“You belong anywhere you decide to be. Especially with me.”
Her lips part. Hope flickers in her eyes, and something darker. Something I want to explore when we’re finally back in the penthouse, just the two of us.
And I want to kiss her. Fuck, I want to take her somewhere quiet and ruin her lipstick.
Her phone vibrates before I can take that thought further. She glances at the screen and sighs. “My dad,” she whispers, showing me her phone and a picture of a man who probably isn’t much older than me, but looks like he’s had a couple of hard last decades.
“You don’t have to answer.” She hasn’t said much about her family, but I know her dad upsets her.
“No, I have to. He’s been out of town and wants to get together, but I’ve been avoiding his calls” She steps away, moving quickly, head down and slips through a side door.
As much as she’s lectured me about boundaries and privacy—all while trying to get me to stope insisting on a guard to accompany her—I’m not leaving her alone when the Demon’s know who she is. I move toward the door so I can keep an eye on her. But one of Senator Gahr’s minions waylays me with some nonsense about campaign initiatives. I don’t give a fuck about campaigns or initiatives, but I have to extract myself politely and it takes a few minutes.
When I finally get away, the other side of the door reveals an empty hallway. No Liza.
My hands curl into fists.
Alexei reappears at my side, tension radiating off him.
“We’ve got movement outside.”
My heart stops. “What kind?”
“Limo pulled up to the front. Left thirty seconds ago.”
My blood turns to ice. “License?” I demand.
Roman shakes his head. “New plates. Clean.”
I’m already moving and reach the valet station outside the event center. I reach the young valet just as he’s checking his clipboard. “You.” My voice is a whip. “A woman, emerald dress, did you see her leave?”
He startles. “Uh. Yes, sir. She got into a limo. The man said he was her father.”
Every muscle in my body turns to iron. “Describe him,” I rasp.
He does.
And the description matches the photo on Liza phone. Did she leave the party with him because I couldn’t protect her from vicious tongues, like Monica’s?Did she leave me?
Something inside me breaks. “Which direction?” I bite out.
The valet points, shaking.
I’m already running.
Already pulling my phone from my pocket.
Already dialing Rik.
When he answers, my voice is a growl I barely recognize. “Liza’s on her own and unprotected.”
8
DANYL
Iknow something is wrong the moment I step into the quiet hallway.
It’s the silence.
