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Ten minutes have gone by and not a peep from Dimitri or Maks. Enough is enough.
“Sophia, something’s wrong,” I tell my sister as I approach their table again. “I need to head home and find out what’s going on.”
She takes in my anxious expression. “Of course. Roman?”
He’s already up and out of his seat, phone in hand. “Let’s go. I’m having the car pulled around right now.”
“Thank you both. I’m so sorry to ruin your New Year’s.” I follow them toward the exit. Only once we’re in the foyer do I remember Tarina’s insistence that I stay until after the fireworks. But they could easily last twenty minutes.
Damn it. I’m already firing her off a text to let her know what’s going on before I’ve consciously thought it through. I could lose my job over this. Tarina might understand a family emergency, but Mr. Hyde is not the understanding or forgiving type. Either way, I can’t stay here a minute longer, or I’m going to go insane with worry.
“I smell trouble.” Blake Baron rounds a column and quirks a brow at Roman.
Roman rolls his eyes. “The rumors are false, aren’t they? You don’t have an army of spies everywhere, you’re simply at the right place at the right time. Admit it.”
Blake shrugs, yet it comes off elegant and aristocratic rather than casual. “I’m not spilling my secrets. But you are. What’s going on? May I be of assistance? This party is boring me near to death.”
Roman glances at me, seeking my permission.
I face Blake. “Dimitri’s missing. He’s supposed to be here.” I fill him in on the details and his eyes light with interest. It’s the first time I’ve seen him look anything other than bored.
“I see. We should go.” He inclines his head to the car that’s just pulled up out front.
Roman ushers us inside and I give the driver the estate’s address. That’s the last place Dimitri and Maks were, so we’ll start there.
On the way home, I keep glancing at the cars passing us going the opposite direction thinking I might spot Maks driving one of them. But I don’t, and thirty minutes later we pull up to the massive iron gates.
Gates that are wide open. Not a guard is in sight.
“That’s… not right,” I murmur.
We roll slowly up the long driveway. No one stops us. There’s not a soul anywhere on the grounds, and when we get to the house all the lights are out.
I start to exit the vehicle when Roman stops me with his hand on my shoulder. He and Blake Baron draw their weapons and get out first, doing a sweep of the front porch, then enter the mansion. Sophia and I follow after them.
Deeming the way clear, someone flicks on the foyer light. I’m struck by the sudden emptiness. The place has that eerie feel, like no one is home, not even the caretakers. But there’s also no evidence of bloodshed or struggle. Every piece of art and furniture is where it belongs.
“Hello?” I call into the void. “Is anyone here? Dimitri? Maks? Kir? Nina?”
No one. They all left, including the guards. But why?
Roman appears at the top of the stairs just as Blake returns to the foyer.
“It’s empty,” Roman says, holstering his gun.
“What’s that?” Sophia points to an envelope on the entry table. On top sits a folded piece of paper.
I reach for it. The writing’s in Dimitri’s familiar scrawl.
Arianna,
I can’t go into the New Year like this. We come from two completely different backgrounds and we’ll never be happy together. It’s impossible. I know you tried to tell me this from the beginning but I was too stubborn to understand.
But you’ve been right all along. So I’m giving you what you’ve asked me for since day one. Since I forced you into this, I’ve taken the same liberty in ending our arrangement. You’ll find the paperwork is all in order.
Have a happy life.
D.
