Page 126 of The Billionaire Who Saved My Cat From The Mafia

I shake my head.This is worse meddling than casseroles or even anal probes.“She doesn’t want to come back, dumbass.She made her choice, and I have to respect that.I’m not some sort of pathetic, whiny-assed motherfucker.”

“Really?Maybe just a little bit?”Evander pinches his thumb and index finger together and gives me a shit-eating grin.“She needs you, K.She needs all of us.And we’re already tits-high in mission planning but figured you might want to be involved if we could find you.Or maybe you don’t want to help us.That’s cool.”

I scowl at him, lost.“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Summer and Declan bumped into Frankie in Vegas.It’s kind of a long story and we’re burning daylight, but you should know that she’s in big trouble, little brother.She needs our help.”

That’s all I need to hear for the moment.I fly into the saddle and in moments, we’re on our way down the ridge.

Once we’re on flat ground, I push DG hard all the way to the horse barn, Evander ahead of us on the ATV.I ride straight into the tack area and basically throw myself out of the saddle and toss the reins to Joe, then jog with Evander to Cal’s place.

“What did Frankie say to Summer and Declan?Why do they think she’s in big trouble?”

“Let’s just get inside to discuss this.”

“No!Tell me now!”

Right then, Jasmine comes running up to us, a grin spread from ear-to-ear.“I’m having so much fun with the kitty, Uncle K!When is Frankie coming back?”

Evander’s eyes flash at me in warning.

“Let’s talk a little bit later,” I tell her, increasing my speed.“We’re late to a meeting.”

“You guys work too hard!”she yells after us, propping her hands on her hips and scowling.

It’s obvious Evander’s not going to give me any details until we’re in the conference room, which pisses me off.But what do I expect?He’s a lawyer.He likes to pause for dramatic effect whenever he has the chance.

But fuck, my brain’s been spinning the whole way back to the compound.I need facts.I need action items.I need to follow through on what I promised Frankie I would do…

Keep.

Her.

Safe.

My fists are tightly balled at my sides as we run.What was she doing in Vegas?Did she go home after all?Why was she strolling the streets like she didn’t have a care in the world?I’m so confused that I think my skull’s about to blow.

And why the fuck didn’t Declan and Summer get her to safety right there and then?How could they have dropped the fucking ball like that?I’m going to find out in just moments, and if I never speak to Declan again as long as I live, so be it.

We race up the stairs and throw open the door without knocking, startling Victoria.We march past her, through the great room and down the hall, heading straight to the secure conference room.

I don’t have my card on me, so Evander scans me in.He shuts and locks the reinforced door behind me.Everyone’s already seated around the conference table like they’re relaxing and shooting the shit.

“There’s no time to waste with this bullshit!”I punch the table.“If Frankie’s in trouble, I have to save her!”

Cal glances up at me and sighs.“Our custom-made conference table would cost over twenty grand to replace.Sit down and stop molesting the office furniture.”

“Yeah, what did that poor table ever do to you?”Declan barely begins laughing when Cal and Finn smack him on the back of the head in sync, like they’d choreographed it.

“Hey!”Declan complains.

I sit down just as Cal taps a button on the control console in the center of the conference table.The eighty-inch high-definition monitor on the far wall comes to life, and a phone text message is immediately displayed.It reads: you don’t know me he’ll kill you Special K can’t follow me not safe PLEASE

I turn to Declan.“And you didnothing?”I yell.

“I was being smart,” Declan says.

“Smart?”I jump up, kick the chair away, and hurl myself over the conference table, sliding with arms outstretched and in position to strangle him.When Finn and Cal block me, I only manage to rip Declan’s shirt in two.