Gabriel
The screen’s glow cast harsh shadows across ’s study as security footage played for what must have been the thousandth time. Three seventeen in the morning, and he hadn’t moved from his position behind the desk in hours. Days had begun to blur, marked only by the timestamps on endless hours of footage.
Eight days. Ten hours. Twenty-two minutes.
Ellis had been gone for eight days, ten hours, and twenty-two minutes.
The coffee at his elbow had gone cold, joining three other untouched cups scattered across the normally immaculate desk. Papers and tablets created a maze of dead ends and false leads. His jacket hung forgotten on the back of his chair, sleeves rolled up, tie long discarded.
On the screen, the Mercedes AMG sedan pulled up to the manor. Ellis would have been smiling, still damp from the pool. The timestamp showed 4:55:13 PM. At 4:55:34, three black SUVs would appear. At 4:55:56, professionally equipped men in tactical gear would swarm the car and the house. At 4:58:21...
’s jaw clenched until his teeth ached. A logo on one of the bags, stowed in one of the SUVs, stood stark on the screen. These men were La Sauvegarde’s security force. Sentinelle. Antoine was still stonewalling every inquiry, hiding behind his father’s protection like the coward he was.
The quiet click of his study door opening made him look up. For the first time since had known him, Nika looked... disheveled. His usually impeccable suit was wrinkled, tie loosened, and dark circles shadowed his eyes. Even his perfectly styled hair showed signs of running his hands through it too many times.
“You have something?” ’s voice was rough from disuse.
Nika’s expression tightened. “Henri’s gone completely dark, no credit cards, no phone, no facial recognition hits. According to HR, he’s suddenly taken a month’s leave.” Nika’s frown deepened. “A CFO doesn’t just take a month off, especially not Henri. His PA says he was working remotely the day Ellis and Jean were taken, but the last confirmed sighting we have is him leaving La Sauvegarde the previous Friday evening with Marc Saint-Clair. Nothing since.” He paused, running a hand through his already messy hair. “Antoine’s locked down Sentinelle’s internal communications—even my best hackers can’t get in. But... I found something else. Something we missed.”
“Explain.” The word came out as more growl than speech.
“I had my team pull Ellis’ cell records again. There’s a contact we overlooked. Someone named ‘Lottie.’ They texted nearly every day, sometimes multiple times. It’s mundane stuff, mostly complaints about clients and jokes about the weather. But she’s an escort too, works at one of the top union houses in Fourth Cat.”
went very still. The kind of stillness that made even Nika take a half step back. “You’re telling me,” he said softly, dangerously, “that for over a week, we’ve had a direct connection to someone who knows Ellis, knows his world, and no one thought to check his text messages?”
“We were focused on Sentinelle’s movements, on Henri, on your father’s—” Nika stopped himself, likely seeing something dangerous flash across ’s face. “Yes. That’s exactly what I’m telling you. I fucked up. We all fucked up.”
’s chair scraped against the floor as he stood. “Bring her here. Now.”
“It’s three in the morning.”
“Do it!”
Nika straightened his wrinkled tie. “I’ll have her here within the hour.” He turned to leave, then paused. “... there’s something else. Your father called an emergency board meeting for tomorrow—” Nika checked his watch, grimacing. “Rather, later today. Nine a.m. He’s claiming you’re emotionally compromised.”
’s laugh was sharp enough to cut. “Of course he is.” He turned back to the screen where Ellis’ Mercedes was frozen in frame. “Get me Lottie. I’ll deal with my father after.”
Nika pulled open the study door, only to freeze. Lucas and Alain stood on the other side, Lucas’ fist raised to knock. watched Alain’s eyebrow lift at Nika’s unusual appearance.
“I’ll call as soon as I have her,” Nika said, brushing past.
Lucas watched him go, then turned back to . “Was that actually Nikolai Rykov with his tie crooked?”
“Apparently, none of us are sleeping anymore.” didn’t look up from the screen. “What do you have?”
Alain took up his usual position near the desk, his appearance as immaculate as ever despite the hour. Only the tightness around his eyes betrayed both his exhaustion and the anger he’d been carrying since his security systems had been compromised.
“The new system will be installed tomorrow,” Alain reported, each word precise and clipped. “Completely closed circuit, no cloud access. Only I will have remote viewing capabilities, and even that will be through dedicated hardware, not any network.” His jaw tightened briefly. “I’ve vetted the tech company personally. They’ll have no access once the installation is complete.”
Lucas leaned forward, his shirt gaping where it was unbuttoned to his chest. “We found who sold us out. Johnson had a hundred and fifty thousand deposited to his account the morning of the kidnapping.” His lip curled in disgust. “He managed to spend almost twenty grand before Sentinelle put a bullet in his head. The rest was withdrawn that same day.”
“Money trail?” asked.
“Untraceable,” Lucas confirmed. “But it proves what we suspected—someone on our security team was feeding information to your father.”
“Peter’s being released next week,” Alain added, a hint of respect softening his rigid tone. “The doctors say he’s lucky to be alive after taking three bullets. He’s asking to come back.”
nodded. “Good. We need men like that—ones willing to die protecting what’s mine rather than selling us out.” He glanced at the clock, nearly three-thirty now. “Speaking of loyalty, Nika was here with an update.”
