Chapter 40
Forty
Ava
When I step out of the private elevator, I nearly fall over at the sight of the luxurious room before me.
An intricate crystal chandelier welcomes me as I step onto black marble with golden veins and stare around in wonder.
Furniture worth more than I make in a year sits expertly placed around the area, making me feel too dirty to actually sit on any of it.
As a mother, that white couch makes me nervous.
As a woman, I’ve never seen something so lush.
Dagen’s penthouse apartment is at least four times the size of my own condo, each room more massive than the last.
“In here,” Dagen calls from what I assume is the kitchen.
I say “assume” because the room I walk into feels more like something you’d watch a famous chef cook in on the cooking channel.
The island is larger than my entire kitchen and that’s where I spy Dagen sitting, papers in front of him as he finishes up a phone call.
Felix is sitting at the other end of the island, his laptop open in front of him.
He smiles at me and waves, but doesn’t stand up.
Wylan is sitting on the marble island crisscross-applesauce, his combat boots resting there.
I wince at the thought of his boots getting this squeaky-clean place dirty, but he doesn’t seem to care.
“Morning, crumpet,” he calls when he sees me. He leaps off the counter and comes over to lift me into his arms. He swings me around, making me giggle, before he puts me on my feet again and tugs me into a tight hug.
A hug that feels like it could be the last one at any moment.
“Foxxie is just finishing up some business, apparently. There’s a fancy cheese tray in the fridge if you want something to eat.”
“It’s a charcuterie board,” Felix corrects. “Not a cheese tray.”
“It has cheese on it, mate. That makes it a cheese tray. Doesn’t matter what fancy word you call it; it’s still just cheese.”
I shake my head and move over to give Felix a kiss on the cheek. “What are you working on? Still trying to find him?”
He nods. “He’s hiding well. Not a single sighting. If he moves, I’ll find him, but until then, we’re going to have to wait.”
Part of me worries that we can’t find him.
Ric is resourceful, and though we’d taken away much of his resources, there has to be at least one person out there still willing to help him.
I just don’t know who that would be, and clearly, Felix doesn’t either.
Another part of me worries that we will find him, because of what happens after that.
My stomach still hasn’t adjusted to the thought, and I’m not sure it ever will.
At least Elsie is safe and unaware. She’d gotten a perfect score on her science test yesterday. So today, she gets to join in a schoolwide pizza party. She’d been so excited to tell me about it, that and her new friends celebrating with her. She’s thriving here, and I plan to keep it that way.
“Sorry about that,” Dagen apologizes when he hangs up his phone. “Just a bit of business that couldn’t wait.” He comes over and presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Welcome to my home.”
“Home or museum?” I joke, looking around.
The walls outside the kitchen area are covered with paintings I’m certain are actually priceless antiques instead of copies.
A few artifacts are displayed on pedestals around the open floorplan room from what I can see, and that doesn’t include the trinkets on shelves and in display cases.
Dagen is a collector, but then again, I suppose most rich people are.
Dagen laughs. “I suppose it could double as both to the right person.” His hand travels down my hip and squeezes. “I can show you around.”
“After the discussion,” Felix interrupts. “Business first. Pleasure after.”
“You’re right,” Dagen nods. “What have you found, Otto?”
Wylan sits back on the edge of the island, swinging his combat boots like a kid as he pops some of the cheese from the charcuterie board into his mouth. He winks at me as he leans back, waiting for Felix to talk.
“We know that after the gala, Ricardo disappeared into his hotel room at the Ritz, but he hasn’t come out since. A doctor was brought in at some point and the doctor is confirmed leaving.”
“You checked facial recognition?” Dagen asks.
“Of course I did,” Felix answers. “The same man that came is the same man that left.”
“So, he’s just sitting in his hotel room like a lonely bastard?” Wylan asks. “Seems easy enough. I’ll just sneak in there and—”
“Not so fast,” Felix interrupts. “I said he went in and never came out, but he very much has checked out.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“According to the hotel computer system, he checked out yesterday, but there are no sightings of him leaving the building no matter what angle I search from. When I looked into it, there is only one way he could have gotten out without me seeing him.” He clicks a few keys and the screen shows two cameras.
“There is about a three-foot path that runs between these two cameras that someone could slip out in.”
“Ah, I could have told you that had you asked,” Wylan says, shaking his head. “It’s how I got in without being seen.”
