3. Defined Benefit Plan
Defined Benefit Plan
Finn
My chill is long past gone. Dante walks beside me as we enter the small coffee shop the Feds agreed to meet us at. This isn’t their division, kidnapping, missing persons, but they might have a better clue as to where this asshole may have taken her.
Our next stop will be Beth’s.
We argued about even talking to the Feds, but they know what we’re up against and we don’t. We don’t want them on board for this, because they’d call Sara’s parents and that’s not something any of us want to deal with.
The coffee shop is mostly empty. I get an espresso and Dante gets a coffee. We find a seat in the back away from the few tables already occupied.
The bells on the door jingle, and Agents Price and Martinez walk in. They glance around until their gazes fall on us and they make their way over.
They take the empty chairs at our table and look around to make sure no one is within overhearing distance.
“You rang?” Jacob Price lifts his eyebrow. “Do you have any news on Tom’s whereabouts?”
Dante leans forward, his elbows on the table. “He emailed his mother but that’s all the information we have on him.”
We already decided not to disclose anything to them. Not really. If they wanted to follow up on the email, that’s on them. Right now, we need to find Sara.
“We’ve been having issues with Peter Sokolov.” I’m blunt because I want to see their reaction. “He’s formed an unhealthy attachment to Sara, Tom’s sister.”
Ethan sits back, and I can almost see the wheels spinning in his head.
“Unhealthy how?” Jacob looks intrigued.
“He bought her a very expensive diamond necklace for the benefit we attended last night and threatened her on the dance floor.” Dante doesn’t even flinch. We don’t know that he threatened her. Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t. But we do know that he has her.
Jacob rubs his jaw and glances at Ethan with a raised brow. “He might have an interest in getting Tom back here.”
“If we needed to have a talk with Mr. Sokolov, is there any way to locate him?” Dante’s smooth as ice when I want to rage. To force them to tell us so I can get Sara back. If he’s touched one hair on her head, there will be hell to pay. And I’ll be the one collecting.
When Ethan looks my way, he straightens when he sees how serious I am.
“We wouldn’t advise you to approach Mr. Sokolov.” Jacob puts his hands on his knees like he’s going to stand.
“He wants whatever Tom took.” I watch Jacob and Ethan carefully.
Jacob relaxes into the chair. “Did he say what Tom took?”
“No.” I should have protected her. I should have stayed up and watched over her. “Please.”
The word is hard to say but I need whatever information I can get.
“I’m sorry I can’t divulge any information from on ongoing investigation.” Jacob runs his hand through his hair. His gaze turns to Ethan as he pats his chest. “I’m going to get a coffee. Do you want anything, Ethan?”
Ethan shakes his head and I want to pull my fucking hair out. This was pointless. We’ve gotten nowhere and lost precious time to find Sara. Jacob taps Ethan’s shoulder as he passes. When he’s out of hearing range, Ethan leans forward.
“Cut the crap and tell me what’s happening.” He looks between us and glances back at Jacob. “Off the fucking record. He wears a wire. I don’t. Why do you really want to talk to Peter?”
Dante gives me a look like do we want to tell them anything and I nod. Fuck it. We need whatever they’ll tell us.
“Peter took Sara and wants back whatever Tom took.” Dante takes a drink.
“How long ago?” Ethan looks over his shoulder at where his partner disappeared.
“Sometime in the early morning hours. We woke at three to find her gone.” Dante’s words cut me to the core. I should have known. “She took the dog out, and when I went down, the dog was alone in the lobby with a note on his collar.”
“I’m not telling you this and you didn’t tell me that.
” Ethan checks around us. “Peter has multiple properties under his companies. Most of them are considered assets. You have access to those records, and that should be enough to narrow down where he has her. He pretends to be a fucking gentleman, so he wouldn’t hold her in a warehouse.
He has a few places in the city and then an estate or two outside town. ”
Jacob clears his throat before returning and Ethan straightens.
“I’m sorry we can’t do more for you.” Jacob has a to-go cup for his coffee. “When you find Tom, let us know.”
Ethan stands with Jacob and nods at me. I give him a nod in return. We need to talk to Beth.
* * *
Natasha
The ocean spreads out before me as I stand braced against the rail.
“Are you still sure about this?” Tom’s voice makes me turn. His ginger hair glints in the sunlight, and warmth spreads through me as he makes his way across the deck. His green eyes show his concern.
“As much as I love being here with you, we need to make arrangements.” I lean back against the railing and give him a sad smile. “We can’t keep running.”
Tom puts his hands on the rail on either side of me and dips his head to kiss me softly. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
He presses his forehead against mine and I breathe him in. His cologne is spicy, but muted by the fresh ocean air. I place my hand over his heart.
“Until we go back, your family might be in danger.” I blow out a breath and search his eyes, seeing the conflict inside him. He’s protective of his little sister. “Sara might be in danger.”
“She’s safe with my friends. They’ll do anything for her.” He slides his hand into my hair and cradles my head. “He’ll do anything to take you away from me.”
My heart races. I know what we have to do, but it’s not something I want to do. As much as I fear my father, I also love him. But he’ll never let me live my life. He’s made plans to keep me under his control. To ensure I provide him with an heir by marrying me off to someone he can control.
“Tom,” I whisper. Fear pulls at me. I can’t be who my father wants me to be.
He draws me into his arms. His heartbeat is steady and strong beneath my cheek. The crisp air tugs at my skirt and his shirt, but as long as I’m in his arms, I’m safe.
“We have enough evidence, Tasha.”
