Chapter 20 ~ Alexander
∞∞∞
Ten hours ago
If I sit at this desk for one more minute without knowing where she is, I’ll go mad.
Frustration and uncertainty fuel my anger, and I pick up my glass and throw it against the wall.
The glass shatters, falling to the floor and skittering glass everywhere.
It doesn’t ease my fears, but at least it feels like I did something.
Carlos opens the door and stops, looking at me and the mess I’ve made on the floor.
“Alex. Calm down, we will find her.”
Glaring at him. “I know we will, and when I do, I’m locking her ass up until I get back from New York.” I turn from the desk, putting my hands on my hips and looking at the fireplace.
“She ran from me, Carlos.” I turn to face him and yell, “Me!”
Carlos shuts the door, stepping into the room, shards of glass crunching under his shoes.
“She ran from us all, Alex. Don’t read more into it. Anna told you she runs whenever there is conflict or yelling. Everyone was a little heated at that moment. “
He moves closer to the bar cart, pouring two whiskeys, and comes to stand by me, handing me a glass as I look into the fireplace, watching the flames dance against the brick wall.
“She will come home tomorrow. She’ll call Anna and we will pick her up, bring her here safe and sound before we have to fly out.” He takes a sip of his whisky, staring into the flames.
I can’t just sit here drinking and waiting. Fuck this.
"Take a seat." I point to a chair and walk around my desk, sliding into mine, and pull up my emails to print.
“I have to show you what Sebastian uncovered today.”
For the next half hour, I fill him in on the bouncing IP addresses and the funds Roberts has been syphoning off the company for years. Carlos isn’t surprised, given the fact that Roberts is a scumbag.
With business taken care of, and the fact that all we can do is sit here and wait. I tell Carlos to go home; I'll call if I hear anything, and I'll see him in the morning when he picks me up to follow Anna to see if Isabella reaches out to her.
Once the door closes, I pick up the phone and call Sasha.
“Where are you?” I bark.
“Outside the bookstore in my car. It’s been closed for a couple of hours. No one is coming or going down this alley. There was no sign of her, sir.”
“Fine. Head back here. I need you to wait here in case she comes back. I have to head out for a few hours.”
Hanging up, I snag my keys from my desk drawer; put on my leather jacket. Squatting down on the floor to open my safe I take out the small black box Sebastian gave me years ago and the bound leather pouch. I close it and head out through the kitchen, opening the back door to the garage.
I press the key fob and the tail light blinks. I get in, start the car press the garage door opener, and back the car out.
I’ll get her myself because I have a small hunch. I know exactly where she’s hiding from me.
I drive downtown and find the back alley behind the bookstore. It is pitch black, save for one flickering street lamp. I shut the car off and put it in park, turning off the headlights. I settle in and wait in the dark.
There are four windows at the back of the building. I keep darting my eyes back and forth between them, watching and waiting for any sign of movement or light.
Sure enough, one light comes on in the window closest to the back alley. Nothing passes by the window as I watch for movement. I sit and stare at that window for almost three hours till the light flickers off. I look at the clock in the car; it’s 11:45.
I’ll give her 20 more minutes, then I’ll break into that store and take her ass home.
Assuming it is her in that room.
I tap my finger on the steering wheel, watching the numbers tick away.
Finally, I get out and approach the door to the bookstore. I cup my hands to the glass window and look in. A red blinking light flashes in the dark, and there is a security panel on the wall, but I brought Sebastian’s little toy with me, so that will not be an issue.
You underestimated me, little bunny.
I take the picks out of my jacket pocket, unwrap the leather casing, and work my magic till I hear the telltale click and the lock give way.
The bells above me chime, and I grab them quickly.
I move swiftly, take the small black box out of my pocket and hold it to the alarm.
The red dots quickly scan back and forth, and then it lights up green.
Step one, little bunny. Now to find you.
Slowly walking down the small aisles, I check both ways, row by row. I am looking for a door, a cupboard, or anything that would indicate access to the back of the store.
When I reach the last row, there’s a door off to the left side.
I turn the doorknob and open the door. It is a stockroom, full of boxes and books, and carts full of more books. I move inside, closing the door quietly, sliding carts around in the tiny room, looking for any hidden doors.
Frustrated, I push a cart out of my way, putting my hands on my hips. I look up at the ceiling. I thought for sure she was here since this was the spot she disappeared. I rub my eyes with one hand and open them back up.
Plumbing pipes run across the ceiling. I follow them and they disappear into the wall. Why would you need plumbing running into the wall facing the alley? I move closer to that wall and move a few boxes out of my way. No door.
I move back into the store, walking across the hall. One bookshelf is slightly ajar.
Oh, you sly little bunny.
I dragged it open to see a heavy oak door behind it. I turn the handle.
locked.
Taking out my picks, I work on the lock, and it clicks open after a few tries.
I slowly open it and step in. The flickering light from the street lamp dimly shines on my little bunny sleeping on her side, her hand cradling her cheek, the blankets all bunched up between her knees, exposing her sexy ass to the light.
My heart stops and picks up speed again. I want to grab her and shake the shit out of her. I want to kiss her. My hands itch to stroke her soft ass and spank her at the same time.
I move toward the bed and slide one strand of hair that escaped her braid away from her face. She looks so peaceful lying there, unaware of the monster leaning over her sleeping form.
I straighten up and take a seat in a small chair under the window. I watch her all night as she tosses and turns in her sleep. My eyes never leave her sleeping form as the room turns a light shade of grey from the upcoming sunrise.
She moans and rolls over, putting the pillow over her face, then she throws it on the floor, covering her eyes. She’s awake now.
“Morning bunny. I hope you slept well. I know I didn’t. As well as half my security team.”
She scrambles away from me, and I grab her ankle, hindering her escape. I grab her other ankle and trap her with my knee to her thigh, and I can’t help it. My hand slaps her ass cheek and then the other. She screams and calls me an animal. I slap her ass two more times and let her go.
She goes flying off the bed onto the floor on the other side, and I can hear her sobbing.
Gathering her clothes off the floor, I throw them at her, telling her to get dressed and I leave.
Right now, I can not contain my anger. I’ll do or say something I’ll regret.
I head down the book aisles and out to my car.
I get in and take a few minutes to count to ten and breathe deeply. I stare out the window. No lights turn on indicating she is even following my orders. My anger flares again. She had better be getting dressed because if I have to go back in there and drag her out, I will.
I start the car and pull up in front of the door. She comes out and gently sits down on the seat. I bet her ass is burning. Good!
“Phone”. She will not run to Sebastian or Anna; she is taking her punishment like a big girl this time. I put it in my pocket when she hands it to me.
I drive and she’s crying, soft little sobs as she tries to hide behind her sweater sleeves. Fuck that, she ran away from me to hide in some shithole bookstore? Why didn’t she just go home and hide in her room like a normal person?
Nothing about Isabella is normal. Since the time she stumbled into my mother’s sitting room, she has been nothing but a tear-filled, sobbing disaster.
The Present
We get home and I pull up to the house. I get out of the car and leave her there. She can sit in there for all I care. I hit the top step, and Carlos comes flying out the front door.
“Where have you been? I’ve been waiting in your office for over an hour. Anna will leave for work soon.”
I toss my keys at him and tell him to park the car. He sees Isabella in the passenger seat, and I leave them both to go into the house.
I pace by the stairs, debating what I should do with her. Do I send her to her room, lock her in, and leave her there until I return, or do I drag her into my office and talk this through?
What I really want is to wrap my hand around her throat and back her into a wall and kiss the shit out of her, then make her ass pink all over again.
I hear the door click, and I stop pacing to look at her.
Her eyes are red from crying, her hands are tucked up in her wet sweater sleeves, and her nose is pink from wiping it.
Her long black braid is frayed from sleeping on it.
She looks so fuck’en beautiful and fragile.
I walk toward her and she cringes and backs up, hitting the wall, and pressing her shoulders back as far as she can.
She is terrified of me now and she should be when I am in this mood, but I also know that if I keep pushing, she will never accept me. I tell her to go shower and meet me in my office in an hour. That will give me time to get my shit together.
I walk away and leave her standing with her big green eyes glassy with tears.
I close my door and go to my desk, slamming my hand down. “Fuck!”