“Sutton?” Sawyer looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“What’s going on?” Colin asks, his eyes bouncing between me and his wife, on guard.
“I know where your daughter is, Colin. And Preston,” I tell him, knowing he isn’t the enemy. He might be guilty of being a shit father, but he isn’t guilty of any harm to them. Maribel’s eyes widen, dropping her facade, not thinking I would talk about it so openly. Not realizing her little plan is about to unravel.
“You do?” He stands ten feet taller, looking at me with interest as Maribel starts glancing around for an escape. Only, there’s nowhere to run.
“Yeah, but you know what? So does your wife here. Go on. Tell him, Maribel. Tell him all about how you abused Preston. Tell him all about how you blackmailed Charlotte to leave so you wouldn’t go to the press about Colin and ruin his reputation. Ruin his business. Tell him that his only daughter, his baby girl, fled with her brother in the middle of the night, out of fear that you were going to hurt them and bring their father down, all so you could get his money. Tell him that she left to save him,” I seethe, and a few people nearby gather, but I don’t falter.
“What?” Colin looks stunned, like his whole world just brightened and crumbled at the same time. Sawyer grabs my security team, who all subtly position themselves around us, blocking them in and blocking the media out. There’s nowhere she can go, nowhere she can hide.
“That’s nonsense,” she scoffs.
“What the fuck is he talking about, Maribel?” Colin’s raised voice captures attention of those around us, and my heart races so fast my hands shake.
“He’s talking nonsense. He’s probably high on drugs or something…” She’s stuttering now.
“You’re both coming with me, and I swear, you better hope they’re alive when we get there.” I look over her shoulder and nod to my security team, who all crowd behind her and Charlotte’s father.
“Alive? Where are they? What’s happening?” Colin yells in confusion.
“Let me go!” Maribel screams as my team grab her by the upper arms. “Colin! Tell them to let me go!”
Colin pales as he watches the woman he married start screaming and kicking.
“What the hell have you done?” he asks her, voice gruff, anger vibrating around his body. He’s a smart man. It’s all clear to him now, even if he doesn’t have the evidence.
“He’s lying. He’s an actor. Why would you believe anything he has to say?!” she screeches, but I have little time to hear.
“Go. Connor and I will finish up. We’ll come over as soon as we can.” Tanner practically pushes us to some waiting trucks nearby. Colin, Sawyer, and I jump in one, my security team taking a screaming Maribel in the other, and we drive off to my place. Adrenaline surges through my body as I’m forced to sit still, desperate to get to Charlotte and Preston.
“What happened?” Sawyer barks as he starts to drive.
“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Colin demands, as Sawyer drives like a madman out of Distillery Drive and straight to Billionaire Boulevard.
“I’m in love with your daughter. She and Preston now live with me. Your wife is a fucking psychopath who abused your kids while you had your head so far up your fucking ass you couldn’t see straight! That’s what the hell is going on!” I shout. None of this would have happened if he was a better father. If he got his shit together after his wife died. Although, I do have sympathy, because if anything happens to Charlotte, I know it would end me too.
His head rears back as he sucks in a sharp breath. “They’re here? In Whispers?”
“Yes. And we’re going to them now.” I have to take a breath before continuing, too keyed up to think straight. “Charlotte called on the satellite phone. She didn’t sound right, and the call dropped before she could tell me what was happening. That fucking Maribel… I know she has something to do with this; Charlotte said her name, and that’s the last thing she said.”
“Oh my God…” Colin mutters, beside himself.
Sawyer’s serious gaze flicks to me as he pulls into my driveway, my security men surrounding the house. My blood runs cold as I jump out of the truck and see Jackson instructing the team, all of them running in every direction.
“Boss,” is all he says, and I notice he looks like he’s running ragged.
“What happened? Where’s Charlotte?” My words trip over each other as I approach him, out of breath just from nerves.
He swallows roughly. “Gone.”
My world moves on its axis.
“Gone?” I stall, and then I see the large gash on his head and blood pouring down his cheek.
“A man and a woman came in, and we think they got through the side entrance. The locks were cut. Got me when I wasn’t looking.”
“Fuck!” I scream, hitting the front of the truck so hard, I’m surprised the airbags don’t deploy.
