15. Ford
15
FORD
Waking up to an empty hotel room is not what I wanted. I don’t normally sleep in late at all. There was just something about having Grace close by that felt good. I went to bed with a smile on my face. That smile is gone now, however. I took a shower, and she still hasn’t returned. I tried her cell, but it went straight to voicemail. I would have thought she was dodging my calls, but she isn’t even aware that I have her number. I got it from Grunt and King’s report. I finally load up our things—mostly because I am trying to kill time. When I discovered Grace had already packed all her belongings and her satchel was waiting on the bed, I decided to just carry it down to the truck. We can grab a quick breakfast, check out, and I can get her to Asher sooner that way. I’m actually glad she did pack. If I hadn’t seen her case, I would have thought she went back home without waiting for me. I smile, thinking of how I had to talk her into even packing an overnight bag. She resisted, but she gave in pretty easily. I mean, we’re not ninety minutes away from her house. I feel like getting her to agree was a small victory. It felt like I won the lottery that she was even thinking about spending the night with me. I knew I wouldn’t get her under me like I wanted, but I was hoping she’d at least cuddle in the bed with me. That didn’t happen, and I wasn’t about to push her. One thing is crystal clear to me. Grace is not like other women. I personally appreciate that. I need for her to realize she can trust me. I’m not going to let her down. It’s clear that’s what she’s used to. I’m going to prove that her and Asher are both safe with me.
That reminds me, last night Grace mentioned something to me and I want to follow up on it. That’s another reason to take our bags to the truck. I need some privacy. I don’t want Grace overhearing what I have planned. I take our bags in one hand and slide the keycard to the room in my pocket, then head out. I gave Grace her own keycard, but I doubt she’ll come back to the room before I find her. I’m pretty sure she’s avoiding me this morning.
The elevator ride seems to take forever. As I step out into the lobby, my gaze automatically goes to the coffee area. I had hoped to see Grace sitting there, but no such luck. I frown. She’s probably souvenir shopping for Asher. She mentioned it in passing last night. I’ll track her down after I put our stuff in the vehicle. I know she’s anxious to get home. She misses her boy. After hearing her talk to him on the phone last night, I want to get the two of them back together, too. I thought my days of having kids were done, but as I listened to her talk to her son, I wondered what it would be like if she carried my child. Would she even want my child? Would the sweetness she showed her son shine through when she met Lyla? Lyla’s grown, but I’d still love for her to have the influence of a woman’s touch in her life. Someone she can ask questions when she wonders about Tam-Tam. I know that Lyla’s biggest worry is failing as a mother, since she never truly had one herself. Grace could be that emotional support for her. It sounds crazy, but I’ve never wanted anything more.
As I store our bags and lock the truck back up, I pull out my cellphone and dial Grunt.
“Thought you were with your old lady. Why are you calling me?” he asks. I grin, liking that he’s already calling Grace mine. She is.
“Got something for you to look into for me.”
“Whatcha’ need?”
“Grace has a grandmother. She raised her. I want anything you can find out about the bitch.”
“Grandmother?”
“Yeah. I want to know everything, and I mean everything . Actually, find out any info on her parents too. You may have to turn some rocks over to find the grandmother, but I want to know if the bitch is still breathing free air.”
“Damn. I’ll get on it.”
“Good.”
“You coming back today?”
“Yeah. Grace needs to get back to Asher.”
“Ford, man, I hate to bring it up, but we’re going to have to head back to Virginia soon.”
“I know. I may send you guys back after I drop Grace off today. I would like to stay for at least a few more days. I doubt I can talk Grace into coming back to Virginia right away, but I want more time with her before I have to leave.”
“You going to do long distance?”
“Until I can convince her otherwise, yeah. I’m not letting her go.”
He lets out a whistle. “Better turn up the charm. Jasmine likes surprises. Maybe try that route.”
“I was thinking about stopping and getting her some roses on the way home,” I admit.
“I was thinking more along the lines of pulling over to the side of the road and surprise her by letting her ride your face. That’s my woman’s favorite.”
“Asshole,” I grumble.
“Hey, just stating the truth. My woman is perfect.”
I shake my head, fighting my laughter. Dumbass doesn’t need encouragement. “Check in as soon as you get the information. I want to deal with Grace’s grandmother sooner rather than later.”
“You got it. Is it safe to call Jasmine and tell her that her man is coming home tonight?”
“See what you can find out for me. We’ll talk when I get there, but yeah, you can leave after that.”
“Sounds good,” he says, hanging up.
I put my cell back in my pocket and walk inside. I go to the coffee place and then take a chance on her being back in the room. After checking the shopping area and still not finding Grace, I’m starting to panic.
I spot Vector and his old lady along with his second ahead of me, sitting at a table. “Hey, have any of you seen Grace?” I call out, doing a poor job of keeping my voice even. Vector looks confused for a second, but I notice him and Roman both look at Sloane.
“Yeah, a bit ago. She was going to the bathroom, calling her son, then upstairs to meet you,” she responds, standing up. “I’ll go check the bathroom.”
Vector pushes his chair back to rise, holding a hand up to stop Roman. “Settle the bill for us.”
I follow Sloane, Vector beside me as she walks to where I assume she last talked to my woman. She turns down what appears to be a service hall between the mall and the hotel lobby.
Tension is ratcheting up inside of me. When Vector tells his woman to go wait for Roman, I figure he feels it, too. I mostly tune the asshole out. I don’t know what he did to my woman, but I can gather that whatever it was, it hurt Grace. That means he’s not my favorite person right now. The only reason I haven’t demanded to know and decked him is because I’m halfway thankful to the man for screwing up and giving me a chance to claim Grace for my own. That’s only going to give him so much leeway though—especially if he is the reason she seems so broken at times. I take a deep breath and casually open the bathroom door—not wanting to alert anyone that hell is about to rain down on them if they are hurting my woman.
