Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Rhett
I looked at the clock for the tenth time.
It wasn't late by any stretch of the imagination, but I had gotten accustomed to spending my evenings with Elle, and without her here, I was lonely.
And just to think, barely a month ago this was my normal.
Now I was spending my evenings either at Elle's place or she at mine.
I pulled out my phone to text her to ask when she was coming home but thought better of it.
It didn't matter that I was lonely or had this sick feeling in my stomach from her being out of my sight. She needed this night with her friend. I thought back to our interaction tonight before she went out.
"Do you have to go?"
I wrapped my arms around Elle's waist from behind and nuzzled her neck.
"Yes." Elle tilted her head and gave me better access. "We haven't gone out since I met you, and I think Molly's feeling neglected."
I bit down on the space between her neck and shoulder and smiled when she moaned in satisfaction.
"You don't play fair."
I pulled her dress up and skimmed my fingers across her panty-clad pussy.
"All's fair in love and war."
I was hard all over again just thinking about the quickie we had before she left. Needless to say, Elle had been a little late leaving my place.
I was still thinking about it when my phone rang a few seconds later. Seeing it was Elle, I quickly answered. "I was just thinking about you."
"Rhett!"
I sat up straighter when the voice on the other end of the line wasn't Elle's.
"Molly?"
"Rhett, she's gone!" Molly wailed.
It took me a second to fully comprehend what Molly was telling me. Then instinct kicked in. "Tell me everything," I commanded as I moved around the house grabbing my keys and slipping on my boots.
"She went to the bathroom and never returned. I swear she wasn't gone long, but I went to check on her anyway because we had been doing shots, and I wanted to make sure she was okay. That's when I found her purse and phone on the bathroom floor."
Ice traveled through my veins with each word Molly spoke.
"I'm on my way. Go back to the bar and stay there. Don't go anywhere alone and keep Elle's phone on you."
"Okay." Molly sniffled.
I hung up the phone and immediately called Matthew.
"Hello."
"We have a situation." I slammed my front door closed and jogged down the steps to my truck. "Elle is missing. I need the team to meet me so we can get the security footage."
"Send me the address, and we'll meet you there."
No questions asked. No hesitation. That was Matthew's way, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt what he said was true.
I drove like a man possessed. Arriving at the bar in record time.
Walking inside, it took me all of two seconds to spot a nervous Molly standing at the bar.
"I'm so so sorry!" she wailed as soon as I walked up to her.
"You must be Rhett." A very large bartender extended his hand, and I shook it. "Molly here told me you were on your way. We've already notified the cops. They should be here soon."
We weren't going to need the cops, but I didn't tell the bartender that. Instead I said thank you and looked back at Elle's friend.
"Show me where the bathroom is."
Without hesitating, Molly jumped up from the barstool and headed off toward the side hallway. It was dimly lit with an exit door just a little ways down.
I followed Molly into the females’ bathroom and was met with screams from two women standing in front of the sink.
"Sorry, ladies. My woman went missing from in here not long ago. Neither of you happened to see anything, by chance?"
They shook their heads no and scurried around me to get out before I could ask them much more.
"Where was her purse and phone found?"
"Right over here." She pointed to a spot on the floor opposite of the sinks.
I walked over and examined the floor. There were scuff marks in the area that may or may not have been caused by Elle's heels.
A disturbance outside the bathroom caught my attention.
"You can't go in there." A woman's high squeal penetrated the walls.
"Watch me, lady," Matthew growled right before storming into the small space. "What do we know?"
"She was taken from in here," I told my team leader. "Her purse and phone were found here." I pointed down to where I was standing.
"I noticed cameras when I walked through this place. I'll have Parker pull the footage." That was all he said before turning on his heel and walking right back out.
I turned my focus back to a crying Molly. "We're going to find her," I said with complete honesty because there was no outcome where I didn't find the woman I was falling in love with.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
I was in love with Elle.
The realization didn't freak me out like I thought it would have. Instead it filled me with hope.
"We'll find her, and we'll bring her back," I reiterated for the two of us. Molly merely nodded as tears continued to flow down her face.
"Let's get back out there before the cops arrest me for being in here." I didn't want to give anyone a reason for taking me away from the one thing I needed to do, and that was find Elle.
By the time we made it back out to the bar, the cops were already talking to the bartender. I completely bypassed them and headed straight for Matthew who was seated at a high-top table with the rest of my team.
"What did you find out?"
"Recognize this man?" Parker handed me the tablet. I didn't need more than a brief glance to know exactly who took Elle from me.
"That's the guy I rescued Elle from the first night we met. He followed her into the bar and wouldn't leave her alone, so I pretended to be her boyfriend." I handed the tablet over to Molly. "Did you see him tonight?"
Unlike me, Molly took her time to really look at the guy. "No, but I wasn't paying much attention to our surroundings. I was focused on spending time with Elle tonight."
Handing the tablet back to Parker, I asked, "Can you follow his movements?"
"I've already started. This place has cameras in the parking lot, so I was able to get a picture of the vehicle and a partial plate. I'm running it through the system now. Should have something soon."
Just as he finished talking, a beeping sound alerted us that a search finished. "Look at that, we have a name. Bernard Thomas."
No wonder the guy felt the need to get jacked with a name like that. "Do we have a place of residence?"
"Yup." Parker continued to tap away at the screen. "But I doubt that's where he took Elle. It appears he lives with his elderly grandmother."
"I wouldn't discount anything at this point." My gut was telling me that's where he took her, and I never went against my gut.
"Elle doesn't have time to wait. We check the house first while you track his movements."
Normally I wouldn't take charge. I preferred to leave that to Matthew or Black, but right now, this was my woman, and I didn't need anyone telling me we couldn't go after her.
We loaded up into two vehicles and set off to find Elle.
Hang on, beautiful. I'm coming for you.