CHAPTER THIRTEEN
PIERCE
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Kyra is still missing, and the story has gone viral. I’m the laughingstock of the fucking entire United States of America.
There are thousands of memes showing her running like Forest Gump, living on a deserted island with Marked Safe from Marrying Pierce Sterling , and every news channel is discussing how terrible it would be to marry me.
Fuckers.
I have been invited to go on a couple of shows, but my PR manager has been instructed to decline.
“I think it’s time you get in front of this,” Terrance says from the doorway of my office.
“No. I told you. Our statement remains the same: I’m extremely upset and at this point my time and energy are being put toward finding Kyra.”
He frowns.
“Except you aren’t. There is no proof of that anywhere and questions are being asked.” Terrance questions me.
“Then do your fucking job. I pay you multiple six figures to protect my reputation and right now you’re about one day away from being fired!” I yell.
He crosses his arms.
Terrance isn’t easily flustered. He’s worked for me for over five years and got the job because he can confront me. Still, he fucks me off most days, but I don’t want some weak-minded idiot doing this job.
“This is me doing my job. I’m advising you that you have to get on camera,” he says firmly.
“And say fucking what? That yes, she probably has run away?”
I’m not saying that.
My reputation is the most important thing I have. If the people I control start seeing me weaken, my hold on them does the same thing.
I’ve built my power structure over decades. Like a house of cards, it could all come crumbling down around me.
It can’t happen.
It won’t happen.
He uncrosses his arms and slides his hands into his pockets. “No, we don’t say that. If you agree to do this, we will brainstorm.”
I’m listening.
“We could paint a picture of her having mental problems. Say she stopped taking a medication.”
Nice. I like it.
Make Kyra out to be mentally unstable and that we’ve dealt with this before. That we expect her back, and it will buy us time to find her.
Then I will punish her.
I will clearly need to keep a tight rein on her when we are married. That wasn’t exactly the plan. I chose Kyra Fox because she is attractive, compliant, and the heiress to a fortune.
“What else?” I ask.
“It might’ve been a disagreement with her mother. That they’re not close. That she has called you.”
I pick up a pen on my desk and twist it around my fingers.
This is why Terrance still works for me.
I might even give him a huge bonus this Christmas if it works.
“Fine. Prepare the interview,” I say. “And Terrance, I want the questions vetted and this entire thing tightly controlled.”
“Pfft. Ye of little faith. Leave it with me.” He grins and pushes off the doorframe to set it up.
I stare out at the empty room as I tap the pen on my desk.
Where the fuck is she?
Derek has hired the Barrett Security team, and I was invited to the family meeting to answer questions.
Connor Barrett is a fellow billionaire and retired US Marine. I was surprised to see him at the Fox household in person rather than sending another one of his team.
“Pierce,” he said, shaking my hand.
“Connor, good to see you.” I sat down opposite him, noting he was watching me carefully.
“Do you think you can find her?” Sally asked emotionally as Derek handed Connor a glass of Macallan and sat.
Meanwhile, the Marine’s trained gaze studied us all, taking in the dynamics. There was nothing for him to discover here. We needed him out in the world finding her.
“There are no guarantees, but I would be interested in hearing all of your opinions on where Kyra might have gone.”
“She’s been taken, not left,” Sally says shakily. “Her phone and clothes are still here. Only her asthma puffer is missing.”
“Nor has she spent a dollar on her credit cards,” Derek adds.
Connor’s gaze drifts to me.
He won’t get anything from me. I know how to play poker like a pro, and I obviously played no part in this.
“She won’t be provided a Sterling credit card until we are married,” I stated.
“She has wealthy friends. Would someone help her?” Connor drags his gaze from me to Sally.
Derek glanced at me, and I lifted my brow.
What the hell did he think I was going to do?
“She has one friend. Penny. I don’t think she’s helped her. She sounds as worried as we are.” Sally wrung her hands together. “We should never have forced her—”
“Sally!” Derek warned.
Connor took a long, slow sip of the Macallan and watched them as if they were guilty of faking their own daughter’s disappearance. “And you, Pierce. What are your thoughts?”
If he thought he was going to rattle me, he was wrong. I had decades on this young man and was innocent.
Why would I take my own fiancé?
“I want her home. We’re getting married next week. I asked Derek to hire you, as you’re the best of the best.”
He took another sip, ignoring the compliment. “That’s not what I asked.”
Fucker.
Sally stared at me.
I laid my arm along the back of the sofa and crossed my legs. “I don’t know, Barrett. Why do women do anything?”
He didn’t laugh.
I was starting to lose my patience, so I got right to the point.
“I’m sure Derek and Sally have shared that this is an arranged marriage. Kyra knew what was expected of her.”
“I see. Did she agree to it?” he asks.
“Yes,” I reply firmly.
Connor made some notes on his tablet and then spoke to the room. “My team will be here in twenty minutes to do a forensics search. I know the police have done one, but we do our own investigation.”
His focus was mostly on Derek and Sally. “I do need to point out that Kyra is a grown woman, not a missing child.”
My brow had lifted, and Connor noticed.
Of course he fucking did.
“Therefore,” he spelled out, “I need you to know that if we find her and she doesn’t want to come home, we will respect her wishes.”
Sally sobbed and dropped her face to Derek’s shoulder.
He glared at me.
God this is a fucking mess.
“She’s my fiancé. I have a right to know where she is,” I demand.
“No,” Connor said. “You don’t.”
I snapped and launched to my feet as a rampage of insults poured from my mouth. “You’ve been hired to do a goddamn job, Barrett. I want to know where she is! I want her home and at the church on time.”
“Pierce, calm the fuck down.” Derek growled while Connor watched like the beady eyed eagle he is.
He didn’t even flinch when I jumped up. And I’m still a decent sized guy for my age.
“I won’t calm down. Kyra is marrying me.” I hissed and warned Derek next. “You know what’s at stake here?”
He goes silent.
Sally looks between us.
“What is at stake, Pierce?” Connor dropped his leg to the floor, leaning forward. His beady eyes locked on me.
Goddamn him.
“This is a business deal. One we have agreed on for a long time,” Derek interjected, and even I heard the rattle in his voice.
I stared coldly at the Marine as I sat back down.
“Kyra is our daughter. What if she’s hurt? Do none of you realize this might not be about her getting married?” Sally snapped.
We all go silent.
Not one of us thinks that.
“There has been no ransom request since she went missing, so it’s highly unlikely, Mrs. Fox,” Connor told her.
As Sally cried, we all took stock of the situation.
I wasn’t sure if Barrett was going to tell us to confess what our deal was or throw in the towel.
But he did neither.
“I feel so responsible.” Sally sobbed further. “Her dress arrived today. We can tell her that she doesn’t have to marry him.”
“No,” both Derek and I say firmly.
“Well, she’s not coming home!” Sally jumped to her feet. “I’m sorry, Mr. Barrett, but I cannot sit here and listen to anymore. I’m going to ring more of her friends.”
Connor nodded as she left the room, then he pressed his fingers together.
“So. Who wants to tell me what’s really going on here?”
“That is outside the spec of your brief,” I said darkly, and after a long tense stare off, Connor stood and left.
Now, I’m starting to question everything.
Something isn’t right about all of this. Kyra is more of a mouse. Sure, running away might fit her profile, but not on her own.
I can’t fight this feeling that someone is fucking with me.
I don’t think it’s Derek. He’s too scared and knows the consequences.
I take another puff on my cigarette and think.
A thought enters my mind that has both my brows hitting the roof of my head.
No fucking way.