Chapter 36 – Leo
THIRTY-SIX
LEO
Something isn't right; my gut tells me something is brewing, made worse by Willa not being close, and it’s rarely wrong, And I have to fight the urge to drive to the city right now and be by her side.
But Willa is right: she has to attend the event she agreed to, and I can't stop her. If I show up, our relationship will be questioned, which will add more stress. She doesn’t need that, so I pace the house, keeping busy with small tasks.
While she gets ready, we text a few times.
She sends a photo of a dress, revealing Harper's hidden details.
I'm considering assembling furniture with Jesse and Madden, but since Willa will arrive early tomorrow, I leave it for us to do together.
As expected, around 4:30, she stops replying to my texts. The event is about to start. Still, her silence, no matter how anticipated, settles in my chest.
I keep refreshing social media, waiting for Willa’s photos, but see nothing. I check my phone and the emailed schedule, confirming her back entrance at 3:30 and red-carpet appearance at 4:45.
I check the charity's, Willa’s, Jackie's, and her mother’s feeds—still no photos. At 5:30, I send Willa a quick text, but she doesn’t answer.
Just before six, my phone rings. I grab it, almost dropping it, but my worry only grows when I see Jefferson’s name, not Willa’s.
“Hello?”
“Do you know where Willa is?” Jefferson asks without any introduction, and with his words, everything in my world stills. A voice calls Jefferson’s name from the background, and he mumbles something I don’t catch.
“No, why would I?” I ask, hesitantly, just in case it’s some kind of trick.
“She’s missing. No one knows where she is.” Cold washes over me. “She was waiting in the backroom for the red carpet, but when Jackie went to get her, she was gone. Her smashed phone was left, but her bag is missing.”
“What about Gabe?”
“Can’t find him either.”
I’m not sure whether Gabe’s absence is good or bad. Best case, he’s with her. Worst, something happened to both.
“Have you called the police?” I ask the obvious question.
“No, we don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”
“A woman is missing, and you don’t want to make a big deal of it?” Anger replaces my fear, and I welcome it.
“Jackie thinks she’s throwing a temper tantrum because Chris met her at the dance studio she was at.”
My jaw goes tight, and I fight to remain calm,
“Being frustrated and disappointed for bringing press to a location she has repeatedly told everyone on her team she does not want press to follow her is not throwing a temper tantrum. Demanding answers from the people who made those decisions without her approval is good business, not a temper tantrum.”
He sighs as if he’s exasperated by me. “It’s good for the brand; Jackie agreed.”
‘Willa isn’t a brand, she’s a person. She’s allowed to have personal things.”
“Not when she’s part of a couple.”
I shake my head; it’s not worth debating now.
“What about Chris? Is he missing?”
“No.”
The word is so simple, so little explanation is needed, that it sets off an alarm.
“Has he seen her?”
There’s a moment of silence before he answers.
“He says he spoke to her shortly before she went missing.”
Everything freezes.
“About what?”
“I don't know,” he lies.
That’s when something inside me snaps.
Fuck this job. Fuck pretending, fuck clinging to remaining amicable with Jefferson.
Fuck the non-compete.
Fuck everything except keeping Willa safe.
“We both know you’re covering for him, though your reason is a mystery.
When I find her, she’ll tell me everything—exactly what you did, Jefferson.
If you hurt her or made Chris do something to hurt her, know this: I’ll find out soon.
Get ready for that, and get ready for me—because when the truth comes out, nothing will stop me from destroying you. ”
“Are you threatening me?” Jefferson asks, voice low.
“It’s only a threat if you did something to her. Get off the phone and go find my girl.” I don’t wait to hear more; I hang up. My mind races. I hesitate for just a moment, trying to decide who to call first, but the answer is obvious.
“Hey, man, what’s—” Jesse greets me.
“Willa’s missing,” I say, heart pounding as I reach for socks, then stop—why do I need socks? Shoes barely matter. I just need to get in the car and find her.
“What?”
“Willa’s missing. She was in the city, supposed to be going to her mom’s event, and she’s gone. No one knows where she is. Her phone was left behind, smashed.”
“Oh fuck,” he breathes.
“What?” a familiar voice calls from behind him, and then there’s a tussle before Hallie’s voice comes on the line. “Leo?”
“Hallie,” I say, relieved. If anyone can assemble a team, it’s her. “Call everyone. Ask if they know anything about Willa or when they last spoke to her.”
There’s a beat before she responds.
“What’s going on, Leo?”
“I just got a call from my boss. She’s missing. She was in a dressing room, waiting to go to her mother’s auction. When they went to get her, she was gone.”
