AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When I look up at her, she shrugs, turns on her heel, and sways out of the room. The men don’t even glance my way before stepping back out and slamming the door shut. A metallic click of the lock echoes in the room. It’s dark again and most of the floor is covered with the spilled water.
I move up to my feet and press myself against the wall. Tears burn, but I keep them from falling. I won’t give her my tears. I won’t give in. I have to believe there’s a way out of here.
I have to believe that Roman, even if he’s angry with me, will find me.
My daddy will find me.
Please.
Roman
“Roman!”Hanna runs through the door, led by her pregnant belly and chased by my cousin, Gregor.
“Hanna. I swear, if you don’t slow down, I’m going to tie you to a chair.” Gregor grabs her before she slams into me.
The invasion of my house is complete with their arrival.
“You haven’t found her?” Hanna demands while Gregor helps her out of her winter coat.
“No.” I don’t meet her eyes. I can’t. If I do, I’ll find the same disappointment and fear that I’ve been battling all day.
“Good. Now that you’re here, we can talk.” My father steps out of the living room. It’s been a year since I’ve seen him, and in the three hours he’s been in my home, we’ve said barely two words to each other.
I check my phone again. I’ve done this a million times today.
Where is my girl?
The valet was no help. He said he put her into a rideshare car but didn’t remember the license plate. All he could offer was what company it was, but they had no record of any drivers picking anyone up from that banquet hall or anywhere near it last night.
I have men out searching, shaking trees, demanding help from anyone who might know anything. Yefim swears he knows nothing. He promises to help find her.
He’s a fucking liar.
My warehouses are being searched right now by my men. Whatever he’s been putting in there will belong to me by sundown. Our contracts are void. Fuck him. He puffed up his chest and beat it pretty hard last night about being deceived, being insulted. It was all a fucking act, I’m sure of it, to get her separated from me. To get her alone.
“Roman.” My father comes up to me, laying a hand on my shoulder. “Come. We need to discuss what’s to happen now.”
“I don’t give a fuck what happens now,” I say to him, but my voice is so low, so raw I’m not sure he hears me.
“Roman?” His forehead wrinkles. In all of my life, I have done what this man said to do. I followed his rules, his training. I followed his orders. When he betrayed Arman, when we should have cut him from our family businesses, I found a middle ground. He would stay in Russia, keep the old men there happy, and stay out of our businesses here. He’d retire in luxury while we kept everything floating. And now, when my girl is missing, he wants to have a business meeting.
“I need to be out looking.”
“Roman.” Arman joins us, tense with being so close to our father. “You have men looking. Where would you even look that you haven’t already?”
“I know you think Yefim did this, but why? Why would he do this if he found out about your deception at the same time she left? How would he have done this?” Dad asks.
I stare into his eyes, once vibrant with life, now dull and weary.
“I don’t think finding out about me and Billie had anything to do with it. I think he wanted her out of the way so I would marry that bitch of a daughter of his.”
“Roman, Arman, Igor.” Maxim rushes from the back of the house, his phone still in his hand. “The men found crates at the warehouse. Inside were”—he glances at Hanna still standing near me—“women.”
“Billie?” I’m ready to bolt for the door. I can get to the warehouse in thirty minutes if I follow traffic rules. I’ll be there in ten.
“No.” He shakes his head. “But a shipment is expected this afternoon. There’s some exchange taking place.”
“They wouldn’t be so stupid to use our own warehouse,” my father scoffs. “Yefim can be rash in his actions sometimes, but he’s not an idiot.”
