Chapter 6
NORTH CAROLINA
Elena was shorter than she was; Adria estimated she was just shy of five feet. Her fiery red hair was in a stylized ponytail off to the side.
She looked different from the last time Adria had seen her.
Adria greeted her with a smile and welcomed her inside. All the while trying to discern what was different about the girl.
“Where are they?” Elena said, stepping into the foyer, removing her sunglasses.
Adria was speechless. It wasn’t until Eric said, “Perhaps the two of you would like to have some tea in the garden room?” that she found her voice.
“Where are who?”
The woman marched into her space, her perky breasts bouncing with each stomp of her little feet. When she was inches from Adria, she poked Adria in the shoulder.
Eric put an arm out, but Adria waved him away. She could handle the redhead.
“My brother and his two fuckboy boyfriends. I want to know where they are right now. I don’t care who you are, lady. Just know if you keep standing in my way, there is gonna be trouble,” Elena said, leaning menacingly into Adria’s face.
Two things occurred to Adria simultaneously.
One was Elena had tattoos. Her color was threatening.
That’s what was different.
Elena was a made woman. She was Sota’s Vice Regent.
It was obvious now that the girl had hidden her colors at the auction.
There was another mark. A snowflake on her neck—the image rattled around in Adria’s head.
“He told me you wouldn’t hurt him. Promised me he would be okay. But almost ten weeks and no word. Pardon me if I don’t trust him.” Elena narrowed her eyes at Adria, saying, “Or you.”
The resemblance was so striking; Adria couldn’t believe that she hadn’t seen it sooner. Her eyes, her facial structure, they looked so similar.
“You’re Bryson’s sister,” Adria blurted and immediately felt like an idiot.
“Are you FUCKING dense?” Elena screamed.
Her tiny fist flew at Adria, and Adria moved to the side easily. Grabbing Elena, her body seemed to have a mind of its own as the pair tumbled to the ground.
Despite being angry and full of fire, Elena’s body was soft and small. Adria bested her easily and, with Eric’s training, had her in a chokehold before Adria even realized she was doing it.
Elena struggled for only a moment before relaxing.
Adria, feeling Elena’s body soften against her, let her grip loosen.
This seemed to be a mistake, because as soon as she relaxed, Elena came to life with renewed vigor. Her limbs seemed to ooze out of Adria’s hold before turning and slapping Adria hard across the face.
Fire roared in Adria’s belly, and she moved to strike, but the girl was lifted into the air by Eric.
She swung wildly, but Eric held onto her middle, and Elena hovered a foot or so off the floor, screaming.
“Stop!” Eric yelled into the room.
Elena stilled, chest heaving.
“Adria,” Eric said. “Tell her.”
Adria stared up at the scene, still on the floor. Bryson’s sister had just attacked her.
“Tell me what?” Elena said, seeming to gain some composure.
Adria stood, a gaping hole forming in her chest as realization seeped in. The boys were not with Elena.
“They are supposed to be with you,” she said, cold sweat breaking out across her body.
“Okay, let’s go over this one more time,” Elena said, pacing around the garden room.
Adria had a sip of tea, the cup rattling slightly as she attempted to set it down.
“You told Francine to alert me I won the auction?” Elena asked.
Adria nodded. “Frances, but yes.”
“A car came and picked them up?”
Adria nodded, her stomach twisting into knots. Three men—her responsibility—gone. Vanished.
“And you haven’t heard from them or Fran since?” Elena asked. Her tone was accusatory, and Adria didn’t like the summation.
“It’s normal not to hear from my sales,” Adria said, trying to sound civil, even though she felt anything but.
Nothing about this was normal. Nothing.
“I need to talk to Fran right now,” Elena said.
“Frances,” Adria corrected automatically, her mind racing through horrific possibilities. Torture. Death. Worse.
Elena just blinked at her.
“I’ll call her,” Adria said, grabbing her phone.
Elena put her hand out, stopping her. “We need to have this conversation in person.”
The woman’s eyes held murder in them. Adria shook her head. “Frances is not involved. She is a good girl. I trust her.”
But did she? What did Adria really know about Frances?
Elena gave her an oh-you-sweet-thing look before saying, “Fact, she was supposed to use your security team and Eric just found out she didn’t.
Fact, she was supposed to call me the night of the auction, never did.
Fact, my brother left your house in a car she arranged and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. ”
Elena leveled a serious stare. “I am going to see her in person,” she said, pronouncing each syllable. “You can come with if you want, or you can stay here keeping your fingers crossed.”
Adria straightened. “I’m coming with you; I want to find them too.”
“Yeah, sure you do,” Elena said, leaving the room.