“I saw.” Lucas’s exhaustion momentarily lifted. “He looked like he slept in those clothes. Did he find something?”
“A connection we missed.” ’s voice held barely controlled fury. “Someone named Lottie. She and Ellis texted nearly every day. She works at one of the union houses in Fourth Cat.”
Alain’s perfect composure cracked slightly. “We missed a direct connection to Ellis’ world?”
“We didn’t have his phone. Nika’s getting her now.” ’s fingers drummed once on his desk before he caught himself. “But that’s not all. My father has called a board meeting for 9 a.m. He’s claiming I’m emotionally compromised.”
“Bastard,” Lucas breathed. “He takes them, then tries to take the company too?”
“He won’t succeed.” The cold certainty in Alain’s voice drew both men’s attention. “The security footage shows Sentinelle’s involvement. Antoine might be your father’s friend, but the board won’t ignore a La Sauvegarde security force being used to kidnap the CEO’s partner and someone under his protection.”
“Especially since he’s claiming you’re compromised,” Lucas added, straightening in his chair. “We can use this.”
“First, we get answers from Lottie.” turned back to the screen where Ellis’ Mercedes sat frozen in frame. “Then we deal with my father.”
The quiet that followed was heavy with exhaustion and rage. Lucas broke it first.
“What exactly did Nika find in Ellis’ texts?”
“They talked almost daily. About everything, apparently. Clients, weather...” ’s jaw tightened. “She might know things about Ellis’ world that we don’t. Places, people... anything that might tell us where they’ve taken him.”
“.” Alain’s steady voice cut through the tension. “We know Jean’s with his family, even if we haven’t pinpointed where. We’ll find him. But Ellis...” He left the darker possibility unspoken.
Lucas had gone still. “He could be anywhere by now.”
“No.” ’s voice was raw. “No, I refuse to believe they’ve moved him far. There has to be something we’re missing. He’s here, somewhere. I have to believe he is still in PDC.”
The silence after his admission stretched until Lucas cleared his throat.
“When does Nika expect Lottie to finish her shift?”
“Within the next couple of hours.” glanced at the clock again. “He’s going to intercept her at her brothel.”
“I’ll have Brenda clear your morning schedule,” Lucas said. “Everything except the board meeting.”
“Speaking of which,” Alain straightened slightly, “what’s our strategy there?”
’s laugh held no humor. “Oh, that’s simple. My father wants to paint me as emotionally compromised? Fine. Let’s show the board exactly why. Starting with footage of his pet security force kidnapping my Ellis.”
The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when the study door burst open. looked up from the board presentation he and Lucas had been reviewing to find a petite brunette stalking toward his desk, dressed in the revealing end of high-class escort wear. Nika followed behind her, looking more exhausted than he had two hours ago.
“What do you mean, Ellis has been kidnapped?” she demanded, slamming both hands on his desk, her curves accentuated by her fitted dress. “It’s been over a week since he’s responded to my texts, and you’re just now thinking to tell me?”
“Miss Garten—” Nika started.
“Don’t you ‘Miss Garten’ me, you absolute pillock.” She didn’t even turn around. Her rage focused entirely on . “I’ve been worried sick, thinking maybe he was ghosting me, or hurt, or—” Her voice cracked slightly. “And you’re supposed to be taking care of him. What the hell happened?”
studied her for a moment, noting the genuine concern beneath her anger. “Eight days ago, a private security force broke into my home. They took Ellis and another boy under my protection.”
“A private—” Lottie straightened, her eyes narrowing. “Which security force?”
“Sentinelle Tactical.”
“The La Sauvegarde—” She cut herself off, connecting the dots. Her fury shifted to something colder. “Your own company took him? Why?”
“My father.” ’s voice was flat. “He’s never approved of Ellis. Or of me choosing a male partner. Particularly one from...” He gestured vaguely at her outfit, “your profession.”
“So daddy dearest decided to what? Make the problem disappear?” Lottie’s lip curled. “And you haven’t found him yet? With all your money and connections?”
“We need someone who knows PDC’s underbelly,” Nika said quietly. “Places where people disappear to. The kind of operations that stay hidden even in plain sight.”
Lottie seemed to think for a moment before responding. “The trafficking rings.” It wasn’t a question. “You think they sold him into the underground networks?”
Lottie sank onto a leather couch, her earlier fury transforming into focused determination. “I don’t have direct connections to those circles. No one in the union houses does. That’s the whole point of being union.” Her fingers flew across her phone screen. “But we look after our own in this city.”
“What are you doing?” Nika asked.
“Putting out feelers. Carefully.” She didn’t look up. “We have networks, ways of passing information that stay under the radar. Someone sees something, a client doesn’t act right, they tell their friend, who tells their friend...” Her gaze flicked up to meet ’s. “We don’t take kindly to people snatching one of ours off the streets. Even the non-union workers will keep their eyes open for Ellis.”
watched her work, recognizing the same desperate need to act that had been driving him all week. “Nika can take you home.”
