’ve got me worried now.”

  “Yeah I will, thanks Steven,” I say, before hanging up.

  “So she’s not there then?” Abbi asks when I end the call.

  “No, and he hasn’t spoken to her all day.” It’s now just gone nine in the evening and I’ve not heard anything from Molly since her disappearance from the pub earlier this afternoon. My parents and Liv left not long after we got back; Mum and Dad because they didn’t want to be late home, and Liv because she had plans. Abbi is still here even though she has to drive back to Manchester tonight. She is adamant she wants to stay with me. “Abs, you need to get going, you’ve got a long drive.”

  “No, I’ve told you I’ll stay. I can ring in sick tomorrow if needs be. I want to make sure Molly is okay.”

  “I’m sure she’s fine,” I try to say in a reassuring voice, but it comes out sounding anything but. “She’ll just be at a friend’s. I don’t want you missing uni because of us. You go, and I promise I’ll call you when I’ve found her.”

  “You promise?”

  “Yes, I promise. Now get going; it’s a long drive in the dark on your own.”

  “Yes Mum, calm down!” I carry Abbi’s bag downstairs for her and put it in her car before giving her a hug and sending on her way; not before I’ve promised again to ring her when I’ve found Molly.

  I head back inside and plonk myself on the sofa, trying to decide what to do for the best. She’s not at Steven’s, which I think I pretty much knew to be the case because I could tell she was lying when she left the pub. Where is she most likely to go to hide?

  The office.

  I grab my keys and jump in my car before speeding into the city to see if she is there. I’m quite hopeful, because every time she has run before, this is where she has come. As I drive down the road that Cocoa’s is on, the butterflies in my stomach start to increase. I’m more confident than ever that she will be here, and I’m nervous about what I’m going to find when I get there with Molly acting so strangely all day. My heart soon drops though, when I see the empty parking spaces around the back.

  I can’t leave without making sure she isn’t inside though, so I grab the keys from my glove box and jog up to the door, before letting myself inside to see for myself that she isn’t here. I can tell instantly that she isn’t, because the building feels cold. I would be able to tell if Molly were here.

  Getting myself back in the car, I rest my forehead against the wheel while I think about where she could be. If she’s not here alone, then it means she has gone to someone. Who would she go to?

  Megan.

  I shove the key in the ignition and back out of the space.

  “Hi, angel. Is everything okay?” Susan asks me. It’s now gone ten o’clock, which is late for Susan and Pete. She is stood at the front door in her dressing gown, looking worried by my late night visit.

  “Um…is Molly here, by any chance?”

  “No, I haven’t seen her since she left the pub. Is everything okay?” she asks as she opens the door wider for me to enter.

  Susan looks even more concerned after I finish explaining her weird actions today. Susan knows as well as I do that it isn’t like Molly at all.

  “I was hoping you could give me Megan’s phone number. I’m guessing she’s most likely gone there.”

  “Yeah of course, although Megan had the weekend off, so I don’t even know if she’s about.”

  “Still worth a try,” I say as I follow Susan into her office.

  I put my phone to my ear and wait for it to connect.

  “Hello?” Megan asks groggily.

  “Megan, it’s Ryan…Evans. I’m so sorry. Did I wake you?”

  “Is everything okay?” she asks, ignoring my question and suddenly sounding more alert.

  “That depends. Is Molly with you?”

  “No, sorry Ryan. James and I have gone away for the weekend.”

  “Oh, sorry to interrupt. Have you spoken to her then?”

  “No, sorry. What’s happened?” I explain the story again, and again promise to let her know when I find Molly, before hanging up.

  I run my hands through my hair, “Where the hell is she?” I groan to myself.

  “What other friends is she likely to go to?” Susan asks.

  Susan makes me a coffee while I ring Chris to see if either him or Shane have heard from her, but no such luck. The only thing I am achieving by ringing all her friends is getting them worried about Molly, which really isn’t helping the feeling I have in the pit of my stomach.

  “Here you go, angel,” Susan says as she passes me a steaming mug. “Any luck?”

  “No, no one has heard from her all day. She’s been so weird today, but I just can’t put my finger on it. She went downstairs with Mum last night and…”

  “What is it, Ryan?”

  “Jax…she’s with Jax. My mum said something to her and she’s gone to Jax because he’s having the same problem with Abbi, and he’ll know how she’s feeling.” I am now pacing the Morrisons’ kitchen floor as all the pieces fall into place.

  “What could your mum have said to upset her so much that she’s run off?” Susan asks, looking bemused by the idea.

  “Oh, trust me, my mum could have said plenty. She can be vicious when she wants to be.”

  “Oh.” Susan says, looking a bit confused. I guess when you are the world’s perfect mum it’s hard to imagine saying something nasty to one of your children’s friends. Especially when they know how much they mean to them. “Well, what are you hanging around here for then? Go find out,” she says, as she stands and gestures towards the door.

  “I…I don’t know where he lives.”

  “Well get on the bloody phone to your sister and find out.” Wow, Susan must be more worried by this than I thought if she is throwing swear words around. Bloody is a very bad word in her book!

  I’ve tried Abbi five times but no answer; she must be driving. This both pleases and frustrates me in equal measures. I’m glad she isn’t on the phone while driving, but I’m also desperate for Jax’s address. I need to find out what the fuck has happened.

  It is a very long twenty minutes later when Abbi eventually returns my call. She is very apologetic because she didn’t realise her phone was on silent, and it wasn’t until she stopped at some services for a caffeine fix that she saw my missed calls and realised.

  I q
uickly say goodbye to Susan, then I am back in my car and speeding towards the address Abbi has just relayed to me.

  Jax lives in the middle of the city, so it’s another thirty minutes before I am pulling up outside his apartment building. I know she is here, because I've seen her parked car. I’m just about to press the buzzer to his flat when a drunken couple come stumbling up to the entrance. I let them go ahead of me but catch the door before it closes. I watch them enter the lift before turning and taking the stairs two at a time until I’m on the top floor.

  I begin hammering on Jax’s front door loudly enough so that it would wake him if he’s asleep. I continue banging for a good five minutes before I hear any movement inside, and a male voice grumble that he is coming.

  When the door is pulled open, my chin almost hits the floor. I was not expecting him to be stood there only in his boxers and with his hair all over the place like someone has been running their hands through it. Instantly, my previous dislike of Jax comes back to me.

  “I know she is here, I saw her car,” I say, shoving the door fully open so hard it ricochets off the wall behind it as I march into Jax’s flat.

  “Come in, why don’t you?” Jax says with a smirk from behind me.

  “Where the fuck is she?”

  “Ryan, I think you need to calm down mate.”

  “Don’t fucking tell me what to do,” I say as I poke my head into the kitchen, then the living room, before making my way down the hall towards what I presume is the bedroom. What I see makes my blood boil. “How about instead you explain to me why you are practically naked and looking like that, while my girlfriend is in your bed?” I shout as I shove his shoulders until I have him backed up against the wall of his bedroom. It doesn’t even occur to me that Molly hasn’t so much as stirred at my shouting and crashing about.

  When Jax doesn’t say anything, I get right in his face, “Well?”

  “Ryan, it’s not what you think,” he whispers.

  “Really? Well, would you care to explain this, then?” I say, waving my arm in the direction of his bed. “And make it fucking fast.”