The ticking of a clock fills the silent room as Adrian and Lev wait for me to sign the contract. I’m putting my money where my mouth is, but it’s hard to focus. This property is in the Clarkes’ territory. I told myself I wouldn’t fuck with that family, but now I can’t seem to help myself. It’ll be the third lot I’m buying, which will put me on their radar.
Francesco runs his hand over his buzzed hair as he waits just like the rest of them. “It’s either now or never,” he says, gesturing to the pen in my hand.
I nod and sign my name next to the “X” on the bottom of the paper.
It’s done.
Over the past two years, I’ve done what Kirill couldn’t ever do. That alone is an accomplishment I’ll take a shot for.
“Fuck yeah, brother.” Adrian walks behind me, patting my back.
I nod, taking a cigarette from my pocket and lighting the end.
“One day till you got everything you need,” Francesco muses.
I stand up from the chair and walk toward the cart stocked with alcohol in the corner of the room. I pour myself a glass and bring it to my lips. Then I reach into my pocket for my phone, which has been blowing up for the past half hour. I couldn’t answer it because I was too focused on the paper in front of me.
I have six missed calls from Dimitri.
Shit.
I dial his number, and the phone doesn’t even finish the first ring before he picks up.
“Mikhail, what that fuck, man? Answer your phone when I call!” he shouts.
“Sorry, I was busy,” I tell him.
“Sloane is gone.”
Everything in the room slows down as I hear those words come through the phone. Panic shoots through my bloodstream.
“What do you mean she’s gone? Where the fuck is she, Dimitri?”
“I don’t know. I fell asleep on the couch for a couple hours. When I woke up and saw it was past noon, I went to check on her, but she wasn’t there. I looked through the house and found nothing. Her shoes are gone.”
My grip strengthens around the edges of my phone. “You fell asleep.”
“It’s been a long couple of days, man.”
“You. Fell. Asleep.”
“I’ll find her.”
“You’d better fucking find her.” I hang up and stride toward the door.
“What’s going on?” Adrian asks.
I put the end of the cigarette out in an empty bottle of vodka. “She fucking left.”
“Sloane?”
“Who the hell else?” I run my hands through my hair. She fucking left. Why would she leave? After last night, I thought things had gotten better between us—but of course, she has to defy me. It’s in her nature to do the opposite of everything I say. She’s a manipulative little brat.
“Okay, think,” Lev says. “She’d go back to try to get in contact with her father, right?”
I shake my head. “She’s careless, not stupid.” Then I take the empty bottle and throw it at a wall, flustered. “Fuck!”
Hours pass by as I frantically tear apart the city looking for her.
She is a fucking witch. She used her body to gain my trust just to betray me.
My phone chimes, and I see an alert from my bank about a withdrawal. My head falls back and I let a laugh slip through my lips when I see the number. Without thinking, I approve the payment. Sloane will always get what she wants, and I hate her even more for it. She’s got a magic wand that’s able to demand anything of me and I’ll simply oblige.
I update Dimitri on where she is and tell him to pick her up. I expected more of him, but I can’t be mad. I’ve had them doing a lot for me. I should have stayed with Sloane or at least brought her with me today.
And now I don’t know what I’m going to do with her.
