Page 30 of Romancing Rayne

“Please take me back to the Tower. I’ll find another taxi.”

“What, so you can stiff me? I told you I know where I’m going,” the man angrily snipped.

The taxi started to slow for a stop sign, and I made my move. As soon as he came to a halt, I opened the door and I got out. My purse caught on the seat belt, and as I was fighting to get it free, the driver stepped on the gas and pulled away, leaving me no choice but jump out of the way and abandon my purse. The door slammed shut from the acceleration, and I watched in horror as my only hope to get back to Ghost sped away.

No money and no phone. I was royally fucked.

* * *

Ghost

“Rayne’s missing,” I said by way of greeting.

“Come again?”

“Rayne. She’s missing. We were at the Tower of London and got separated. I can’t find her.”

“Fuck. How long?” Tex asked.

“A little over four hours.”

“Four hours!”

My guts twisted hearing Tex repeat back how long it had been since I’d seen Rayne.

“I thought I’d find her wandering around looking for me. Either we’re walking in circles, missing each other or . . .”

“Don’t go there. I’ll track her phone.”

“You can’t, it’s at the hotel.”

“No problem. Lucky for you, London has CCTV cameras everywhere. I’ll have a lock on her in less than thirty minutes. Let me work, I’ll call you back.”

“Thirty minutes, Tex, then I’m tearing this city apart.”

“First thing tomorrow I’m mailing a package to your house. I still don’t know why you guys haven’t outfitted your women with tracking devices. Makes my job a whole lot easier when you lose them.”

“I don’t plan on making a habit of losing my wife,” I growled.

“Stand by.” Tex hung up, and I began to pace.

Why did I leave the shop? That’s right, to help a lost little girl. I was no better than the parents I’d thought badly of. Just because Rayne wasn’t a child didn’t mean she wasn’t the most precious thing in my life.

Time seemed to stand still, each minute feeling like an hour. When Tex finally called back, I was ready to crawl out of my skin.

“She got into a taxi,” he told me.

“A taxi? Was she alone?”

My heart pounded double-time in my chest. This was it; she’d been fucking taken. I knew it. In my stupidity I hadn’t done the one thing I promised I’d do, protect her.

“Yes.”

Fuck!

“Wait, what? She was alone?”

“Affirmative. She left the Tower gate and waited outside, near the ticket booth before she crossed the street and went into a Starbucks. She was in there a few minutes, came out empty handed, and stood on the corner. A taxi pulled up and she approached and got in.”