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I huff and try not to panic. My thoughts keep circling the drain of doom, and I have got to think of something more productive or I’ll lose my mind. Okay. The grabber said Anderson’s family owes him money. If he wants to get paid, then they won’t hurt me … but also, why does his family owe him money?
That doesn’t seem right.
Anderson’s family doesn’t owe anyone anything. They’ve been generationally wealthy for many generations. Old money, as they like to call it. None of this makes any sense.
Though, people can get stupid with money. Even people with lots of it. Maybe his mom has a gambling problem. Or his dad made some poor investments. Huh. Could it be Anderson’s fault? Is that why his dad froze his accounts—to stop him from running up a tab with a bookie or something?
Whatever the reason is, I’m stuck here for now. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. Nothing good will come from panicking or trying to guess what’s actually happening. The only thing I can do is focus on myself right now. More deep breaths and just let myself melt into the situation. Think of this as an opportunity to meditate in the absolute quiet or?—
Who the hell am I kidding? I’ve been kidnapped. It’s okay to freak out. I blow out one of those useless deep breaths and decide to scoot the chair away from the light. At least I can explore that way.
But when I try, I discover it’s bolted into the concrete. Super.
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Chapter 35
ANDERSON
Once I retrieved my phone, I dodged my family to get downstairs as fast as possible. Leaving a hot woman alone in the cold is not good form. But when I got outside, she wasn’t in my car.
Odd.
I check in with the valet, but she was gone before he returned with the car. Searching my memory, I can’t think of how I could have misinterpreted her saying she’d wait in the car. Maybe she went up to check on me and we missed each other?
“Thanks,” I tell the valet, before I head up one more time. The elevator ride takes far too long for my liking, but it always does. It’s an old building. It’s just frustrating. Feels like every second away from June is a second wasted.
When the door opens, I take a breath and march back to Mom and Dad’s and ring the bell. I doubt anyone will hear me knock—not with the band playing again. As their front door opens, I’m expecting Mom or the housekeeper. Not my younger brother, Cole. He’s still wearing his coat.
He grins. “Holy shit, man, you’re late!”
I laugh. “I was already here before. Pretty sure you’re the late one.”
He takes my hand and pulls me in for a hug, patting my back hard twice. “Get in here, old man.”
“How the hell have you been, kid?”
“Oh, you know. Living life.” He takes his coat off, hanging it in the nearby coat room. “I hear you’re engaged … ?”
Right. The lie. “Uh, yeah. I am. In fact, have you been introduced to June yet? I think she must be around here someplace. She was supposed to wait for me in the car when I came back up to get my phone, but I think she must have come back up here to check on me.”
“Ah, she probably got a load of our family and took off.” He leans in and quietly says, “Not that I blame her.”
“We can be a lot, can’t we?”
He laughs. “Ain’t that the truth? Guess I should show my face a little before jetting out of here?—"
“Why the rush? You just got here. I’m sure Mom would love to see you for a bit.”
He rolls his eyes and shrugs. “You know how things are, Anderson. This isn’t exactly my scene.”
No, it is not. His scene has been the party circuit for far too long. I love my brother, but he is the least reliable man I have ever known.
“How’s work?”
“I don’t want to talk about work.” Translation … he got fired.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