Felix shoots him an annoyed look. “That kind of information seems pretty important, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, for me, mate,” Wylan says, rolling his eyes. “I didn’t think ole Ricky was smart enough to utilize it.”
“He’s not,” Dagen nods, frowning. “Which means there’s still someone helping him.”
“I have the systems running a cross-reference on all his contacts in his phone right now,” Felix nods. “If there’s one in there that hasn’t been effected by all the blow up, then I’ll find him. But it’s going to take a few hours.”
“Good,” Dagen says. “Then I can finally show you around my home.” He grabs my hand and leads me away, but not before Wylan and Felix share a look. “You two can come as well.”
Wylan grins and leaps off the counter. “I thought you’d never ask, Foxxie.”
Felix is a little slower to stand, but he does. His tucks his hands into his pockets and follows along from behind as Dagen takes me to his living room and shows off the expensive paintings he’s collected.
“Why does that man look like he’s stealing the goose? Is he part of a big goose kidnapping ring?” Wylan comments about a rather large painting.
“That is a Grigorescu,” Dagen says with a roll of his eyes.
Wylan raises his brow and leans over to me. “Goose kidnapping ring it is, crumpet.”
I giggle, but try to hide it when Dagen shoots me a look. He can’t hide the slight curl of his lip. “Yes, well, I thought it rather intriguing as a teenager, so I purchased it. Now. . . I can see the humor in it.”
After we tour the entirety of the art collection downstairs, Dagen leads us upstairs to the bedrooms. He shows us the spare rooms at first, opening door after door to intricately decorated modern rooms before he reaches one last door.
“And this is my room,” he starts.
“Oh god. It’s not going to be a red room, is it?” Felix teases.
Wylan perks up. “Not into spankings, hacker boy?”
“Receiving? No.” His eyes flick to me. “Giving? Perhaps.”
I swallow.
Dagen laughs. “I don’t need a red room.”
He opens the door and reveals a relatively sparsely decorated room. My eyes go right toward the massive bed, one that makes my queen size look tiny.
Wylan whistles. “Why you got an orgy bed, Foxxie? How many people fit on there?”
“As many as I’d like,” Dagen shrugs. “Alas, it’s usually just me starfishing across it after a long day of meetings.”
Wylan runs and leaps onto it like a kid, throwing his hands wide and laughing as he sinks into the plush comforter. I grin at him and kick off my shoes before following suit, laughing as I throw myself onto the comfortable bed.
The moment I’m on there, Wylan rolls over, laughing as he wraps his arms around me and rolls, putting me on top of him. Those eyes flicker with emotion as he looks up at me.
“Now this is a bed big enough for some fun,” Wylan teases. “You got any contraptions that come out of the ceiling or something, Foxxie?”
“I might,” he answers, pushing a button.
The lights all darken, shifting from bright to moody immediately. A panel opens up on the wall, revealing what looks like. . .
Wylan whistles again. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”
Felix walks over to the wall and studies the restraints and collection of adult toys. “These all look brand new.”
“That’s because they are,” Dagen shrugs. “I had that installed a week ago.”
I turn my head toward Dagen. “What?”
He slowly shrugs his jacket off and hangs it on a hook by the door. His eyes are on me as he carefully undoes his cufflinks before setting them on a table there.
“I purchased them with intent,” he says, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. “Intent to see how they’d look on you.” He shrugs his shirt off and drops it to the floor before he slowly kicks his shoes off. “In you,” he adds as he stands before us in only his slacks.
Felix’s brows shoot up. “Should we leave?”
Wylan pouts out his lip. “I don’t want to leave.”
“Stay,” Dagen commands, strolling closer to where I’m sitting up on my elbows on the bed. “We can see whose name she screams first.”
My eyes widen and I sit up higher. “Wait.”
All three pause what they’re doing and look at me.
“Um. . .”
“Say yes,” Dagen encourages. “You hold the power here, Ava. If you want to stop at any point, you can. We can establish a safe word.”
“Safe word,” I repeat.
“Mine’s kerfuffle,” Wylan says cheerfully. “Not that I’ve ever used it.”
“Okay,” I breathe. “Kerfuffle it is then.” I lean back on the bed. “Should I undress?”
“Allow me,” Felix groans, kneeling onto the bed. His hands slide up my jean-covered thighs, reaching slowly. I’m panting by the time he reaches my button and zipper. Those he makes quick work of, splitting my jeans to reveal only skin.
“Bloody hell,” Wylan groans, sitting up on the bed. “What a pretty sight this is.”