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I pace back and forth the room as the phone rings again before going to voicemail. “Hey Zoe, call me when you get this. I just wanted to talk to you before bed. I miss you, and I love you. If you’re out dancing tonight, have a good time. I’m having a hell of a time trying to fall asleep without you. Just call me when you get this.”
After hanging up, I toss the phone on the bed and head over to the desk near the window.
I pull out my laptop, needing something to do until Zoe calls me back. I already know that I’m not going to get any sleep until I hear from her.
She’s just out dancing, nothing to worry about.
Except anything could happen while she is at a bar.
Zoe is smart, though. She knows how to take care of herself, and she has always been great about taking security with her.
Or maybe she picked up another show while I was gone.
Yet another valid reason for her not to answer me. She could be on stage, singing her heart out.
Zoe wouldn’t have her phone on her while she’s performing.
No matter what she’s doing, she’s safe.
Her father won’t risk coming after her when I have security watching her. Not when I already made it clear to him to stay away.
Everything is fine, and I’m worrying for nothing.
I need something to stop obsessing over this. So, I pull up the profit and loss statements for the last quarter. There is more than enough information there to keep me busy for a while.
An hour after I left Zoe the message, my phone starts ringing.
My heart leaps in my chest as I dash across the room and grab the phone.
Ava’s name flashes across the screen, and a pit opens in the bottom of my stomach.
“Hello?” I say, my voice tight.
“Is Zoe answering messages from you? I was with her earlier tonight, but I got called into work, and I had to leave. I’ve been trying to message her, but she hasn’t answered me.”
I drop to the ground and drag my bag out from under the bed. “No. I called her a few times an hour ago and left a message, but I haven’t heard from her since. Was Camila there yet when you left?”
“No. I had to leave before she was supposed to get there.” Ava sniffles. “Ruben checked the cameras. He saw her leaving the house.”
“You’re with Ruben right now?”
“Yes. When she didn’t answer my messages, I told my boss that I had a family emergency.” Ava whimpers, and Ruben says something in the background that I can’t quite catch. “I’m at the house right now and there’s no sign of her.”
I haul my clothing out of the dresser and stuff it into the bag. “I’m going to get on a plane right now. I’ll be there soon. You need to stay at the house with Ruben until I get there. Do not open the door for anyone other than me or Camila, got it? Nobody, Ava.”
“What if my parents come over? They know that she’s missing. Dad said that he was going to go out and look for her, but that was an hour ago.”
My chest constricts as I head through the silent house and out into the night, grabbing a set of keys from the rack by the door as I go.
Alessio won’t blame me for taking his car right now. I’ll send him a message so he knows where it is.
There is no time to wake him up, though. I have to get to Zoe before something happens to her.
Before her father hurts her.
“Do not let them in. Me or Camila. That’s it. Do you hear me? Make sure Ruben knows. I’ve got to go. I’ll be there soon.”
Ava sniffles again and ends the call as I unlock the car and toss my bag inside.
