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I turn to see Angus standing at the door, immaculately dressed despite the early hour. “Is everything all right?”
I remain facing the window, allowing myself a calming breath before I answer. “Our guest is missing.”
“She won’t have got far in this weather,” Angus replies evenly.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Angus puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. “I will search the south wing. Perhaps you could check the surveillance room to see if she’s still on the property?”
I’m nodding before I fully process the words. My mind is still reeling from the idea of Roisin out there, drenched from head to foot, shivering and alone.
“We’ll find her.” Angus’ comforting words do little to ease the tension in my stomach.
If she’s gone then it’s my fault. She must have realized how much of an asshole I was last night. To be honest, I think I would rather face this weather if the situations were reversed.
God, if Roisin dies of hypothermia, Connor might skin me alive. I might let him.
“Did she ever ask for a phone charger?” The thought suddenly crosses my mind. Her phone was dead when we carried her in yesterday morning.
Angus removes his hand. “No, sir.”
I take off at a sprint, not caring for the curious look Angus throws my way as I pass. If he heard or (God forbid) saw anything about last night, at least he’s being quiet about it.
But right now, my mind is entirely elsewhere. If Roisin tried to escape the estate without a phone, it would take her at least an hour to get back to Manhattan on foot. Maybe less if the buses are running at this time. Alpine might be quieter than Harlem, but it comes with a commute.
I throw open the door to the surveillance room and immediately begin scouring the footage. I skim back through the footage from the north wing corridor until I spy her.
21:34: Roisin leaves the sunflower room to go to the dining hall.
22:43: We leave the dining hall. I’m carrying her, then I pause at the console table to… I make a mental note to delete this footage.
I skip ahead. Even through the grainy camera footage, I can see the way her nails bite into my skin. The faces she makes as I pleasure her over and over.
22:55: We enter my room.
I hit double speed. I watch the time slip by: midnight, one, two, three A.M.
Then finally, the door cracks open.
04:22: Roisin creeps out of my room and returns to the sunflower room.
Then… nothing.
05:31 I watch myself leave my bedroom and stride down the hall to her room, opening the door tentatively before stepping right in.
I check the time on my phone: 05:52. An hour and a half since Roisin left my bedroom.
“I’ve searched the south wing,” Angus’ voice sounds from behind and I straighten up. “I hope you’ve had better luck?”
“She never left her room.” I’m surprised by how gravelly my voice sounds and blame it on the lack of caffeine. “Here she is entering at 04:22.”
Angus appears at my side and examines the footage carefully. “Where was she before this?”
I suck on my teeth. “Accounted for.”
“I assume you checked her room already?”
“Yes.” My hand runs through my hair again. “Nothing.”
