Chapter 48
Troy
T he plane bumped and rumbled as it landed on the runway, the woman next to me tightly gripping the armrest. She wasn’t much of a flier, which she told me as we departed New Jersey. Even though the flight was just under an hour, she clutched my arm the whole time, letting out little gasps during any form of turbulence. I had to bite back a smile. This was what flying coach was, I supposed.
It didn’t matter, though. Anything was better than staying in Atlantic City with my cheating, hypocritical, egotistical father any longer. After our big blowout, I doubted we could ever get back to a good place, if we were ever in one to start with. I could still hear his voice echoing in my head as I had left that meeting room, so angry and loud. But I shook my head free of it. I was home, and one step closer to seeing Monica.
The plane slowed to a stop and the woman next to me slowly peeled each finger off me as if her skin had melted into mine. I looked over at her, her face drained of color.
“You made it.” I nodded with encouragement.
“Barely,” she said with a weak smile.
“What brings you to New York?”
“My boyfriend. Though next time, he’s coming to me.”
I laughed.
“What about you?” she asked as she unclicked her seatbelt.
“I live here. I’m on my way to see my girlfriend.”
Though I had never said the word before, it felt right rolling off the tongue. Monica and I hadn’t exactly established what our relationship was, but we loved each other. I was pretty sure that meant she was my girlfriend. It had been so long since I had been in this situation. It all felt very middle school, but I was happy.
Happy that we could finally be together now. It may have taken a nasty fight with my dad to get here, but it was worth it. I had finally broken free of him, and now I just needed to step down from my position at the hedge fund. Then Monica and I could truly be together, free of any rules or judgment.
My father could have the hedge fund for all I cared. He had told me time and time again how he could run it better, so now was his chance. I didn’t realize how easy it would be to let it go until I realized how little it meant to me.
“Well, she’s lucky to have you. I don’t think I would have gotten through the flight without you.”
“Happy to be of service.” I chuckled.
The rest of the passengers began to deplane, and I slid out of the row of seats, following behind her. I pulled her bag down from the overhead compartment and handed it to her. I noticed a familiar book cover peeking out of the side pocket. I smiled.
“How is the book?” I asked, looking to her bag as I pulled my own bag down.
“Oh, it was so good. I couldn’t put it down.”
Of course, she couldn’t. Monica had written it. I couldn’t wait to get to her.
“She’s a fantastic author,” I gushed.
“You read romance?”
“I know the author, but yes, I read her stuff.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Wow! That’s amazing! She’s one of my favorite authors.”
I smiled, feeling proud.
“I have to ask…” she started hesitantly.
“Yes?” I asked curiously.
“Is her life as romantic as her books?”
“I think so.”
And I hoped it was true, since I came into her life. I knew she had a rocky past year, and I didn’t help. But I hoped she was happy now. That was all I wanted for her, and I wanted to be the one who could make her that way. I wanted to be the one she woke up next to and fell asleep next to. I wanted to be the one to take her on private jets to private islands, but also enjoy cheap beer and pizza on the floor of my living room. I wanted to be the one she could talk to when she felt lost or not good enough in her world of writing. I wanted to be her biggest supporter. I wanted to love her fully and openly and loudly.
A smile spread across her face, as if she was putting two and two together. “Good.”
As we filed off the plane, I gave a little wave goodbye and headed down the long hallway toward the exit of the airport, easing my way through the crowd of travelers. Out on the curb, I hailed a cab and slid into the seat. I told the driver to head to the office, where I assumed Monica would be. I had told her she didn’t need to go in, but she insisted. Her work ethic was something I admired and had never found in a partner.
I hadn’t talked to her since early this morning. After making the decision to leave the retreat early after the fight with my dad, I figured I could surprise her. Maybe I could even convince her to leave work early and come home with me. All I wanted was to be cooped up in my apartment with her, away from the rest of the world, forgetting the thoughts about the future. It was something I would figure out later. Not today.
The taxi pulled up to the curb of the stone building, which seemed even grayer today than it had ever in the past. I had never liked this building all that much. It was too hard. Too cold. There was no warmth to it. It was very much like my father. As I passed through the expansive lobby with its shiny marble floors, I glanced up at the large photo that hung behind the reception desk. I grimaced slightly.
