Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Ezekiel
I arrive in Riley’s neighborhood almost immediately after she calls me, running more than one red light on my way here.
She could barely form a proper sentence over the phone and the distress in her voice awoke an unrecognizable ache deep inside my chest. If I don’t confirm she’s okay right away, I might do something stupid.
I see her sitting on the stairs of her building. She’s hugging her knees tight and rocking her body, the look in her eyes distant. I leave my car on the side of the road, engine still running and I run to her.
“Riley!” I squat next to her, my hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her. “Are you okay?”
She shakes her head.
“Did someone hurt you?” The thought of it alone is enough to awaken my fury, but I can’t do anything until she tells me what exactly happened.
Another shake of her head. “I’m okay,” She pauses to swallow, a tear sliding down her cheek. “But Mia…”
“What happened to Mia, Riley?” I keep my tone as neutral as possible.
When Riley called me earlier, she sounded so upset and terrified that I couldn’t understand much of that she said. The only thing I could understand was a simple “come please” after which she started crying and ended the phone call.
It’s a relief to see that she’s not hurt physically, but her emotional pain is something that leaves me equally devastated and wanting to protect her. Wanting to hurt whoever is responsible for it.
I sit next to her on the stairwell, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and pulling her to rest on my chest. She leans on me, weak and frightened and I can’t help but squeeze her tiny frame, wishing to never let go of it.
“Breathe,” I say, my voice steady. “Take a deep breath in… Then release a long breath out.”
She struggles at first, her breathing shallow and interrupted but after a few tries, she’s starting to get a hang of it. “That’s it, keep going. You’re doing great, Riley.”
It takes a few long minutes before she can form proper sentences, but once she speaks, she tells me that Mia has been missing since the afternoon.
“We were supposed to meet to have lunch after my shift,” She explains and I nod, remembering how much Riley was looking forward to their get-together after not being able to spend time together since they started working at the Eden and Mia got involved with Cohen.
“But she wasn’t at the park, you know, the one in front of the hospital.
We were supposed to meet there. I waited, and then decided to come look for her at the café… ”
Her thoughts trail off again, her breathing accelerating all over again, and I take her hand in mine, squeezing it firmly. “Breathe,” I whisper.
“Cohen got her this job interview with some guy who would pay her more than what she’s making at the Eden,” Riley finally explains. “I wasn’t excited about her meeting with him because no one in their right mind has a job interview in this neighborhood.”
I don’t want to alarm her further, but she was right to assume that no one would meet in this neighborhood if they had good intentions in mind. Nor does it make sense for Cohen to arrange a job interview for her, even if he’s her boyfriend. He’s not supposed to have that type of connections.
“Did you ask around if someone has seen her at this café?”
“I did,” she sighs. “Both the bartender and the manager were a little strange,” I can see that she’s carefully picking each word before she speaks as if she’s scared I might do something to those guys. “They swore she never walked into that place.”
“And you believed them?”
“I didn’t,” Riley lifts her head from my shoulder and looks me in the eyes.
She still looks scared but she’s a lot more put together and determined than when I got here.
“I know she was supposed to be there. I know her calls are going directly to voice mail and she’s not receiving my messages.
No one’s heard from her, not her roommate or her boyfriend.
And I know her well enough to know that she wouldn’t disappear like that. Something is wrong, Zeke.”
“I believe you,” I gently rub her back. “Is there anyone else who you could call and ask if they heard from her?”
“No,” she shakes her head. “I even called Cohen before you got here. He didn’t see or heard from her today. I need to find her…”
“We’ll find her,” I reassure her. “I promise you.”
Let’s hope she’s alive when we do.
Her face softens and I notice the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. A small smile spreads on her face as she mouths a weak “Thank you.”
“Come on,” I help her up from the stairs and walk her to the passenger side of my car.
“But aren’t we going to look for her?” She starts panicking again at the realization that we’re not starting our search on foot. I don’t want to tell her that if someone did take her, they’re far gone by now and we won’t find her friend on foot. She’s scared enough as it is.
“Of course we are, I’ll arrange everything with my brothers,” I explain, opening the door for her and watching her hesitate before getting in. Before I join her in the car, I call Elijah and quickly explain the situation. He promises to take care of it before I can join him.
“Did you call them?” Riley asks as I get behind the wheel. “Can your brothers help?”
“Yes, and yes,” I lean in, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Elijah is arranging the search as we speak. I have a meeting at the office that I cannot miss, so we’re headed there now…” She opens her mouth to say something, but I quickly add. “I’ll join him after the meeting.”
“So you’re going to the meeting now?” Her voice is weak and the vulnerability behind her eyes resembles that of a hunted animal.