“Oh, my god.” I grab my keys and wallet from the counter. “We were just texting her hours ago. I—”
“Call Wren, Adam, and Nat, then anyone else who might have heard from her. See if they’ve spoken with her, if they know anything.”
“Leo—”
“Can you do that? Hallie?”
“Yes,” she says definitively. “Of course.” I head to the door, open it, and slam it behind me, about to say goodbye when I hear tires on the drive.
“What—” I start, squinting as an unfamiliar car pulls into the drive.
“Leo?” Hallie asks, but I don’t respond, tipping my head to try and see who is in my driveway. “What’s going on?”
“I...I don’t know. Someone’s here,” I murmur, stepping off the porch toward the car. It’s a newer sedan, but not one I recognize.
“Is it her?”
“No, I don’t recognize the car.”
“Her location still says she’s in the city,” Hallie says. Normally, I’d smile that she trusts these women enough to share her location with them, but right now, I have no words.
Because a tall blond is stepping out of the backseat of the car, then waving goodbye happily at the driver before the car starts to back up. Then she’s moving toward me, quick and sure, lips tipping up.
” Leo?” the voice in my ear calls. “Leo, what’s going on?”
“I found her,” I murmur as adrenaline drains. Willa smiles, clutch and blonde wig in hand, wearing her cream gown. Her makeup is perfect; her blue eyes meet mine.
I’ve never known beauty like this—because she’s here, breathing, alive, real.
Safe. The word cracks through me, sharper than air.
Alive. My lungs finally fill.
“You found her? What the hell?”
“She’s at my place. I don’t know why, but she looks safe.”
“Oh, thank god.”
“I’ll call you back,” I say and hang up. My phone rings again, but Willa jumps into my arms and kisses me.
I’m home.
I’ve been in this house for weeks without Willa. It’s felt empty—like I was somewhere else.
But once more, it feels like home. I’m here, and Willa is here with me.
“You’re here,” I breathe out, burying frantic kisses across her face, desperate to taste her skin, to know she’s real. “You’re okay.”
“What?”
“You were missing. Jefferson just called me. No one knows where you are. You left your phone behind. I’ve never been more worried in my life,” I pull back, putting my hands to her cheeks, looking over her face for anything wrong.
“You didn’t call Gabe?” she asks, a bit confused. I shake my head and watch as she bites her lip.
“Oh. I figured you’d call Gabe, and he’ll tell you what happened.”
“Gabe knows?”
“Yeah. He helped me get into a town car he approved. I should probably text him. Can I borrow your phone? I left mine behind.”
I stare at her, still unsure of what is happening; it’s all like some bizarre dream at this point.
“Well, I actually smashed it, but that’s because I think Jackie has been accessing it.
” Cold moves through me, and she reaches out for my phone.
“Can I?” I nod without even thinking. I hold her as she unlocks my phone, knowing the passcode already, then tells Gabe she made it home okay and will call him soon.
“You’re cold,” I murmur as she shivers, sweeping her up the stairs and into warmth, rubbing her arms, heart pounding with fierce gratitude. She looks up at me, sweet and soft. With her here, I finally believe she’s safe.
And that’s when a new feeling filters in.
Because Willa is safe, and in my place before me, her eyes soft, and I haven’t held her in weeks.
Without hesitation, I pull her in close, wrapping my arm around her waist and dipping my head to kiss her. Her hands move up to my neck, holding me right, the same need moving through her as she returns the kiss.
“You’re here,” I murmur against her lips.
“I am,” she smiles.
“Never do that again,” I say, breathing heavily as my head rests against hers.
“What?”
“Never do that again, Will. That was dangerous. You could have been hurt. What were you thinking? Why didn't you call me?” The panic that I felt veers into something altogether different, verging on frustration that battles with the relief that she’s here and safe.
“I had to escape. Chris cornered me in my dressing room, blackmailing me to accept his proposal tonight.”
I blink at her.
“What?”
"I know, it's crazy. It's...I don't know. It's a lot. I didn’t know what to do, except I knew I needed to get here, to you, so we could try to figure out the next steps together."
“You couldn’t have called anyone? Told me?”
She lifts a single shoulder.
“The only person I knew I could trust is you, Leo. It’s only you. Gabe helped me get into the car, but I didn't tell him why. I couldn’t bring my phone because I think Jackie had been accessing it, and I didn’t want her to know where I was until I knew for sure what my plan was.”
“Did you have to smash the phone?” I ask. “You could have texted me, then turned it off. I didn’t know what was happening until Jefferson called not long before you got here.” She bites her lip, looking at me nervously.