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I reached for the garter belt and what I soon realized were ripped panties.
“I found these around the side of the building,” he said, pointing off to the distance. “I went shopping with Lily earlier. She bought the replica of those. The call we tried to track…it was a buffer call. It had to be. Holland’s Hotel is on the far side of the city. With traffic like it is, it would have taken her at least a half hour to make it there by car. She was walking. I think your man who just got shot might have something to do with Lily calling. The number you had me track down earlier had similar characteristics. And the description of the woman…it’s Lily to a tee. The hair, the dark dress, the black stockings…”
My head shook, refusing to believe what sounded so certain. “Coincidence. It has to be. Women wear black undergarments all the time. And Lily didn’t sound scared when she called. Angry, a little, but afraid for her life? No. Besides, how would she know Zane Collins? It doesn’t make sense. You’ve seen everyone Lily’s came in contact with. Have you ever seen them together?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “But we both know Zane Collins isn’t his real name.”
Of course I knew that. Why hadn’t I been tempted to find out what it was earlier? There was just something about that guy that made me a little soft and I had no idea what it was.
The more I let everything play out, the faster my heart raced. One by one, the possibilities hit me and I could feel myself freaking the fuck out. Not again. Lily. “Well, what have you been waiting for? Get it for me! If my sister had an association with him and she was the one taken, I want to know everything.” I took a few steps closer to the street, not sure of where I was going. “Son of bitch. Marcio, get the car, we’re going to the hospital. If he wakes up, maybe we can learn something.”
Please don’t fucking die. And please tell me they’re wrong. Lily can’t be the one taken. Not again. Fuck…I couldn’t do this again!
I nearly groaned as I let everything sink in. Whether I wanted to admit or not, I already knew in the pit of my stomach. Zane and my sister had been together. How, I had no clue. But it made sense why he kept showing up at random places. And then, asking me for help, and wanting to get his life straight because of the woman he loved. He’d stressed that part, as if he were trying to tell me why it were so important. The woman….it had to be my sister. Fuck! I could kill him for the danger he put her in. Yet, I knew the cost of love. Had lived out my own hell with Mary before we found peace.
The car pulled up next to me as I still stared at the flashing lights. I had to force myself to slide in the back seat. I felt rocked inside, right back in the same spot I’d been when I learned my sister had been taken the first time. I grabbed my phone from my pocket, hating to have to call Mary so late. She’d been so tired lately. It was only just before nine, but she was probably already asleep.
Ringing sent my hand to the door grip and I squeezed tightly.
“Hey, I was wondering where you were.” She yawned. “How’d Lily’s date go?”
My head leaned back against the headrest. The last thing I wanted to do was upset my wife, but we shared everything. If I couldn’t be open with her, she’d know I was hiding something. That would stress her out even more. “She’s gone, baby. I think she’s been taken again.”
“What!” Breathing heavily, her words tumbled over each other as they came out. “How? I thought you were there? How could someone have taken her?”
My head shook. “We were caught off guard. Lily…she fucking tied up Alec in the restroom. Sexually,” I emphasized. “I was shocked, to say the least. She ran out, angrily, while we were getting him untied. She called a little while afterward and said she was okay, that she’d be home when she cooled off, but something has happened.” My hand rubbed at my eyes as I tried to think of how to shorten the story. “You remember the guy I was telling you about earlier? The one who needed a job?”
“Zane,” Mary rushed out.
“Yes. Well, he got shot tonight, right across the street from Lily’s penthouse. A girl was taken.”
“The girlfriend you told me about?”
My head shook. “I don’t know. I think Lily might be that girlfriend. It’s really confusing right now. We found some…clothes that she might have been wearing, next to the building. It could be hers, or maybe it belongs to someone else. We might be way off and maybe she is just away for the night. I don’t want to take any chances, though. We’re headed to the hospital now. Maybe we can get in to see Zane somehow.”
“I’m coming.” What sounded like blankets ruffled in the background and I flew forward.
“You leave that room, so help me God.”
“Slade, you can’t just expect me to stay here when—”
“Oh yes, you will stay. Do not leave that room. I want every single door locked. I’m sending Marcio over there to stand guard. We have no idea what the fuck is happening right now. Think of the baby, Mary. If something happened to either one of you…” I trailed off, running my hand through my hair —a habit that had suddenly come back due to all this stress. “Stay. Promise me.”
A few seconds went by before I heard her sigh. “You’re right. I’ll stay.”
“Good girl. Now, lay back and relax as best as you can. You don’t need to worry. I shouldn’t have said anything to begin with, but I knew you’d want to know.”
“Thank you. Be careful, please.”
“Always. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I hung up, sliding the phone back in my pocket. “You’re dropping me off and going to stand guard outside of my room with Caleb. Send Brace and Tor up here. I’m not sure what the fuck is going on with Zane and his family, but I have a feeling it’s not going to be good. If Lily was taken, we have to figure out if it had to do with them or something completely different. He knew about my past as far back as Lily returning. He knew about the Brightons. I can’t shake the impression that saying their name set him off. Shit, what the fuck is happening? I can’t think. If she was taken, was this on my and her side, or his?”
My fingers rubbed circles over my temple.
“Boss, can I make a suggestion?”
