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“I tried to go upstairs to get your jacket and keys, but a guard had been placed at the door, and I saw one upstairs too before they shut me out. They wouldn’t let me in. The one downstairs wouldn’t even acknowledge me. Just stood like a wall in front of that door and it didn’t matter what I said. What I threatened. It was a good twenty, almost thirty minutes before Ethan Fox walked Ophelia out of that door.”
My blood runs cold. “What do you mean walked her out?”
Nigella closes and opens her eyes. She’s always been a very direct, pragmatic woman. She gets to the point and doesn’t sugar coat. “I mean she was a mess, Silas. She couldn’t walk, much less stand, on her own.”
I put the mug down because I’m pretty sure I’m going to shatter it.
“What does that mean?”
“He hurt her. Ethan hurt her.” She hesitates and I wonder what I look like. “I’m sorry, I tried to get upthere, but even if I had, I don’t think I could have stopped it.”
“What did he do? What the hell did he do to her?” I ask, not recognizing my own voice.
“When they got back into the ballroom, I could see…” she shakes her head. “He handed her to Sullivan, who danced with her, but I saw he was holding her up mostly. Her feet…”
“What?” I say, my eyes narrowing, jaw clenching, my breathing tight.
“Her feet were bleeding. I could see it. Her back maybe, too.”
Emotions war within me. I failed her. I left her there alone and unprotected.
Ethan hurt her. He fucking made her bleed. I will make him bleed drop for drop.
But I have to get to her first. She is still unprotected. Still at their mercy.
And Nigella isn’t finished yet.
“When the dance was over, Sly led her up to the stage along with the family to announce her engagement to his son. I think she almost passed out up there.”
“I need to get her.” The leg of my chair screeches as I push it back and stand.
“Wait, Silas. There’s more,” Nigella says.
I shake my head. “You can tell me later. I need to go get her. Where is she?” She hesitates. I slam my fist down on the table. “Where the fuck is she?”
“I don’t know, Silas. We think they took her somewhere in Boston. Hamish is on his way?—”
“Get him on the phone.”
“You need to see this first, Silas.”
“Nothing else matters.” I say through clenched teeth.
“I think it does. I think it’s important. The box. Where did you get it?”
“Why?”
“Just where did you get it?”
“At her house. I remember her father had hidden something years ago. The house, is it gone?” I ask because I haven’t had access to the news.
She nods. “Burnt completely down. Arson. The video footage of you, it’s there, but there’s more that’s been conveniently destroyed. The gist of it is the house burst into flames about half an hour after you left.”
“Jesus.”
“The box you got out, it’s a good, strong box. Wouldn’t have survived a fire, but strong. Drilled the lock out to open it.”
I watch as she opens the envelope I recognize and takes out the contents.
