Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Dominic
Percy's droning on behind me, most likely about something important I should be paying attention to, but instead, I'm standing in my office, a few streets away from my apartment building, glaring out the window as I stare down at the streets of London, scanning the small dots I can see moving around, as if I'm able to see who the people are from up here.
Leo last texted me almost two hours ago, telling me the elevator was coming down to the lobby.
I'd told him to keep her in the apartment unless she was going somewhere to get rid of the animal she'd brought with her, and since then, he hasn't replied.
I've messaged him multiple times and tried calling him, but he's not answering, and I'm growing antsy.
"Dom, are you even listening to me?" Percy shouts.
"No," I tell him, turning to look at him over my shoulder.
Jaylen laughs from where he's sitting in the corner of the room.
"I think he's a little distracted."
I grunt and shake my head, knowing he's trying to wind me up further for his own enjoyment.
"You know, if you really wanted to know where they are, you could ask Kaleb. I'm sure he'd have an idea," Jaylen says, slinging his arm around my shoulders as he joins me at the large, floor-to-ceiling window that sits behind my desk.
"Oh, now it makes sense," Percy mutters. "You're distracted by the feisty little rocket."
Whipping around quickly, I narrow my eyes at him, and his eyes widen as he holds up his hands in a placating gesture.
"Ooo, you made him angry," Jaylen jibes. "Best not to let on to the fact you find his wife attractive, Percy. It seems our man over here doesn't hate her as much as he claims to."
"Get out," I grunt, shaking my head and moving behind my desk, tired of the pair of them.
"But what about the shipment and all the paperwork?" Percy asks.
"Give it to him," I tell him, gesturing with my head in Jaylen's direction.
He grumbles as he stands from the leather chair on the opposite side of my desk and walks out of the room.
Instead of my cousin trailing behind him like I'd wanted, he walks over to my desk, sitting on the edge as he peers over at me, a gleeful smile on his face as I continue to stare at my computer screen, pretending not to see him.
"I wonder why Leo's not answering you…"
Grinding my teeth, I jab my finger on the mouse, opening documents I should be focusing on.
"Maybe he's run off with her?"
Ignoring Jaylen's teasing comments, I stab my fingers into the keys of my keyboard, typing absolute nonsense because the fury building inside of me has dark spots entering my vision.
The thoughts my cousin is stirring inside of my head are distracting me from making sense of what I'm meant to be doing.
"Or maybe he took her back up to the apartment, just like you wanted him to, and maybe he's—"
"Shut up!" I snap, pushing out of my chair and banging my fist down on the wooden desk beneath me.
Angry tremors take over my body as my furious gaze clashes with his amused one. He slides off my desk before leaning over it to clap his hand down on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, I'll hold down the fort while you rush home," he says, smirking at me as he saunters towards the door. "And maybe stay home tonight instead of turning up at my place again, yeah? Your presence might also keep Leo away."
Grabbing the wireless mouse from my desk, I throw it at him, but he dodges it easily, his laughter fading away as he walks further down the corridor to his own office.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dial Leo's number again, my muscles tightening with every echoing ring until I'm met with his voicemail again.
Fuck it.
Grabbing my jacket from the back of my chair, I storm out of my office, passing Jaylen's and Percy's offices until I reach the stairs, bypassing the elevator, knowing it'll take too long.
Charging down the stairs, I try calling Leo again, but there's no change as I'm once again greeted with his voicemail.
Reaching the ground floor of the office building we mostly use for appearances and do all of our legitimate business in, I storm into the private car park, unlocking my car before I'm even close to it.
I'm not sure why I'm so worked up.
I know Jaylen was just saying things to rile me up, but the images he was putting in my head were enough for me to lose my cool.
In the time I've known Leo and worked close to him, I've hardly ever seen him so much as look at any women, not with any interest anyway, so I know it's likely there's nothing to worry about. But then again, I know what a temptress Alicia is.
She's put me under some sort of spell, so I have to assume it'd be easy for her to do the same to anyone else.
She's stunningly beautiful.
Everything about her is practically perfect.
She's alluring and also cunning.
I wouldn't put it past her to use her good looks to her advantage to get what she wants.
With that thought in mind, and the image of Leo getting into the elevator with her and leading her back up to my apartment, I start my car and peel out of the parking space reserved for me.
I push my way into London traffic as soon as I reach the exit, ignoring the people honking their horns at me, desperate to get back to the apartment as soon as possible to see what's going on.
As soon as I reach the apartment building, I fly out of the car and straight into the lobby, passing the desk at the front and moving to the private elevator off to the left that only leads up to the two levels I use.
When I see the empty chair beside the doors where I know Leo would've been sitting, my hands curl into fists.
"Mr King, you're back earlier than expected," George, the concierge, says from behind me.
I turn around to see the friendly old man standing behind the desk and I nod, turning back to the elevator.
Just as the doors open, I turn back to George, make my way over to the desk, and lean my elbows on the stone top.
"You know where Leo went?" I ask, watching the man before me for any hint of nervousness, but he just smiles at me politely and nods.
"Yes, sir. He left earlier with the young woman you now live with. I assume they took the pup for a walk."
My brows furrow, and although I release a relieved sigh at the fact they're not upstairs together, I'm confused as to why they've been out for hours when I clearly stated I didn't want her leaving the apartment.
"Thank you, George," I grunt, nodding respectfully before moving back to the elevator.
I want to know where the fuck they are, and why neither Leo or Alicia listened to my instructions, and I'm not leaving until I have my answers.