Anger curls up inside of me, clashing with fear when the room appears empty. I kick open the stall doors, calling her name. “Grace! Grace, baby, are you in here?” When the stalls are empty, my guts churn. “Motherfucker,” I growl.
I stomp out of the room, Vector right there. We walk towards Sloane, who has Roman with her now. I ignore them. I spotted an exit door ahead. I want to make sure there’s no sign of her there. I don’t think Grace left—at least not willingly. Nothing I’ve discovered tells me that the Korslovas would come after her, but I can’t discount it either.
The door has a red sign that shows an alarm will sound if you try to exit through it. Good, let everyone come to me. If I can’t find her, I want to see all the security footage available. My anger threatens to boil over when the alarm doesn’t sound as I thrust the door open. The only thing worse is the bone chilling fear that blooms inside of me. I’m trying not to overreact, but the problem is, I don’t think I am. I feel like something is wrong.
I look around outside but see nothing out of place. I turn back inside, scanning the area more closely. Vector is annoying me, staring at everything I’m doing. I wave them over. Until I get my men here to help, I need to play nice. I can’t help it. I just feel he hurt my woman, so I want him away from her.
Just as Vector turns to join us, something catches my eye. “That’s hers,” I mutter, pointing to a heart-shaped locket on the end of a broken chain. It’s caught in a crack in the tile on the floor. I nod toward the security cameras—unsure if I can find my voice. Luckily, Vector’s VP picks up on what I mean.
“There are two other cameras along this hallway,” Roman responds immediately.
“Should we call the …” Sloane begins, but I shoot her a look filled with fury. I’m going to find the sons of bitches who did this.
“Doesn’t King know the head of security here?” Vector asks. “Let’s track her on the feed.”
I nod, grabbing the necklace. I open the locket and a feeling that I’m completely unfamiliar with hits me when I see Asher’s face staring back at me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! I take off walking, fishing my phone out of my pocket to call King. I stop quickly and look back at Vector as I get my keycard out. “Vec, can she sit in my room? In case Grace is just …”
“Yeah, man, of course. Roman, you stay with Sloane,” Vector immediately replies, looking between the three of us as he puts together a plan. “Like fucking glue, until we have this figured out. Babe, call me if you think of anything or if she shows up. I’ll be with Ford.”
I hand Sloane the key, ignoring the bitterness I feel as he makes sure Sloane is taken care of. Maybe if the asshole had taken that care with Grace earlier on, the Korslova family wouldn’t have targeted her. I can’t say shit, though. I should have watched over her better. I should have made sure she stayed safe. It doesn’t matter if they have left her alone all this time. They were still a threat, and I just left her unguarded. Jesus. Where the fuck was my brain?
I grab my phone and dial King’s number. It takes two rings before I hear his voice, and every ring feels like a knife slicing into me with a white-hot scorching pain. “Hey, Ford. I was just?—”
“King, I need the head of security here at the casino.”
“Offices are on the top floor. I’ll text you the elevator override code. I’ll have Hangman phone ahead. What the fuck is wrong?”
“Someone took Grace. I need all the footage from this morning, especially those in the service exit and restroom area by the shops.”
“I’ll call them now. You want me and boys to meet you there?”
“Yes,” I tell him, knowing the club is just a little over an hour away from here. The Saint’s Outlaws actually own this place, and I need anyone I can get with me. I have to find her.
“The men meeting us here?” Vector asks as my cellphone dings, telling me King has sent me the code I need. Until Vector spoke up, I’d forgot about him being here. I know I’m being an asshole, but I want him gone.
“Yeah, my guys are coming. Listen, I appreciate your help with this,” I start, but before I can say more, Vector interrupts me.
“Ford, I’d like to help. I was going through shit in the past and I hurt Grace. I owe her. I’d like to see her happy and she seems that way with you.”
“We’re getting there,” I answer grudgingly. “She’s mine. I just have to find her. At least, I know enough about her now to know what direction to be looking in. I’d like to see if you recognize anyone in the surveillance. You knew Grace in her past. After that, though, me and my men can take over. If I need extra help, I’ll give you a shout, but I think I have a firm handle on things. I have T’s family close by and their Tennessee chapter is also near here. The Saint’s Outlaws will be helping, too.”
“What do you mean, what direction to be looking in?”
“That’s Grace’s story to tell, and to be honest, man, I don’t think she’d want you to hear it.”
“I just want to make sure she’s safe. I owe her that much.”
“It’s not your place now. I’ll ask if I need your help. I’m Grace’s man now,” I tell him, laying it down. He studies me. I can tell he’s not happy. He nods. “If that’s the way you want it. I’m willing to help, though. I don’t think of Grace that way any longer. Sloane is it for me.”
“It’s not about that. It’s shielding my woman from any pain. That’s my mission in life now,” I tell him honestly. I don’t know the story between him and Grace, but I know every single time Grace had to be around Vector, she withdrew into herself.
I’ve let her keep too many secrets. It’s my fault she’s not here with me. I will get her back and I’m going to protect her from anything that hurts her. That’s my vow, and I’ll make it to her—as soon as she’s in my arms again.
Vector doesn’t question me any further and I’m damn glad. It’s an awkward conversation as it is. With things settled, I punch the code into the private elevator meant for the offices and penthouse suite, and we walk in. I’ve got a woman to find and bring home.