Chapter 33 Ares
“He looks smug,” Xander said.
“The man got what he wanted. How nice for him,” Ares said dryly.
Across from them, looking at monitors on the other side of the studio, Ida waved at them, the light catching the diamond on her ring finger.
It’s always someone else.
Ares had no reason to be here other than Xander didn’t want to do the interview if the Tech News people wanted to speak to a representative of Axis Management. The last two days had been hell. He felt as if someone had run him over, knocked him down and carved out his heart.
Drustan slapped Henri on the back and reached to shake the news guy’s hand. Another day he’d be happy for the man. Not today, his stomach churned with jealousy.
Even knowing how much money Axis Management was going to make on this innovation didn’t ease his heart ache.
“Henri and Drustan have a star quality together,” Xander murmured.
“Yeah.”
The press ate up Henri’s announcement about the supersonic laptops built with better indestructible screens and the fastest processors to hit the market. They hung on Drustan’s every word as they explained top scientists were working around the clock to make this happen.
Ares should be celebrating with them. They did good work on this project, strengthened their relationship with Henri and their government contacts were happy with the specs.
The fact that he got someone on the phone on Boxing Day while his heart was shattered in pieces, is some kind of testament to his loyalty.
But that was the condition Xander slapped on Drustan. If they couldn’t get an okay from their private contacts to announce this launch, this interview would be off.
This was the thing that Drustan set in motion.
“The guy has more balls than I thought,” his brother said, echoing his thoughts.
“Yeah.” Ares quickened his stride, eager to get back to his office. He wanted to hide from the world and sulk.
“Henri said dealing with Drustan was like dealing with a toddler. He wanted to name a date of release but my father refused to commit,” Nick Laurent’s accented voice had Ares turning around.
“Good to see you. Your dad is one smart guy,” Ares shook his friend’s hand.
“Don’t tell him, his head will explode. There is still a question of how much time the new processors will last for but I'm sure you have people testing that out. Thought I’d walk with you guys. I’m meeting Quinn and Erik they said they needed help.”
“About time you came and visited us,” Xander said.
Across from them Ida clapped, as the interview concluded.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ares marched through the doors of Laurent Industries, the wind matching his mood, gusty with cool drizzle falling, hitting his cheek.
The days after Christmas were always kind of dull but to go from having the best Christmas Eve, he ever had to feeling like he was walking in a nightmare made him feel like a gloomy Ebenezer before the ghosts visited him.
He didn’t tell Xander what had happened with Josie. There was nothing to tell. He thought he was in a relationship with the love of his life. The love of his life walked out the door. Just like that other time. That was the story of his life.
And his job was to keep stress away from Xander not to tell him about his failing love life.
Or his sweeper team.
He hadn’t been able to reach the other members of the team but the compound was in a lockdown and all communications to their phones might have been cut if they were following protocol.
“The place looks the same,” Nick said as the scanner beeped.
“You should come on a Tuesday. It’s bustling with people everywhere,” Xande grumbled. But Ares caught the grin on his brother’s face.
It was like the old days when they first started. A few guys who were former military, a company with a super mission able to carry out all kinds of tasks because they were loyal to each other. That’s how it worked.
And that’s what Ares wanted.
Someone to be as loyal to him as he was to everyone else in his life.
But someone who was just for him.
Tears pricked his eyes as the thought back to Josie chewing Xander out over the silly reality TV show.
She was so fierce in her anger. Two big ass men being scolded by a five-foot-nothing woman with curly hair and glasses but she could have been leading the charge on the war path by how much passion she vibrated with.
His heart clenched.
To think that all that was in his fingers and it slipped away…he couldn’t get his brain around it. He put on a smile as he followed Nick and Xander into the conference room. His laugh was fake but the sight was comical.
Little gift bags lined the table, along with a pile of tissue paper and wrapped presents.
He marched right to the conference room, phone in hand, his thumb on the number of his team. He wanted to check in with them.
“What are you doing here?” he asked the guys at the table.
“It looks like they’re playing Santa,” Xander said.
“This is what Harper called me for?” Nick said.
“Yep,” Erik said, tossing a bag at Nick. “Get going. We have a million of them. Have you seen the size of our house? All of this is too much.”
“If my sister wants it, she gets it,” Quinn said, glaring at his brother-in-law.
“You didn’t answer him. Why are you here?” Xander asked.
“Relax Xander. Ryder and his team are fixing something at the compound, and we left them with our new guy. He’s going to work out,” Quinn said, picking up a gift bag and stuffing it with paper.
“Knew the guy would work out. Anyone Dax recommends is solid,” Erik said. “Harper told us to prep these bags for Kayleigh’s baby shower.”
“I can’t believe she hasn’t popped yet,” Quinn said.
“Tell me about it,” Erik mumbled.
“Here, have a bag,” Quinn threw one to Ares.
Ares caught it, stopping himself from crumbling it up.
His phone rang.
“Just when you need an excuse,” Erik said.
They all laughed.
Not recognizing the number, he almost didn't answer it but maybe it was Josie.
“Hello?”
“Ares is Josie with you? I’m sorry to call and I'm probably acting like an overprotective mother, but I can’t get her.
It's not like her to take off for two days and not tell me where she is I know, she's an adult but she was looking forward to seeing Carlos’s grandkids before we left for Montreal, and she didn’t show up for dinner. ”
“Fleur, slow down.” His throat went bone dry.
“I know Josie is capable of looking after herself. I just want to know where she is.”
“You haven’t spoken to her since Christmas Day?” he tapped Xander’s shoulder.
“No, I haven't spoken to her since Christmas Eve,” Fleur said, her voice cracking.
Cold dread slithered through Ares’s stomach. Not talking to her mother was out of character for Josie.
“I keep calling her but her voice mail is full.”
That was because he called her three times a day, asking her to call him.
The crinkling of the paper stopped. He turned his back to avoid his brother’s gaze but he felt all four men track his movements.
“Is her car at your house?”
“Yes, in the driveway. That's why I thought she was with you.”
“She’s not with me, Fleur.”
“Do you know where she is?”
He swallowed hard. “I’m going to find out. I’ll be in touch as soon as I know anything.” As if on autopilot, he rang Josie.
No answer. Full voicemail.
“What’s going on?” his brother asked..
Plans tumbled through his brain. His team were unavailable, but he had three good men here.
“Josie is missing.” Ares rubbed his face, hating himself for not going after her as soon as she realized she was gone Christmas morning
“What do you mean Josie is missing?” Xander asked.
“Exactly what I said. She was last seen...” He hadn’t told Xander about the new piece of real estate he bought. “Christmas Day. She hasn’t answered any of my texts or calls. Something has happened.”
“You don’t know that,” Xander said.
“Yes, I do.”
“Why didn’t you say anything before now? If it’s been since Christmas Day?”
“Xander, I don’t want to explain myself to you.”
“Got it. Let’s go,” Quinn said.
“How do you know she’s missing and not at a friend’s house?” Xander asked.
“Because it’s out of character for her to not answer her phone,” Ares said, grinding his back teeth.
“Did you two have an argument?”
“No,” Ares said. Not exactly. He hadn't told Xander what happened with his team and he wasn’t going to.
“Where did she walk out of?” Nick asked.
“I was spending the night with her and then she wasn't there. “
“Do you have a locator on her phone?” Erik asked.
“Fuck,” Ares said. He completely forgot that he had slipped the locator on. He brought it up, his hands shaking. “Last ping was yesterday.” Ares showed Erik his phone.
“Hand it here,” Nick said. Nick took the phone, and held it to his.
“I’m going to look for her,” Ares said.
“We’ll come as back up,” