My employees turned over everything at that goddamn store, but they couldn’t find any clues as to her whereabouts. There was nothing left of her. One of their cashiers was responsible for her escape. Gave her a key and everything, tsk. High-end, my ass. If I don’t fucking find my girl, I’m going to tear that Luuks boutique apart. Their entire brand will sink and fade into nothingness, I’ll make sure of it.
She’s gone because of them, fled the scene to God knows where. She’s probably frightened, hungry, and alone. She could be in danger, for all I know. And I’m sitting here in my mansion organizing a search while others do the running for me. I’m not doing anything when I should be out there, searching for her day and night, turning over every rock until I find her and leaving nothing left unscathed.
Fuck. I should’ve never let her out of the house. Never.
I fish my phone out of my pocket and dial the number I never wanted to call.
He picks up. “Davis.”
I almost wish he didn’t. “Your daughter escaped.”
It’s silent for a few seconds. “Well, that was quick.” He laughs out loud, and my jaw fucking drops. “I thought you’d manage to hold onto her for some time at least, but that’s faster than even I could imagine.”
“This isn’t a joke,” I growl.
“So why are you calling me?”
“Is she at your restaurant here?”
“No, not that I know of.”
“If she is, you’d better fucking tell me right now, or else …” I growl.
“My staff would’ve told me if she was, and she wouldn’t go there, trust me on that,” he replies. “Why is this my problem?”
“Of course, she would. You’re her fucking father, so any business you own is a haven to her.” I’m so pissed I clench the desk with my nails.
“She won’t because she hates me and everything that has to do with me,” he replies.
“You’re her only safety net,” I say. “I’m sure the restaurant would take her in if she begged.”
“Well, then maybe you should’ve held onto her better.”
“Don’t fucking tell me what I should and shouldn’t have done,” I yell. “This is your problem because she’s your daughter who you exchanged for a loan. A loan I can withdraw at any time.”
He snorts. “The money’s already spent, Easton. There’s no way to get it back.”
I lean over and swear into the phone as it’s jammed between the desk and my mouth. “My money is inside your business, inside you, and I will fucking rip it out if I have to. Do you hear me? I will tear down your business and your fucking ass along with it.”
I can hear him swallow on the other end of the line.
“Now you listen … If she calls you, comes to one of your restaurants, anything, you let me know. Do you understand me?”
A few seconds pass. “Yes. Of course.”
“Good,” I hiss. “And I want you to go fucking look for her.”
“What? Me? Why?”
“Because she’ll listen to you.”
“She never has,” he exclaims.
“I don’t fucking care how you get it done. You’re going to help find her. She’s my fucking wife, and I want her back.”
“How am I going to find her if you can’t?” he asks. “She doesn’t have a phone anymore because you took it from her. I have no way of contacting her.”
“Are you deaf? I said get it done. Do whatever you have to. If I don’t get her back, I’m going to turn your world into a living hell …” I growl into the phone. “I have cameras in my home. Hundreds of them. Did you know?”
“What does that have to do—”
“I taped her,” I interject. “Every single second of her breathing in my home … in every single possible position you could imagine.”
He gulps.
“You wouldn’t want it to suddenly end up in the hands of journalists, would you?”
“No,” he says, clearing his throat. “I’ll find her. I’ll make sure of it.”
“I’m glad we finally understand each other,” I reply. “Call me when you have more information.”
I end the phone call before he can reply. I don’t want to hear his voice any longer than necessary. I just want him to find her before it’s too late. Before she’s out of my grasp forever or, worse, in someone else’s.
I punch my desk and blow out a breath to try to contain my fury. I would blow up this entire city if it meant I’d find her again … but if there’s a chance she could die, I wouldn’t dare risk it.
I don’t want her dead. I want her alive and in my arms where she belongs.
“Sir …” Jill places a hand on my shoulder.
I shrug it off. “Don’t.”
“Punching a desk isn’t going to help,” she says.
“What will?” I say, turning around to face her. “Exactly. Nothing.”
She cocks her head and smiles. “Your employees are doing their best to find her.”
“Then they’re not working hard enough,” I reply.
“It takes time to find her in a city this big, and a lot of time has passed. She could be anywhere,” she says.
“Exactly my point,” I retort. “The longer it takes, the more time she has to get even farther away from me.”
“Sir …” She pauses for a moment. “Have you thought about letting it go?”
My eyes widen. “Letting it go? Have you lost your fucking mind, Jill?”
“No, it’s just that …” She swallows. “I know she is your wife, but you two haven’t exactly gotten along very well, and—”
“We were getting along fine,” I interject. “She was just getting used to me.”
“She was constantly looking for a way out,” she adds.
“Because she’s a spoiled little princess who wants more, more, more,” I hiss.
“Because you took the thing she wants the most …”
“What?” I’m right up in her face now.
“Her freedom,” she says, adding another gentle smile. “A woman will always fight to get what she wants. Always.”
“I couldn’t give her that, Jill, and you know damn well why.”
“I know. I’m just saying …” Her shoulders rise with her deep breath. “If you would’ve given her a little more a little sooner, maybe she wouldn’t have had the urge to escape.”
“She wouldn’t have slipped away if you wouldn’t have let her out of your sight!” I growl.
Her lips part, but she sucks in her words and lowers her eyes. The hurt spelled out on her face is so clear not even a blind man would miss that. Guilt immediately fills my veins.
“I know …” she mutters. “But Charlotte isn’t the easiest to work with.”
I can’t lie and say that she is, so I have to give her that. “It’s why I tasked you with taking care of her.” I place a hand on her shoulder. “Because I trust you the most.”
She beams once again and snorts a little. “But couldn’t you have picked an easier girl? Like, I don’t know, one of the many girls who’d wait in line to get some time alone with you?”
“Nonsense,” I say, shaking my head.
“I’ve seen them. At your clubs,” she adds, her cheeks turning rosy. “You could pick one to your liking. There are so many who … who just wanna be near you.”
I lick my lips. “I only want Charlotte.”
“Why?” she asks. “What’s so special about her?”
I frown at her question. She’s never asked me that, and it’s telling that she’d need to.
“Everything.” I dig in my mind, seeing images of her right in front of me. “She’s beautiful … smart … sassy.”
“Many girls have those qualities,” Jill says.
“Not like this one,” I reply. “Not with her family reputation.”
“This is just to get back at her father, isn’t it?” she asks.
“It’s so much more than that,” I say, and I tilt my head lower. “But you wouldn’t understand. You weren’t there when my infatuation with her started, and that’s okay. But don’t question me on my choices, Jill.”
She nods a couple of times and looks away. “Yes, sir. I understand.” Turning around, she walks off, but before she exits, she grabs the doorframe, and says, “Is there something you need, sir? Anything?”
“No, I’m fine, Jill. Go help the others find Charlotte.” I pick up a cigar and light it, taking a drag before I add, “Do whatever’s necessary to find her.”
I keep taking drags, but not even a good cigar can take the edge off. I’m antsy; my body is riddled with energy it can’t release, and it makes me want to lash out. But there’s no point. There must be some other way I can rid myself of this fiery blaze roaring through my heart.
I open my laptop and enter the password, then immediately open the folder with all the videos of her. I can’t stop myself. I have to see her. Any way I can is good enough as long as I can get my Charlotte fix.
I know I’m greedy, selfish, and fucking disturbed, but I don’t care. I need her, and now that she’s gone, I only want her more.
But when I look through my files, the one from the night at the restaurant is missing. The one where she acted like a complete vixen, seducing me until I succumbed and played with her mind and body.
My eyes widen.
It’s gone. Vanished like it never even existed. It’s not even in the bin.
How? No one has access to this laptop … unless …
Charlotte stole the key.
My fist balls, and I toss my cigar into the ashtray and growl out loud. She did this.
