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I don’t even have to glance over at her to know she’s looking at me. The heat from her gaze burns into my back, but I can hear the inquiry in her tone. “It was a slip of the tongue, and you damn well know it. She’s Alexis to most,” I answer, but this won’t be the end of it because Claire can see through bullshit faster than anyone on the entire security team.
“So, you care about her? It’s personal?”
“It’s personal,” I confirm, but that’s all I say because I’m sure as hell not going to get into a long, drawn-out conversation about her with my ex-girlfriend and partner.
“As in you don’t want to talk about it, right? I get that it’s awkward, but for what it’s worth, I’m glad to see you in another relationship, Sheldon.”
“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t exactly say it’s going quite so good right now. Alexis is strong, Claire, a very independent woman, and like you, she seems more than capable of taking care of herself without someone like me doing it for her, but I’m fairly sure it’s just a cover. She was hurt in a previous relationship, and she’s built quite a tough shell around her heart.”
She sighs heavily. “You just can’t seem to catch a break, can you, Sheldon? I’m sure you’ll get it sorted, though, and I’m really glad you found someone. It took me a long time to figure it out, but I was never going to be submissive outside of the bedroom. I always appreciated you taking care of me, protecting me as part of the job, but let’s face it— protection was and still is what I do for a living. You doing that for me was never going to work. It happens in our business. You spend so much time with a partner. The long hours and hot sex all roll up, and you think you’ve found the one. A relationship with a dominant was just too smothering to me as a new security agent trying to make a name for myself, and a woman at that. I shouldn’t have let you think I could be submissive or lead you to think that’s what I wanted. I didn’t really know what I wanted or needed at that point in our lives.”
“We’ve both grown over the years, but I need to go slower with Alexis. I don’t want to make a mistake that she will regret.”
“What’s she like?
“Indescribably perfect, at least I thought so, but at the first sign of struggle, she doesn’t even come to me, Claire. It’s like she’s intentionally making these decisions without me. She’s a true submissive, Claire, but she’s running from it.”
“And you don’t want to put yourself through the same thing again,” Claire counters gently. “I get it, Sheldon. I truly do, but she has to really be submissive and worth the fight.”
My jaw clenches. “Hell, I’d move fucking mountains for her if that’s what she wanted.”
“What makes you so sure she’s submissive?” Claire asks.
I smirk because everything about her tells me that she is. “I’ve learned a lot since us. Her eyes light up, and her breath shallows when…” I realize I’m saying too much and glance over at Claire, who has a huge smile on her face.
“Alexis sounds nothing like me and absolutely perfect for you.”
I nod because it’s true, and hearing Claire’s keen perception somehow puts a little of the past at bay and solidifies my resolve to break all of Alexis’ defenses down to truly make her mine.
We pull up to The Prestian Towers, and nothing looks suspicious at first glance. I scan the surroundings, but I’ve already memorized every bush leading to the front entrance and every wall that someone could be hiding behind. I’m prepared for the worst as we walk to the building, but not such an overt calling card. An eight-by-ten photo of Alexis is lying face up at the entrance. My chest tightens with apprehension as I don a pair of gloves and pick it up. We may have had nothing on him last time, but this time around, it’s a whole new ballgame, and we have teams in place ready to take this son of a bitch out the minute one of our men gets him in their crosshairs and I give the say so.
The receptionist checks us in, not that we needed to stop at the desk. We have the master keys for all the available condos in this building, but in case Darwin is following us, we want him to think we’re a couple, so we sign the registry. I walk Claire to the condo we’ve had set up for her transformation, go in with her for a few minutes, and introduce her to the team. If Darwin’s watching, hopefully a young couple checking in the night before a wedding won’t be on his radar at all, especially since we’ve made sure a pretty blonde undercover agent heavily guarded from above was getting out of her car in the parking lot and walking toward the building at the very same time.
When Claire’s settled, I duck out of the condo carrying my gym bag in case someone’s watching, head for the gym, and make my way through it to the public bathroom right down the hall. I change clothes, ditch the disguise, and leave through the opposite exit, coming out the door on the other side of the hall. I then head toward the private elevator that will take me to the Prestian suite and to my sweet little submissive, who last time I checked in was still resting peacefully after the stressful events of the day.
The elevator opens into the foyer, but no one greets me, and there’s absolute silence coming from the condo. I text for backup, pull my Glock, and walk into the living area where both of our highly paid security men are sound asleep on the leather sofas.
Fuck! The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I walk carefully toward Trent and Liam, needing to check their breathing because it’s clear my team has been drugged, but stepping right into a well-set trap will not help any of us right now.
I tread stealthily, watching and listening carefully. As soon as I’m in the living room, I have more clearance to move around without fear of being boxed into a corner foyer. I reach them, check their pulses, and lift their eyelids, holding my Glock on the ready. They’re both breathing fine, just slightly shallow. Whatever Darwin gave them wasn’t intended to kill them, just get them out of his way for a while.
I scour the living room, and my heart is pounding so hard I can hear the blood rushing in my ears. I head toward the bedrooms, psyching myself up for whatever he’s left for me and steeling myself against the fact that we may be too late.
I swallow hard, recalling picture after picture of the carnage documented in his dossier. I should wait for backup to get here, but every fucking minute is a minute too long, so I don’t.
I inch forward, forcing one foot in front of the other, checking each bedroom and finding her mom sleeping in one, but no Allie in the second room. I walk into the master suite where Alexis should be sleeping, holding my breath. My chest tightens at the sight in front of me as the reality of the situation makes my blood turn cold and the stark truth sinks in.
I’m too late. Alexis is gone, Allie is gone, and after all the careful and meticulous planning, this sick fuck has outsmarted us and taken both girls.
Chapter Eighteen
Alexis
“I hopeyou enjoyed your newly redecorated walls.” He’s tracked me down and also knows that I’ve seen his carnage. A trafficker who’s stalking me, who wants to do more, and the thought causes an involuntary shiver to run down my spine.
I hit the button to engage the speakerphone, and with trembling hands gesture Trent to the phone. “Now, now, Alexis. It’s rude to have other people listen to our call without asking my permission. We’ll have to correct your behavior, won’t we, sweetheart? I’ll see you soon!” he says before disconnecting.
Trent swears under his breath and starts typing out a message on his phone. “This room is completely bug proof. It’s been swept. He knows you’re under protection and just made an educated guess that we would be close by when his call came in,” he reassures.