My fist clenches on the wheel, my blood boiling with pure rage.
I want to make the person responsible for this pay.
I want to make them regret the day that they were born.
“You’re coming with me.” My voice is steady when I speak.
She sighs, defeated. I have never seen her so lifeless, so vulnerable. The drive to the company is silent, neither of us saying a word. I walk her through the main entrance and straight to my office.
“You can wait here,” I lift her chin, forcing her eyes to meet mine. “I’ll be back as soon as the meeting is over. Until then, if you need anything, just call Nora. She’ll do anything you ask of her.”
“Even…”
“No,” I don’t have to hear that question to know that she was about to ask if she can join Elijah with the search. “Anything except letting you out.”
“So I’m basically your prisoner now.” I bet that she regrets saying those words almost immediately, but she doesn’t take them back.
“If that’s what it takes to make sure you’re safe.” My voice is cold and determined. I’m glad it’s working on Riley right now, even if the last thing I want is for her to be scared of me.
“Please find Mia…” Her eyes tear up all over again and with my free hand, I wipe the tear sliding down her cheek.
“I promised you I will and I’m a man who keeps his word, Riley,” I kiss the top of her head before letting go of her. I make sure to lock the office door behind me, at this rate I don’t trust anyone anymore.
“Nora,” I stop at my secretary’s desk before heading to the meeting room. “The safety and comfort of the girl that’s inside my office is essential. Make sure she gets everything she asks for and that no one even breathes near her.”
Nora nods. “Understood.” She. Doesn’t bat an eyelid.
“Good,” I turn to walk away, but I stop and turn around to face her when Nora calls out after me.
“Sir, I should warn you that the atmosphere in there isn’t ideal,” she explains quickly. “Mr. Malachi has been trying to keep things calm and friendly, but your business associates have tried to leave a few times already.”
“I see,” I clench my jaw. “Thank you for warning me.”
The moment I open the meeting room door, I’m met with angry stares from two of our guests. Malachi is seated at the head of the table, keeping the same put together look he always carries, but I know my brother enough to recognize the spark of fury behind his eyes.
“Gentlemen,” I say, glancing at the clock behind Malachi. The meeting is supposed to start in ten minutes. When the Russians arrive early, it’s never a good sign. They just want to rip off the band aid and be done with us as soon as possible.
“Kavanagh,” Dimitri, the head of the Volkov family, nods.
“Did my brother offer you a cup of coffee? Or perhaps you’re in the mood for something stronger?”
“He did,” Nikita Volkov says. “And we politely declined.”
“We’re short on time, so we just want to get straight to the point,” Dimitri leans forward, his elbows resting on the round table as he crosses his fingers. “We decided not to proceed with the contract.”
I clench my jaw, taking a deep breath before speaking again. “May I ask why?”
“The suspicion around your club,” Dimitri continues. “I’m sure you can understand why we prefer not to get involved with the Kavanaghs at this very moment.”
“And I’ve been trying to explain to the gentlemen here that it’s all just a big misunderstanding that we’re actively working on,” Malachi adds.
“Which we understand, but the decision has been made,” Dimitri is the first to get up, with his younger brother following. “If our paths cross again in the future when things are not as…” He pauses, searching for the right word. “Muddy, then maybe we’ll discuss working together.”
I nod, doing my best to keep my cool while my blood is boiling. Both Malachi and I remain quiet, watching the Russians leave the meeting room. Once we’re alone, I turn to Malachi, everything that I’ve been holding back, coming to the surface.
“What the fuck was that?”
“I know!” Malachi leans back in his chair, starting to lose his cool.
Having Malachi lose his temper only shows how much losing this deal with the Volkovs is going to cost us.
“I spent half an hour bringing facts and receipts to them, but Dimitri doesn’t want anything to do with us regardless because of how it looks from the outside. ”
“I’m so sick of this,” I pour myself a glass of vodka, the premium one that we prepared for our guests and swallow it all in one go. “When I get my hands on that son of a bitch…”
I close my eyes, leaning against the table, as I try to think straight again. I can’t let anger consume me like this. Especially not now when Riley is also involved in all of this because of Mia. And because I gave her a job at the Eden.
“Email me every report we have on the Devlins,” When I speak again, my voice is a lot steadier. “I’m going to double check everything again, no matter how long it takes. Maybe there is a weak point that we overlooked.”
“Okay,” Malachi logs in on his laptop and gets on it immediately. “Will you tell me what happened now? Because when you walked inside the look on your face was as if you had just attended a funeral. In fact, I might have seen you look more cheerful after attending a funeral.”
“It’s about Riley…”
“Did something happen to her?”
“No,” I shake my head and start filling Malachi in on everything that happened.