AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mr. Cain’s last name was in the suite as well. He left quite a while before Ms. Bryant and he too was upset. I have not seen Mr. & Mrs. Bryant this morning at all.”
“Okay. Thank you, Gallien. This stays between us, I promise. If you see Nova, will you please ask her to call me or at least stay here until I can get back?”
He nodded as Lottie stepped into the elevator again.
Standing on the elevator, Lottie froze. She didn’t know what her next step should be, who she should or could turn to.
“Fuck it.” She said as she jabbed the elevator button for the second floor. She would go back to her uncles and mother. Arriving at the conference room, Lottie pressed her ear against the door. She had sworn she’d heard voices but there was nothing but silence. Then, “Liselotte, do not play the games of children. Enter.”
Lottie grit her teeth as she rolled her eyes and opened the conference room door.
“Hello, again, darling. What can we do for you, as this convergence is not finalized as of yet.” Hela smiled at her daughter.
Lottie’s nostrils flared. “I apologize for the interruption, but this is dire. Nova Bryant is missing.”
Wilder and Atlas exchanged a look. Atlas nodded at his niece.
“Ms. Bryant has been detained until we make a decision.”
“Uncle Wild!” Lottie wailed. “I love her. She is my person, if there ever was such a thing.”
Sein smiled. “Lottie.” He stood, walking around the table, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Take your leave, trust the process, expect the Jovial to do right by you and our entire network.”
Lottie’s eyes darted to Wilder. He nodded without smiling. She knew then that she had overstepped without reason. Shedidtrust them.
“My apologies. I’ll be waiting once you’re ready.” She left the conference room, blindly making her way to the stairs. She didn’t want to run into anyone she knew, she was embarrassed, and she knew she had embarrassed her family as well. Lottie didn’t like to admit it, but she actually was royalty in a sense. Her Jovial seat was ready for her when she wanted it but that wasn’t the life, she’d envisioned for herself. Even less so since she’d met Nova. She needed to shake off the stress building up inside of her. There were trails covering the resort grounds, she would get lost for a while, try not to think, “trust the process” and all that.
###
Selena watched as Lottie left the resort out the front door. She wanted to support her friend, but she knew better than to meddle in the affairs of the Vamps. She also knew Lottie would know in a millisecond that she was hiding something. Selena walked past Merry who was at the front desk, she opened the Security door then slipped her hand in the scanner to get access to the interior room. There, Nova sat on a plush sofa, her feet up on a plump ottoman while Harper Winston, the manager of the spa filed her fingernails.
Nova smiled when she saw Selena. “This is quiet exquisite. I appreciate the invitation however odd it may have been.”
“It was one of those funky leftover Halloween invitations.” Selena shrugged, smiling.
“How long do you think this will take? I know you said Lottie set this up, but she had started to say something about seeing me when those ghouls showed up.”
Selena’s smile widened. “She knows you’re here and she’s planning to meet up with you once you’re entire Spa Day comes to fruition.”
Nova wrinkled her nose, “Sounds official,” she giggled.
Selena nodded again. “I’m heading out for a few. Can I bring anything back for you?”
Nova looked around. Everything she’d want was in reach. “All good here, I think.” Selena was out the door before Nova finished her sentence.
She knew better than to invite herself into a convergence, but she wanted to be around when they convened. Keeping this from Lottie made Selena uncomfortable but she trusted The Jovial. Her family had known them for hundreds of years, but this was the first time she was personally involved in their theatrics.
As she turned the corner, Sein exited the conference room.
“Ah, Selena. Are you coming to check on us?”
Selena smiled. “I just happened to be walking by.” She shrugged.
“Well, lucky for you, we’ve come to decision. Can you let everyone know to attend the gala this evening? Our ruling will be disclosed there.”
Selena nodded, keeping the smile on her face but as she walked back toward the lobby she was confused. She’d never known The Jovial to publicly announce anything and this party was open to all.
###
