AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m not sure he’ll see it that way.”
“We won’t give him a choice.”
Love and gratitude welled in Lottie’s chest. And her eyes. Blinking back tears, she sent Frankie a watery smile. “I love you.”
“Love you, too. Are you going to call them and let them know where you are?”
“I don’t think I can face them yet.”
“And you have the nerve to call Portia the drama queen.” Giggling, Frankie just managed to duck and avoid the pillow Lottie threw at her. “At least text them and let them know you’re safe. Trust me, if you let Braden worry about you while you’re tucked safely away in a luxurious cabin, you will never sit comfortably again.”
“Ugh. I hate that you’re probably right.”
“I’m definitely right. Text him, and I’ll go grab us a bottle of wine so you can go over all the filthy, filthy details of your night in the princess room. I have questions.”
Laughter helped to break up some of the tension in Lottie’s chest as she pulled her phone from her pocket and tapped out messages to Braden and her dad. Then she turned the phone off and pushed all thoughts of what a horrible daughter and girlfriend she was out of her mind as Frankie handed her a glass of wine larger than her head.
22
FOUND, SAFE AND SOUNDLY SPANKED
BRADEN
I’m with a friend and I’m safe. I’m so sorry. I’ll be home soon.
Nearly twenty-four hours after Charlotte’s disappearing act, Braden was all but pulling his hair out as he reread her one and only text for what felt like the millionth time. Her phone was either dead or deliberately turned off, so every phone call he made went straight to voicemail. And now even that was full, mostly with increasingly more threatening messages from him.
The last one he’d been able to leave had promised her the spanking of a lifetime if she didn’t call him back in the next hour.
That had been nearly two hours ago.
A knock on his door had Braden pausing his path across the office floor, his head jerking up as hope beat painfully at his chest. But it wasn’t his Lottie-bug on the other side. It was Desmond, with his partner Bastian following closely behind, the former with an amused smile tugging at his lips, while the latter at least had the decency to look concerned.
“Still no word?” Bastian asked.
“No. Emmett even tried her friends, all of whom either genuinely don’t know anything or who are being frustratingly tight-lipped about the whole thing.”
“We did some digging. As much as we could without an open investigation.” When Braden opened his mouth, Desmond just rolled his eyes. “For the tenth time, Braden, we can’t open a missing persons case on an adult who hasn’t even been gone for a full twenty-four hours and who has already told you she’s safe.”
“Damian would,” Braden mumbled.
“Because Damian has absolutely zero regard for law and order.” There was a snap to Desmond’s voice that had Bastian sighing and shaking his head.
“There’s probably some truth to that.” And because there was, Braden couldn’t help wondering if he’d called the wrong brother. Not that Damian had the connections his twin did, but at least he’d be willing to do something. “I’m just going out of my fucking mind here, Des. I hate not knowing where she is, who she’s with, if she’s okay. I just want my little girl back, so I can blister her ass for making me worry and then tie her to my bed for the rest of her life so she can never pull something like this again.”
“For our own sanity, we’re going to assume you mean that last part figuratively,” Bastian said dryly. “As for the spanking, I can’t say I blame you there. But maybe that should wait until you’ve given her a chance to explain why she took off.”
“Bastian, if you’re going to bring logic into my nervous breakdown, I’m going to have to insist you leave.”
A smile curved Bastian’s lips as he shrugged. “I’m nothing if not logical, my friend. And you know I’m right.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. But the only thing keeping me halfway sane right now is envisioning exactly how she’s going to look over my knee when I finally find her.”
“Fair enough.”
The phone Braden hadn’t let go of for more than a few seconds at a time since last night buzzed in his hand. Staring down at the unknown number, he hit the button to answer it, his heart pounding as a dozen different scenarios ran through his mind. “Hello? Lottie, is that you?”
“Sorry to disappoint you, Master Braden,” an amused voice answered. It sounded familiar, but Braden couldn’t quite place where he’d heard it before. “This is Frankie. Lottie’s friend?”