I sigh. This is what we’ve struggled with. To use the evidence or not, and how to use it. Do we turn it over to the authorities or use it as blackmail?
Tears fill my eyes. I have to choose. I know that. It has to be my choice.
Either way, I lose my father.
“Can we pretend a little longer?” I lift my head and lose myself in his eyes. The moment I met Tom, I knew he was mine. “Just one more night and then we’ll do what we have to? I’ll do what I have to.”
“Whatever you need.” He brushes my hair off my face and smiles like I’m the one who hung the moon. I love how I look in his eyes. I’m not a trophy or some prize to be coveted. Not a way to get in good with my father. I’m his and he’s mine.
It’s selfish of me. My father isn’t a man to be trifled with, and the fact he hasn’t found us after all this time makes me feel almost invincible. Like maybe we could run away and hide from him forever, but that’s not an option either.
He won’t stop until he finds me. He’ll turn to Tom’s family to convince us to return, and I can’t let that happen. I made Tom choose me once already. I don’t know that he’ll make the same choice if my father has his sister.
I may have his love, but his sister is his responsibility. If his friends hadn’t been there, he never would have left her.
My father may believe I’ve run away and just need time to think, to get my head on straight before doing my duty. His world is shades of gray, but he doesn’t see anything but a straight line for me.
Marry someone he finds acceptable. Have children to expand our family line, because that’s where my mother failed him. She only had me. A girl who he raised with the utmost care and devotion, but I wasn’t the son he needed. And I refused to grow up to be his replacement in his organization.
“You have their number?” I grab the front of his shirt, terrified of what will happen once I make my decision.
He nods. “I have all the documentation. They’ll have enough to convict him.”
If I were my father’s perfect daughter, I would get the evidence and run back to him. But I’ve never fit his mold. Never fit into the pretty doll he wanted me to be. Maybe I could have if I hadn’t met Tom.
But he makes me whole. I can’t imagine a life without him in it.
“We can be to port by morning?” I whisper.
“Yes, my love.” His words fill my heart.
The sun glints off the ring on my finger. “Just one more night.”
* * *
Drew
I long to pace. It helps me think. Instead, I sit in the back of the town car driving us to Verity Baron’s house. I’d hoped never to have to deal with that bitch again. But here we are, looking for a fucking favor.
My knee bounces. Sara never should have gotten out of that apartment without one of us waking up. She never should have left my arms.
My phone buzzes. Wyatt side-eyes me. Yeah, we’re going to be best buds after this. I can already tell. The fucker probably blames me for everything. I roll my eyes and lift my phone.
Leah:
He didn’t pay this month
Fuck. I run my hand through my hair. I click over to a cash app and send her the rent money.
Wyatt stares out the window.
Me:
Do you need more or will that be enough?
Leah:
You didn’t have to
Me:
Yeah, I did. Tell Elijah I might miss dinner tonight
Leah:
He’ll miss you
Me:
I’ll make sure to make it to his game this week
I glance up, but Wyatt is still looking out the window as we roll up to Verity’s.
This is not going to be fun. I quickly message my office manager at the club to check in with him to see what information he’s gathered about Peter Sokolov from the membership record and any information we might have on him.
Wyatt gets out of the car and I follow him up to the door. This is his shit show to control.
After Wyatt rings the doorbell, an older gentleman answers the door. “Good day, sirs.”
“Please tell Verity Wyatt Hawkins is here to see her.”
The man nods and gestures for us to come in. It’s a large house with a travertine-tiled floor flowing into each room off the foyer. I lean back against the door and see if I have anything from Sebastian Cross yet.
Verity comes down about five minutes later. Her satin robe has feathers on the lapels and her heels are the feathered kind that match. “And here I thought last night was a bust.”
She pauses in the doorway. The man brings her a coffee in a glass mug. Steam rolls off the top.
“Though from the looks of you both, you aren’t here to woo me. If you are, you need to at least shave first.” Verity takes a sip. “What do you want?”
“Your uncle has a yacht.” Wyatt’s jaw twitches with every word he says, and he looks like he wants to throttle her. “I need his contact information.”
“Mmm. Uncle Gideon doesn’t like when I give his information out.” She smirks. “It’ll cost you.”
“How about we don’t blow up your life?” I step forward, no longer caring. Because if this is a waste of time, we need to keep moving.
She laughs.
But I step in. “We all have our secrets, Verity. I’m not afraid for mine to be displayed, but you’ve carefully cultivated your perfect reputation. I can tear it down, piece by piece. Make it my mission in life to bury you so deep, no one in society will even look at you.”
“You’re not that powerful.” Her voice trembles just a little, which means she’s not sure. Good enough for me.
“Put me to the test. Please. Drag this out so that I can run you over the coals.” I step closer and she sucks in a breath.
“You don’t know me that well, but you made the woman I love’s life hell.
So please, give me a reason to use all the power I’ve accumulated and let me tear you to pieces.
I’d enjoy it. I’d give it to Sara as a wedding present, but she wouldn’t appreciate it because she’s too fucking nice for the likes of you. ”
Wyatt puts a hand on my shoulder and I step back from Verity, taking in her wide-eyed, terrified look. Her hand clutches at her robe and her face has gone pale.
“I’d help him.” Wyatt’s voice is a lot calmer now, like me getting aggressive eased him a little. “Between the two of us, we’d have you on your knees begging us to stop. So, either you can tell us what we want to know, or we’ll begin dismantling your little house of lies.”
The mug slips from her fingers and shatters on the ground. The man rushes back in and cleans it while she stares at the two of us in horror.
She swallows as he takes the mess away. “What do you want to know?”