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“You’ll find out in twenty minutes, Hudson, but you’re right something has definitely happened. Why else would they be coming here? I feel as though we’re out of the loop, and it isn’t a great place to be. I guess when they get here you'll be having two conversations; one with your father and one with Barney
“Yep.” I say popping the P, “and I won't be going easy on either of them. I don’t give a fuck that he’s blood, Mia is mine and the fact that she's missing and he's not done a single thing to help pisses me off. He's never going to change, he’s still an asshole. Thing is, if it had been the other way round, even if I hadn't known who Mia was and Tina was missing. The fact that she's my dad's wife, that my dad loves her means that I would have moved heaven and earth to find her for him. ” I don't know why I believed he was ever going to change? Stupid me, I should have known better. Mom was right, Dad only wants what's good for Dad, fuck what anyone else wants.
“I know you would, Hudson, I also know that if it was me in the position you are in, and it was Sarah that was missing, you'd you doing everything in your power to find her. We are going to find her. I can't promise you when, but I can promise you that we will find her.”
“I'm going to start with Barney. You're right he’s secretive and I want to know why. I want to know what the fuck is going on. If he doesn't have Mia and Lacey then why is he being so weird? Why is he taking secret phone calls? Why did he not ask to be swapped? I mean he slept with Lacey and yet he doesn't seem bothered that she's gone. That doesn’t sit right with me. My men do not treat women with such disrespect, you sleep with a woman you treat her right, not the way Barney’s gone about it. Lacey’s different.” I’m seething, Barney’s in for a shock when I get to him.
“Yes, Lacey’s different, she's family,” Jagger says adamantly. “Hudson, you’ve got you and Mia who are like a love story, you both belong to each other, it’s clear for everyone to see. Your parents are married to each other, then you have Sarah and Lacey who are Mia’s sisters, and then you’ve got me and Barney. It's weird, Lace is a sweetheart, she really is and she doesn't deserve the shit that Barney has brought down on her. He too hasn’t even asked if we have any news about where they are.” He shakes his head in disbelief, his voice full of disapproval
“I get that you can sleep with a woman and realize she's not the one for you, but you still don't need to be an asshole about it. All I need is a couple of minutes with Barney and I'll find out exactly what's going on with him.”
Jagger laughs, “A couple of minutes? I say you aren't even with him thirty seconds and he'll be bawling like a baby.”
I smile and my foot pushes down on the gas pedal harder as I pray that the talk with Barney will give me some information.’
Four
Hudson
I swirl the amber liquor in my glass as I wait for the door to open. The television is off and I'm shrouded in darkness, everything that's happened over the last few days has been re-playing over mind as I wait for Barney, my dad, and Tina to walk in. Martin hasn't called and I'm taking it that he's not found Carina yet. Martin and Barney have been with me since the beginning, neither have motive as I've never done anything to them, yet both have had plenty of opportunity. They’re both acting suspicious. Either that, or I'm losing the plot completely and taking everything they do and scrutinizing it.
One thing is for sure, one of my men has Mia. There's no doubt in my mind, not anymore. I’ve thought about it so much these past three days, and talking to Jagger I just cemented the fact that what I believed in the beginning is true. Now I know for sure, I need to find out how they knew where they were going to be. Mia never told anyone. The usual person I'd go to, to find this shit out would be Martin. That isn't going to happen, not when I suspect him. I need to find someone else who's good at hacking.
The door opens, the sound of heels clinking against my floor just as the light comes on flooding the room with brightness. "Jesus, Hudson, why are you sitting in darkness?" Tina asks and I turn to see her placing her hand on her chest like she's a rich socialite. She’s certainly living up to the money my dad has. The fancy house, the spontaneous vacations, I think as I hold the purse strings now that shit’s going to stop.
"It's my house, I can do whatever the hell I want. If I want to sit in darkness, I will. What are you doing here?" My tone clipped, they’ve not asked if they can stay here, they’ve just assumed, that's not going to work. I’m not putting up with them here.
"Son, where do you think we're going to go?" Dad's his usual abrupt self, thinking that because he’s my dad he can do as he pleases. No, not after everything that has gone down these past few days. The fucker hasn’t done anything to help me find Mia, he just sat in his fancy fucking house and waited.
"A hotel, motel, hell there's even a hostel. Take your pick." I tell him not even looking at him. "Barney," I say getting to my feet, "Follow me, we need to talk." I get up off the sofa and walk toward my office, footsteps sound behind me and I don’t look behind me to see if he’s following me. If he isn’t, he’ll regret it.
"He can't be serious?" Tina's shrill voice sets my teeth on edge. "Harrison, are you going to let him throw us out? Where are we supposed to stay?"
I don't bother turning, "I don't care. Anywhere but here. Now get the fuck out of my house." I know I'm being harsh, but they deserve it. Neither my dad nor Barney say a word. When I walk into my office I go behind my desk, taking a seat I switch on the light beside me. It only illuminates a little bit of my office but enough to see Barney's face. His eyes widen, although he sits up straight in the chair. His body language is saying he's confident, whereas his eyes are saying anything but.
"Do you know why you're here?" I keep my voice even, I'm not certain that he's the one just yet. He's done a few suspicious things, things that have got my mind spinning. He's got this time now to prove that he's not the man that has done this, if he has this is the last conversation he's ever going to have.
He shakes his head. "No boss, I don't."
I clasp my hands in front of me as I lean forward, keeping eye contact with him as I do. "Want to explain to me why you stayed in Hidden Hills instead of helping find Lacey?"
I watch with amusement as he grinds his jaw, he's thinking about what to say instead of spewing whatever he's thinking, no doubt it's to tell me to fuck off and mind my own damn business. But I'm the boss and he's being respectful.
"Honestly, Boss, I don't think I'm in the right frame of mind to be helping. I'd be more of a hindrance than anything else."
That's not what I thought he'd say. I hide my shock, my face is even. It's why I'm a fucking amazing poker player, I have no tell. "Why is that?"
He shakes his head. "How do you do it?"
"Do what?" I ask, I have no idea what the hell he's talking about.
"How are you so calm? Mia's gone and you're so..." He pauses and I glare at him. "You. It’s like your acting as though it doesn't af
fect you, but it does. How do you do it?"
I raise my brow, "How do I do it?" I can't keep the contempt out of my voice. "Mia is my everything which means I will do everything in my power to make sure that she comes home. That's how I do it. That is my focus. That is my goal. I'm not standing around watching everybody else do it because at least she'll know that I fought for her."
I watch his eyes shut, he realizes he’s fucked up.
