Page 6

“Machislav, are you going to make a point, or are we going to continue to talk in code?” I snap, officially over this bullshit conversation.

“There is a rumor that Denver’s daughter is currently missing,” Machislav states, sounding tired.

“That’s quite a predicament Denver has found himself in,” I state before glancing over at the sleeping form in my car.

“It’s funny that this predicament came about the same time you left the party,” he snaps.

“Again, it sounds as if Denver needs to get a handle on his house.” Allowing a smirk to spread across my mouth, I continue, “Truly makes one wonder if getting into bed with this asshole was the right move, hmmm, Machislav?”

“Fucking asshole,” he grumbles before hanging up.

I just shake my head as I drive through the night, working through where the best place would be to take her and keep her safe. Denver will not let this go for long. He might not sound the alarms tonight so as not to interrupt the party, but he will start raining hell down on everyone as soon as he can, and it will not make him look as if he doesn’t have control of his house. My phone once again starts ringing, this time from a private number.

“Dah?” I answer shortly.

“You have her?” The voice on the other end of the phone is stressed, angry, and laced with fear hiding in all this.

“Who?” I question.

The sound of a sigh carries through the phone. “Please tell me she is safe.”

I glance over at her sleeping form, the need to protect and guard burning hot. “Safe? Is there a reason someone wouldn’t be safe with me?”

“Shit.” There’s movement on the other side of the line, and then the sound of rustling clothes followed by a muffled voice. It piques my interest.

As the voices go back and forth for about five minutes until the man comes back on the line. “All I need is to know that she is safe and will continue to be.”

“Why everyone thinks I am the one with this missing girl is beyond me,” I mock him.

“You having her is better than any other option. So, at this moment, that's the only thing that I can wish for.” His honesty is something I respect.

“Two questions,” is how I answer.

“I don’t have time, but sure.” The man sighs.

“One, who are you?” I question.

“Name is Miles Torres. I’ve been her personal bodyguard since before her mother passed.” His answer rings true. I’ve known who the man was before he spoke, but wanted to see if he would be honest.

I dug into Denver and his people long before Machislav ever even thought about getting into bed with this motherfucker. Knowing now that all my information was accurate, the choice I made to take her with me was the right one. The only thing to figure out now is how to pick off the ones who hurt her one at a time.

I continue talking to Miles. “Two, why do you care so much?”

“I promised her mother I would keep her safe, and when the day came to get her out from under her father, I would. To be honest, I think he is starting to get suspicious and has been taking me away from her more and more lately, which has led to something happening to her. We were so close to finally getting her out, now she's fucking gone.” Miles’s words sound like a man truly broken.

Acting out of character once again tonight, I decide to provide him with comfort. “She is safe. The others involved may not be.”

“I’ll be in touch,” is his only reply right before he ends the call.

I slow my speed as I cross the city limits sign into Cloudland Canyon Falls. Taking in the beauty that is the city against the mountain, like the massive waterfall that rains down into the canyon that the city is built around, I let out a deep sigh. I maneuver through town, taking in all the fall and spooky decor around the quaint downtown area while just on the other side are the tall glass office and apartment buildings that went in when the mine was thriving. Now it’s closed, and Tech has moved into town, keeping the town awake and thriving both legally and illegally. As I pull into the parking garage under my building, I allow my shoulders to relax just a fraction. Pulling into my parking spot, I quickly throw my car into park. Turning it off, I hop out to make my way around the SUV. I pull the passenger-side door open slowly to make sure she doesn’t fall out. Thankfully she stays passed out through me picking her up and making my way to the elevator.

When the elevator doors open, I don’t stop to remove my shoes as I march through the entryway, past the large open kitchen and living room, and down the hall where I place her in my bed. Stepping away from her, I notice the shoes wrapped going up her ankles. I groan at the thought of her digging them into my back as I bury myself deep into her. Shaking the lust away, I notice they’re leaving marks on her feet and legs, and that doesn’t sit well with me. Reaching down, I pull the strings loose, massaging each foot as I take them off and drop them on the floor.

Standing over her, I watch as her chest rises and falls with each breath, taking in the stark contrast of her dark hair against her porcelain skin. Leaning over, I run a finger over her cheek, down her jaw, and down the column of her throat, noting how delicate it is and the fact that with the smallest movement I could take her life if I choose to.

Turning from her, I march to my office, the need to dig and find out exactly what I’m missing about her father burning hot through me.

“It’s time to get to work,” I sneer as my computer fires to life.