Chapter 247

Chapter 247 Book 3 Chapter 82 ~DANTE~

It’s been more than one week since I’d last seen Willow. More than one f*****g week. I’ve searched every damn corner of this place, and there hasn’t been any clue pointing to her.

Wherever she’d gone, she was hidden well. Even Austin and his family were no help, and they were the very best.

“Someone must have taken her,” Hunter says. “Willingly or unwillingly.”

I closed my eyes; the thought of someone holding her against her will made me feel even worse than I already did.

Each day that passed without Willow felt like t*****e. The pain only increased every second of every day.

I hate myself for the things I’d said after our night together.

That was the best night of my f*****g life, and I messed it up because of my past.

“We’re not going to stop the search anytime soon,” Austin assures me. “When my sister went missing, and we couldn’t find her, it was hell for us. I know what it feels like.”

I nod, “I appreciate it. I want Willow back. I’m the reason she’s gone, and I feel sick every time I think about what she went through because of me.”

Austin sighs, “We’ve all done foolish things we wish we could take back. At least you realize your mistake. Once you get her back, please don’t hold back; tell her how you truly feel. Trust me; she will forgive you.”

“I think it’s time we head back home,” James says as he checks the time.

Hunter nods, “Isabella must be restless. She’s already upset she couldn’t be here.”

They were parents now; they couldn’t be around as much as they could in the past when they didn’t have babies to worry about.

They say their goodbyes, and I watch them all leave. When I was left alone, I slowly walked back to my room. As usual, I’m hit with a wave of sadness the second I step into it and don’t see any signs of Willow. Even her scent was disappearing from the room, and I hated it. I tried to keep her in here with me, but everything was slowly fading with time.

I grabbed my wallet and stormed out of the room. I don’t stop until I’m next to the fire pit. Without a second thought, I threw the damn thing into the fire.

I should have done this a long time ago. I should have gotten rid of everything that reminded me of Anya. I shouldn’t have made Willow feel like I didn’t want her.

I f*****g hate myself. I hate myself.

I took too long to do it, and now it was too late. Willow was long gone, and it didn’t look like she was returning to me. I grabbed more things I knew reminded me of Anya and angrily shoved everything into the fire. I didn’t want anything reminding me of her anymore. I didn’t want anything in my life that would push Willow further away from me. I was done with my past, f*****g done with it.

Willow. Please. Please come back to me. Please.

I couldn’t even beg her because she was no longer around. I had no one to talk to.

I angrily punched the wall over and over again.

“Dante!” My mother shouts. “What are you doing?”

I don’t stop despite her desperate pleas to stop me from hurting myself.

She grabs my hand and tries to stop me from punching the wall again, “Talk to me, son. Please.”

I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t.

“Dante!” She begs. “Please. I’m your mother. Tell me what’s going on. What happened between you and Willow?”

“I made a mess of my life,” I whisper. “Willow is gone, and it’s all my fault. She isn’t coming back. I let my past ruin my future. I can’t go on without her mother. She’s my only reason for living, and she’s gone.”

“Don’t say that,” she whispers. “We are all here for you. And Willow is a sweet girl; she will come back. She wouldn’t leave you for long.”

She only said these things to comfort me, but it wouldn’t work. It’s the first time my mother isn’t concerned about what the public would think about us.

I haven’t gone to the academy ever since Willow disappeared, and I don’t plan on going back until I have her in my life again. I couldn’t focus on anything except her.

“If she knew how much pain you were in right now, I know she would return.” She tells me.

I pause at her words.

Why hadn’t I thought about that before?

Willow never liked to see me physically hurt. Her love for me was the reason she wouldn’t be able to bear seeing me like that.

I know what I had to do to get her back now.

I had to get back in that ring and let my opponents beat the s**t out of me.

“Thank you!” I whisper as I hug my mom tightly. She tries to talk to me some more, but I’m already out of the house before she can stop me.

I knew no one around me would let me out of this house if they knew what I was up to; I couldn’t let any of them know of my plan to get Willow back to me.

I quickly dialed the one number that would help me in this situation.

“What can I do for my favorite fighter?” he asks the second he answers the phone.

“I need you to set up some matches for me. I’m going to lose each of them.” I tell him. “It’s not going to be like last time. This time I will lose every single one of these matches.” I promise him.

It was a promise I planned on keeping.