My father and I had taken that photo when I first opened the hedge fund company. My mother insisted on us getting a portrait taken together to commemorate the occasion, but my father was the one who insisted it hung in the lobby. Probably his way of saying that this was his too, staking his claim. It wasn’t because he was proud to be next to me, his son. It was to say I wouldn’t have any of this without him. Soon, he could replace the portrait with one of just him.
I rode up the elevators, which felt like they were inching upward so slowly I might burst. It had only been a few days since I had seen Monica, since I had left her in my bed, a vision wrapped in my sheets, but I was eager to get to her. I had missed her, and I fully intended on telling her that. Showing her that. If I could just get her to leave with me before her lunch break had even started. If she missed me as much as I missed her, it would take little convincing.
I strode into the office, avoiding the glances shot my way, questioning looks of why I was here and not on the retreat. I walked down the hallway toward my office and Monica’s desk, but stopped short when I found both empty. Curious, I glanced around the office but didn’t see her. I noticed her computer screen was still lit up, which meant she wasn’t far, but I noticed her purse was gone. I checked my watch. It was nearing 11 a.m. Maybe she had taken her lunch early.
Disappointed by my failed surprise, I walked back through the office to the one person who would probably know where she was. I knocked on Kathy’s office door and she looked up in surprise when she saw me.
“Troy. What are you doing here? I thought you were on the retreat,” she said, confused.
“I cut out early,” I said, offering no explanation.
“But your father…”
“Is still in Atlantic City doing what he does best.”
“B-but—”
“Forget about it. I need to know where Monica is.”
“You just missed her. She left like fifteen minutes ago.”
“Where was she going?”
“I don’t know, but you’re not going to like who she left with…” Kathy frowned.
“What are you talking about? Who did she leave with?”
“Veronica.”
“Veronica? As in my ex-wife , Veronica?”
Kathy nodded curtly. I knew she despised Veronica, which was really the only thing I liked about her.
“But why?” I asked, confused.
“I don’t know, but it seemed urgent. I tried to stop her, but they had already slipped in the elevator. Veronica…” said Kathy thoughtfully, as if remembering something.
“What? What about her?” I asked, feeling my panic rise in me.
“She seemed off. I don’t know, Troy…”
As my panic rose, my stomach sank and a bad feeling settled in. What the hell was Veronica doing here? And why did Monica go with her? She knew what Veronica was capable of and the living hell she had made my life as of late. It didn’t make sense for her to go anywhere with her.
I quickly walked out of Kathy’s office and down the hallway to my own, dialing Veronica’s phone on the way. It rang a few times, each trill dragging on until the next one. Finally, I heard a click of an answer on the other line.
“Veronica? Hello?” I said, trying to keep my voice calm.
“Hello, Troy,” she answered in a voice that sent a shiver down my spine.
“Veronica. What the hell? Where is Monica?”
“Oh, she’s right here,” she said with a snide satisfaction, as if she were a cat pawing at a toy.
“Put her on. Right now.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.”
“Damn it, Veronica. Put her on the phone.”
“If I can’t have you, then no one can…” Her voice was cold and breathy, and it stopped me dead in my tracks.
Then there was the click that ended the call. I looked down at my phone, realizing my hand was shaking. I tried dialing Monica, but it went straight to voicemail.
“Shit,” I yelled, causing the rest of the office to look up curiously. I didn’t care.
I ran down the rest of the hall to my office. Hurriedly, I sat down at my desk and called the police. I quickly filled them in on everything that had been happening with Veronica, and that she was possibly dangerous. I told them how she had taken Monica somewhere, and that it probably wasn’t willingly. It didn’t sound like they were taking me seriously, so I dropped my name, and that got their attention. Once they assured me they would do everything they could to help, I hung up and tried to think of my next move.
I sat at my desk helplessly, going over all the places that Veronica might be taking Monica, but couldn’t come up with anything significant. Then a thought struck me. I turned on my computer, tapping my foot impatiently as the welcome screen slowly appeared on the screen. Once I was logged on, I immediately opened the Find my iPhone feature to track Monica’s phone. It was a feature I had all my personal assistants utilize, even though I had never used it until now. I sucked in a breath as I spotted the little blip on the screen moving down the interstate.
Where the hell were they going? I had no idea what Veronica’s plan was, but I knew it couldn’t be good. Also, I knew I couldn’t stay here and do nothing. I connected the tracking device to my phone before running out of my office. I hoped I could get to her in time. What I needed to be in time for, I didn’t know, but with how Veronica had been acting lately, it couldn’t be good.