Distorted Perceptions (The Lanton Legacy #2)

Prologue

ROMAN

“She can’t just have vanished.”

I stared at the monitors that filled the wall opposite my desk and cursed as I ran my fingers through my short hair.

Every single camera I usually used had been disconnected, and the only one I could hack into was the street camera across the road from the restaurant; the same restaurant that now had a large handwritten sign in the window that read, ‘closed until further notice’.

Furiously keying in some code, I tried to re-establish the connections, but they were gone. As if someone had removed the cameras completely, which was impossible because that would mean someone knew they were there, and I was far too good at my job to let that happen.

I tried the tracker on her car and then the one on her phone, but they weren’t working either.

“Fucker,” I roared before opening up my secure connection and typing out a message.

Me: What did you do?

Mr L: Me?

Me: I fucking know it was you. Where is she?

Mr L: It’s gone too far. It’s not surveillance, it’s stalking. It’s extreme. Even by my standards.

Me: You put a tracker in your wife’s engagement ring! Why are you interfering?

Mr L: I’m trying to protect you. She’ll find out.

Me: Will she fuck. I’ve been watching her for years.

Mr L: And it’s taking over your life. She’s a grown woman now. You kept your promise. Now you have to let her live her life.

Me: I NEED to know where she is.

Mr L: Because you’re obsessed. It’s over. No more watching.

Me: I have to. You don’t understand.

Mr L: I do. I know it all, remember? Why you’re doing this. Why you think you have to do it. But I found over a dozen cameras. Her car, her flat, in her bedroom… you’ve been watching her sleep, FFS. That shit is going to get you into trouble.

Me: Why were you even looking? This has NOTHING to do with you.

Mr L: I have to go. This is done. Over. No more. Do you hear me? You might refuse to work for me, but you WILL listen to me.

And with that, the connection ended, leaving me in the eerie glow of the static-filled monitors in my office, my fear quickly being replaced by blind rage.

I didn’t remember standing or leaving the room, but the next thing I knew, I was in my car, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles ached.

Slamming open the heavy door, it rattled loudly into the almost empty gym, making three sets of eyes land on me.

“We’re closed. Sorry.”

I didn’t listen; my gaze locked on one man: Mr L, aka Thomas Lanton. Wearing nothing but black boxing gloves and a pair of black shorts, his tattoo-covered body glistened with sweat.

“Don’t worry, Bill. I think he’s here for me. Isn’t that right, Roman?” Thomas stated calmly.

I’d spoken to Thomas a lot over the years, but this was the first time I was seeing him face to face. I stormed towards the boxing ring where he stood, ignoring the two men he’d obviously been sparring with.

“What have you done now, Tom?” The enormous man who looked like a Viking laughed, stepping out of the way as I jumped up and slipped through the ropes.

Channelling my rage, I balled my fist and punched Thomas in the jaw, knocking his head sideways, but before I’d even dropped my arm, I was on my back with him straddling my torso, his forearm so hard against my windpipe I choked out my breath.

“You get one hit as a courtesy because I know you’re angry, but if you ever touch me again, I will fucking end you. Do I make myself clear, boy?”

Thomas was at least twenty years older than me, but this man was lethal, and I knew he meant every word of his threat.

“You took her away from me.” The words burned as I muttered them.

“I did. I had to. For both your sakes.” He glared at me, and then his face softened a little. “Do you trust me?”

“No,” I spat.

Laughing, he eased off, and I rubbed my aching neck as I swallowed tentatively to see how much it hurt.

As Thomas stood, turning to the smaller of the two men so he could help him remove his gloves, the Viking held out his hand.

I took it, allowing his giant frame to pull me from the ground, as he muttered, “Jesus, you’re built like a wall. ”

No one spoke again until Thomas was glove-free and beginning to undo the tape from his knuckles. “I’ll ask you that again.” He turned to me. “After everything we’ve worked on together over the years, do you trust me?”

“Fine,” I huffed. “Yes.”

“Well, then, you’ll know I’ve taken care of her. She’s safe.”

I didn’t know what to say. I had so many emotions flooding through me, I couldn’t explain how I was feeling.

“She’s not a teenager anymore, Roman. She’s a woman. A woman with needs. She needs friends, a life, a job, stability. She needs a relationship, kids maybe… you’re denying her all that.”

I charged towards him, but he didn’t even flinch, raising an eyebrow as if he couldn’t believe what I was doing, and my feet halted.

He gave me a second to calm myself before he spoke. “What happened to the last man she dated?”

“She didn’t date him. They went out once, and he was a creep.” I shuddered when I remembered seeing them together.

“But what happened to him?”

“He had an unfortunate accident.”

Thomas’ mouth curled into a smile as he shook his head. “The lights at the junction he was crossing all went green at the same time, and he was hit by a car. What happened to the bloke before him?”

“I scared him off,” I replied matter-of-factly.

“You filmed him cheating on his wife with three different women and then sent her the evidence.”

“H-how?” I spluttered.

This time, Thomas laughed loudly and looked between his friends as if he couldn’t believe the ridiculousness of my question.

“You know what I do for a living. Did you really think I wouldn’t be keeping an eye on you?”

My eyes widened, and my rage spiked.

“You move any closer, Roman, and I will knock you on your arse again, but this time, you won’t get back up.”

I stayed still.

“This can’t continue. It has to stop. Not just for her, but for you. You can’t sacrifice your life because you feel guilty for still having one.”

His words hit harder than any punch ever could. Was he right? Had my promise morphed into my damnation?