CHAPTER 27: THE CALL

Chapter 27

JULIAN POLE

I wasn’t asleep. I couldn’t even pretend to be.

The room was too quiet for my thoughts. They are getting the best of me. Every sound from the hallway made my chest tighten.

This is why I don’t like been alone. Darkness and monsters always cloud my mind and make me their prey.

Rico and Luka were still not back.

They said they’d just grab breakfast, pack a few things, and be back soon. That was hours ago.

I tried to tell myself they just got caught up, that maybe the diner line was long, or the hotel check-in was slow, but it didn’t feel right. Rico always texted. Luka always called.

Something was off.

I was just about to call Luka again when I heard Jace’s voice outside.

At first, it was low, just the sound of him talking on the phone. Then it changed. His tone.

Louder. Sharper.

"No, I said now!" he snapped.

My heart skipped.

He paused, listening. Then, "I don’t care, Marco. Get to the hospital immediately, please."

I froze.

Marco.

That’s his brother, the one I read about in the files.

He barely talked about his brothers.

I could hear the echo of his footsteps right outside the door. I slid off the bed carefully, the IV tugging at my arm, and walked to the door. The closer I got, the clearer his voice sounded. It’s low but tight, angry in a way that made me nervous.

He must’ve sensed me there because the second I pulled the door open, he turned.

He ended the call without saying goodbye.

For a moment, we just stared at each other.

He looked... different. Not angry exactly, but cornered. His jaw was set, eyes dark like he was thinking about too many things at once.

I remember saying that I wasn’t going to talk to him.

But he looks terrible. And I’m worried....about him.

"What’s going on?" I asked quietly.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said, but his tone didn’t match the words.

"Don’t do that," I said, stepping closer. "You’re on edge. You’ve been on edge since last night. And now you’re yelling on the phone? What happened?"

Silence.

"Jace?"

He looked at me apologetically. That look isn’t about what happened between us, it’s something else.

Something is happening that I don’t know about and he’s trying to keep me in the dark.

"Jace"

He’s silent again.

Now that’s his problem if he doesn’t want to talk to me, I’m just worried about him.

"Have you seen my friends?. They said they were getting breakfast, but I haven’t seen them in hours."

He gave me that look again like he’s guilty now I’m scared and my thoughts are spiraling.

"Have you seen them?"

"Baby—"

"Jace, you were on the phone, Is it about my friends? Did something happen to them?"

His silence hit harder than an answer.

"Jace?"

He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed, like he didn’t know how to start. "Julian, listen to me—"

Now he’s using my name. We are in a serious situation and I don’t want to think about it. But he’s calling me by my name instead of baby.

"Don’t," I cut in. "Don’t tell me to listen unless you’re actually going to explain."

He dropped his hand and looked at me, really looked. "They’ll be fine."

"That’s not what I asked."

He took a deep breath, then said, "I’m getting them back."

"What do you mean getting them back? They went out to get food, not run off to war."

"Julian—"

"No, tell me what’s going on." My voice shook a little, but I didn’t care. "You’re scaring me."

He looked away, staring at the floor like it could help him find the right words. "My father..." he started, then stopped, shaking his head. "Just, trust me. Marco’s on his way. I’ll handle it."

"Handle what?"

The air between us felt too heavy.

He wasn’t just hiding something. He was afraid.

Jace doesn’t get afraid.

I’ve seen him pissed off, jealous, frustrated, even desperate, but never scared. And that scared me more than anything.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Julian, I need you to stay in the room. Don’t go anywhere, don’t talk to anyone you don’t know, alright?"

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

That hit wrong. He must’ve seen it too because his tone softened immediately. "Please. Just this once. Let me fix it before it gets worse."

"Before what gets worse?"

He didn’t answer.

"Jace. Are they in trouble... because of you?"

The look on his face told me everything I needed to know.

He didn’t have to say yes. It was written all over him.

I felt my stomach drop.

He took a step closer again, close enough that I could smell the faint mix of cologne on him. His hand hovered near my shoulder, like he wanted to reach out but didn’t think he should.

"Marco’s coming," he said quietly. "He’s... reliable. He’s just like Luka, he talks a lot" he paused.

"I’ll bring them back"

"And if you don’t?"

"I will."

He said it too fast. Too sure.

I swallowed hard. "You can’t keep doing this, Jace. You can’t decide what I get to know or not know."

He flinched like the words stung. "I know. But right now, you have to let me handle it. Please."

His voice cracked on that last word. That’s when I knew it was bad.

Something bigger was happening. Something I couldn’t see and he was trying to keep me on the edge of it.

"Are you going to leave again?" I asked quietly.

His eyes flickered with many emotions. Guilt, hesitation, fear. "If I have to."

That hurt more than it should’ve.

"I can’t keep doing this," I said, shaking my head. "Not knowing where you go, what you’re hiding—"

"I’ll come back."

"How do I know that?"

He didn’t answer.

He just looked at me like there were a thousand things he wanted to say but none he could.

Then he turned, reaching for his phone again. "Stay in the room, Julian. Please. Lock the door after I leave, my brother’s coming."

"Jace—"

He looked back once, and for a second, his face softened. "I’ll get your friends back. I promise."

And then he walked off down the hall, phone pressed to his ear again, already speaking to someone. His voice faded into the distance.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me in silence again.

I don’t want him to leave, but I don’t want my friends to be in danger either. They are the ones who get me the best and I can’t lose them.

I sat back on the bed, staring at the floor. The room suddenly felt smaller, like the walls were closing in.

If Marco was coming, it meant whatever was happening wasn’t small.

And if Jace was afraid... then maybe I should be too.

I picked up my phone, staring at Luka’s name on the screen.

Still no answer.

Now I’m wondering if this was what loving Jace really meant.

Feeling safe in one moment and terrified the next.