“Not now. I need to focus.” She dismissed the offer without looking up, already responding to incoming messages. “I’ll catch the train back later.”
“Sir,” Alain’s voice drew ’s attention. “We should prepare for the board meeting. Shower, change. Meet downstairs in an hour?”
nodded. “Have Annabelle bring Miss Garten some breakfast. And make sure she has a ride home later.” Alain dipped his head.
Lottie’s fingers paused at the mention of breakfast. “Coffee?”
“Annabelle makes the best in PDC,” Lucas assured her.
“Fine.” She was already back to typing. “But I’m not leaving until I hear back from some people.”
left her to her work, the steady click of her nails on the screen following him and his men out of the study. The morning light spilling through the windows reminded him how little time they had before facing his father.
The La Sauvegarde boardroom held its usual chill at 9 a.m. sharp. sat at the head of the table, Lucas a steady presence behind his right shoulder, as Maximilien delivered his carefully rehearsed performance.
“...the company’s reputation to consider,” his father was saying, pacing with practiced agitation. “The past few weeks have shown a concerning pattern of distraction, of poor judgment.” He turned to the board members, many of whom had known him for decades. “Under my leadership, La Sauvegarde maintained certain standards and upheld traditions that have served us well for generations.”
let him continue, watching the familiar faces around the table. Some nodded along with his father’s words. Others maintained careful neutrality. He waited until Maximilien paused for breath before touching the tablet in front of him.
The boardroom’s screens came to life with high-resolution images. Ellis’ Mercedes. The Sentinelle Tactical teams swarming his home. Jean being dragged from the house. The company’s logo clear on their gear.
“Speaking of leadership,” ’s voice cut through his father’s sudden silence, “let’s discuss the use of company resources for personal vendettas.” He zoomed in on the Sentinelle logo. “Antoine Dufort continues to stonewall any investigation into this operation. An operation that resulted in five dead security personnel.”
He let that sink in before continuing. “You claim I’m distracted? Let’s look at the numbers.” Another tap brought up financial charts. “In the three months since Ellis entered my life, has La Sauvegarde’s growth slowed? Has our stock price fallen?” He met each board member’s eyes in turn. “No. We’ve continued the upward trajectory that began when I took over from my father, after his tenure saw us hemorrhaging money from a series of failed deals and questionable acquisitions.”
leaned forward, his voice carrying the weight of certainty. “Many of you are my father’s friends. I respect that loyalty. But today, you have a choice to make: your pocketbooks or Maximilien’s wounded pride.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
The first response came from the far end of the table, where one of La Sauvegarde’s longest-serving board members sat. Her family had been invested in the company for three generations, and she’d never been one to let sentiment cloud her judgment.
“Five dead employees.” Her voice cut through the silence. “And the use of company security forces for a personal matter.” She turned to Maximilien, her expression hard. “Explain.”
“Marie—” Maximilien started, but she held up a hand.
“No. Not to me. To the shareholders you put at risk with this stunt. To the families of those dead men.” She gestured at the screens still showing the assault on ’s home. “We’re looking at potential lawsuits, regulatory investigations, stock price impact if this gets out.”
Other board members were nodding now, the spell of Maximilien’s performance broken by her practical concerns.
“I move to dismiss the motion regarding ’s leadership,” said another board member, leaning forward. “And I suggest we open an investigation into Sentinelle’s recent operations.”
“Seconded,” came the immediate response.
watched his father’s face as the vote proceeded, saw the moment Maximilien realized he’d overplayed his hand. The old man’s mask of concern cracked, revealing a flash of raw fury before he could compose himself.
Maximilien stood still, that flash of fury now buried beneath a veneer of dignified disappointment. “I see.” His voice carried just the right note of paternal concern. “I hope you all remember this moment when my son’s proclivities become public knowledge.”
“Your concern for the company’s reputation would carry more weight,” said, “if you hadn’t just used our security force to kidnap my partner in broad daylight.”
“Alleged use,” Maximilien corrected, but the words lacked conviction as the screens still displayed the damning evidence.
“This meeting is adjourned,” one of the board members announced, already gathering his papers. “The motion is dismissed. The investigation into Sentinelle will begin immediately.”
remained seated as the board members filed out, some pausing to shake his hand, others merely nodding. His father was the last to leave, pausing at the door.
“You’ve made a grave mistake,” Maximilien said quietly.
“No, Father.” finally looked up from the frozen image of Ellis’ Mercedes. “You have. Eight days ago. Where is he?”
“I have no idea who attacked your home.” Maximilien’s lip curled. “Though I can’t say I’m devastated by the outcome.”
’s fists clenched at his sides. One step. That’s all it would take to reach his father.
“The investigation will reveal everything, Maximilien,” Marie de Guise cut in smoothly. “Every call, every order, every payment.”
Maximilien’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “If I had ordered such an operation, I certainly wouldn’t want to be kept informed of how they disposed of the trash.” He turned away, dismissing them all as beneath his notice. “Do let me know when you’ve finished playing CEO, .”
watched his father leave, his words burning in his ears like acid.