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A creak of her bedroom door, followed by Marley's voice, interrupted her thoughts. “See, I told you he's not here. I waited a good hour, but when he didn't show up after you called, I knew something was wrong."
Bella rolled over just as Marley shut the door. Pushing off her blankets, she slid out of bed, dressed in yoga pants and T-shirt, then hurried out of the room to find Marley and Reed standing in the living room. “What's wrong?"
"Did Kole come to see you?” Reed asked. “I know Marley never saw him, but maybe he came and left."
She shook her head. “Why would he?"
Reed frowned before he focused back on Marley. “You're right. Something is wrong."
"What do you mean?” Her heart thumped. “What's going on?"
Reed never answered. Instead, he tucked his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He dialed quickly, then raised it to his ear, and a moment later, he ended the call.
"He's still not answering. It's going straight to voice mail.” He stared at Marley with concerned eyes. “This isn't like him. If he said he was coming here, he would have."
Bella couldn't catch up. “Kole was coming here?"
But before anyone could respond, Kyra's yawn sounded behind Bella. “Why are y'all being so loud?” Kyra said, peeking out from her bedroom door. “You woke me up."
"Kole's missing,” Marley said.
Kyra strode quickly into the living room, wide awake now. “Missing?"
"We need to call around to the hospitals and see if he's there,” Reed instructed. “His car wasn't at the condo."
"On it.” Kyra shifted into serious mode, which fit her so well.
Reed continued, “I'll contact the castle and see if he went there."
Fury so intense and wicked soared through Bella's body, making her hands tremble. He's at the castle with another woman—another submissive.
Jealousy split her open like a knife in the gut. She should hope he was there, unharmed, but the thought of him being with anyone else crippled her.
Everyone was in a flurry of activity, unbeknownst to Sadie who remained asleep. Reed was on the phone with the castle. Kyra was in the kitchen calling the hospitals. Marley was pacing in front Reed. Bella just stood there, unable to move.
The past hours had been nothing but a whirlwind, leaving her mind a complete mess. Kole's missing?
Reed tucked his phone back into his pocket. “He's not at the castle."
Bella couldn't even process what that meant. Relief that he wasn't, but then where was he?
Right then, Kyra hurried into the room, breathless. “He's at Johns Hopkins."
"Why?” Bella squeaked, glancing from face to face, then finally settled back on Kyra. “Is he hurt?"
"The nurse wouldn't say.” Kyra grabbed Bella's coat off the hook and shoved it at her, while Marley and Reed put their shoes on. “Confidentiality and all. But she told me enough that I got the impression he's not critical or anything."
Her muscles relaxed, heart slowed. Good news. She stuffed her feet into her clogs and fumbled with the buttons on her coat as her hands trembled. Why was she trembling? Drawing in a deep breath, she calmed herself. Reed smiled at her, then did up the buttons.
"Thank you,” she whispered.
He gave a firm nod, opened the door, and ushered Bella and Marley out. “Let's go."
In quick time, they were in his truck and on the road. The late night was almost a blessing because the roads were dead. Reed paused at the red lights, but when the street was clear, he ran them.
Mere minutes passed before Reed squealed his tires, coming to a stop in the hospital parking lot. They were out in a flash and jogged to the front doors. The emergency room was full of patients all awaiting treatment. They hurried to the desk where a nurse sat talking on the telephone.
Reed tapped his hand on the desk, but the nurse raised a finger at him, not looking up.
