Irène's POV

I meticulously polish the back of my gun with a reel cloth. I fill the magazine with thirteen rounds of bullets.

My phone rings and I pick it up right away without checking who called me.

"We have to talk," Derek says authoritatively.

"Aren't we talking now?" I reply bored as I put my gun in the safe and I hold the phone with my shoulder up to my ear.

"I don't have time for this, Irène. You know what I called for."

"I have better things to do," I cut him off as I lock the safe.

I look around my room. Empty. Or almost. I throw myself on the bed. I should change the sheets.

"Meet me at the Whiskey 9 bar in downtown," he says and I hang up. He doesn't know whether I'm going to go or not, and that's exactly what I want.

My time is too precious for whatever he decided to call me for. He assumed I had any idea—I really don't. I don't care either.

Surprisingly, I decide to get dressed. I quickly put on some tight jeans and a top with a black short jacket. I pick up my sunglasses and the first shoes I see.

One quick glance at the mirror before I go. I notice my green eyes surrounded by dark circles. My hair is bleached and almost platinum.

I don't look as good as I used to, unless I really try to fix my damaged hair and put on some makeup, but Derek isn't worth the effort.

The chauffeur comes to pick me up since I'm too lazy to drive today. I have a meeting with my parents next week, which I assume is to talk about the future of their company and how I can play a role in it since they noticed 'I've calmed down' without any sex scandals or being kicked out of college.

I really do miss college and it's always a surprise admitting that to myself.

The car pulls in front of the bar he'd asked me to come to and I tell the chauffeur I'll give him a call soon.

I walk inside and I immediately spot Derek. He looks miserable, as always. I still don't understand what Veronica sees in him.

Well, not everyone has good taste like me.

I've talked very little to Shanice this week but we will have a romantic dinner tonight.

Derek spots me and I put my sunglasses over my head. Some men look at me but they look away when I give them a disgusted, bitchy look.

"Do you want something?" he asks and I shake my head. I've had enough alcohol lately. I'm still hungover.

Sometimes I wonder how long until I get into a coma and die. I drink almost daily, not even Shanice can keep up with me.

He has a glass of whiskey and chugs it all down then orders another one.

Oh no. Problems in paradise.

"I need your help," he finally speaks as he looks at his phone, possibly waiting for a text.

"Of course you do."

"Be serious for once, Irène," he scolds me and I roll my eyes. "I have to track down the sick fuck who assaulted Veronica."

I widen my eyes as I grab his glass from him and I pour it down my throat. "Now we're talking."

"I thought you knew that's what you are here for," he says but it comes out more as a question.

"No. I assumed it was your usual bullshit."

"You are a ray of sunshine, aren't you?"

I smile and I stand up.

"Let's catch the motherfucker, shall we?"

He puts down his empty glass and sighs.

"One problem. I've been patrolling Kaylee's cafeteria for weeks now and nothing. I asked around too and they say they haven't seen that man in years."

I thought he was smarter than that. Well, not really but still, what a dumb idea. He would never come back right after he assaulted Veronica. It's only been less than three weeks.

"Duh, he won't go back there. Why would he? It's risky."

"Yet he risked going into her house three years after the first assault," Derek says bitterly.

I sit down again, realizing this is going to be a long conversation. We need a plan.

"What happened, what's with the sad face?"

"I had a fight with Veronica-"

I interrupt him. "Ah, of course. Why did I even ask." I order a glass of whiskey and he does too. Might as well get drunk.

Derek barely looks at me as he stares at the barman filling his glass. He stinks of alcohol. He's probably been drinking before I came too.

"Did you convince her to stay at your apartment for longer?" I ask.

"Barely. She wanted to leave today. She agreed to-" he suddenly stands up as he probably realized something.

"For fuck's sake," he swears as he finishes drinking the whiskey and sets it on the table. I do the same and I stand up after him.

"What happened?" I ask as he runs to the door.

"I left after we fought. She is going to fucking leave, I know it."

"Wow. You dumb fuck. Of course she would," I mock him as he goes to his car. "Are you stupid?! You want to drive like this?"

He is barely keeping himself together.

"Oh, because you are so careful," he mocks me as I grab the keys from his hand.

He is right. I'm not. But this is too much.

"Stay put. I'm going to call a car."

My chauffeur gets here soon, especially because it hasn't been long since he left. We tell him to take us to Derek's apartment.

"She's probably long gone," I say to annoy him and he closes his eyes for a second, probably trying hard to not insult me. He then touches his forehead.

"What did you fight about?"

He sighs. "Same old stuff."

"Yeah, until you learn the lesson, the lesson will keep showing up."

He looks up at me and replies sarcastically, "wow, so inspirational."

I roll my eyes.

We run to the elevator and I impatiently wait for it to reach his floor. He barely finds his home keys through his pockets. He reeks of alcohol.

I haven't seen him like this, ever.

As soon as he opens the door, I know she left.

She left the keys on the table. Derek seems out of his mind.

"Calm down, we will find her."

"She won't live here anymore." He paces around the room, looking like a crazy person.

"We will force her if we have to," I suggest but I know it's dumb.

Derek chuckles bitterly as he looks for his phone. He tries to call her but the call doesn't even go through. Her phone is turned off.

He swears at the phone again and again until he gives up.

"Where would she go..." I ponder to myself.

She wouldn't go home to her mom, no, she is smarter than that. And neither on campus, at least not until she calms down and has her usual dramatic response to every fight.

In a few days she will probably go back to living in the dormitory, to be close to her college classes.

Unless she's completely gone mad and gave up on everything. Likely too.

I try to reassure him. "She is most likely fine."

He shakes his head. "She doesn't even have a car... she is probably close."

"She called a cab."

"Not like she had much money."

"She probably has enough for a cab."

He sighs. "Right."

"Listen," I say, "let's come up with a plan to catch that man. Veronica is fine. What she needs is that man behind bars."

Derek stands up and comes close. He looks threatening as he looks down at me, despite that he isn't really that much taller than me.

"Behind bars?" I don't see any warmth in his eyes, not the kind he has when he is near Veronica. His tone is ice. "I'm going to fuck him up."

I don't dare to breathe. I believe him. He is going to go to prison for Veronica, and this time it will be for murder.