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Rachel shook her head. “I don’t know. I can’t get to her.”
“I won’t let you take no for an answer,” I told her that morning. “Come back with an answer, or I’m going over there myself—and I can’t be held responsible for what happens if I do. Make that clear to Barney.”
“I told him that the last time, Ash,” Rachel sighed. “He seems to sense that you’re staying away on purpose.”
Infuriated, I glowered. I was staying away on purpose. If I went over there and got her myself, would the curse be enacted? I really didn’t know, but I didn’t want to risk it.
“Well, then he really is getting a little too cocksure, isn’t he?”
I paced through the office, peering out into the courtyard every two minutes, waiting for Rachel to return, but as morning turned to afternoon, she still hadn’t returned, and I grew concerned. I called Royce.
“Yes, sir?” the driver answered.
“Where the hell are you?”
“Miss Simms asked to make a stop before we returned to the office, sir. Should I have her call you?”
“What stop?”
“The Library of Archives.”
Dumbfounded and furious, I slapped my hands on the desk.
“Go get her and bring her ass back here now! I assume she didn’t talk to Briar today, either?”
“I wouldn’t know, sir.”
“FUCK!”
Disconnecting the call, I resumed my pacing until the phone rang again three minutes later.
“I’m on my way back,” Rachel reassured me. “But Ash, you’re going to need to go to the Madisons—or send someone for Briar, at the very least.”
I froze in place.
“Why? What happened? What did she say? Is she taking the offer? Does she need to be moved?”
Rachel sighed through the speaker, and in the background, I heard the whoosh of wind through her open car window.
“I think she’s there?”
“Is that a question, Rachel?” I hissed. “You’ve been going over there every day for weeks with one purpose, and you’re still not even sure if she’s there?”
“I haven’t seen her yet, but I smell her, I’m sure of it. Although she did grow up in that house, so…”
I groaned in frustration. “This was a mistake. I’m sending men to search the house.”
“There’s a chance she really doesn’t want to go with you, Ash,” Rachel added quickly. “Sending your goons in will only scare her.”
“I’ll have them tread lightly,” I insisted, but I realized she was right.
I would have to send someone with more sensibilities. Draven could keep a cool head. I’d allow him to pick his team. And it was still safer than me risking being too close to Briar, lest I put her in more danger with my uncontrollable emotions. Even from where I was, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I didn’t need to be told what would happen if we were together.
“I thought I saw movement in the upstairs window when I was leaving today, but when we were pulling away, there was nothing,” Rachel went on. “I’m not sure if that means that Briar was purposely hiding, or if she’s being held captive.”
“Well, I suppose we’ll soon find out, won’t we?” I growled, ending the call.
Instantly, I summoned Draven to the office, and in less than ten minutes, I had the guard standing in front of me, my demands clear and explicit.
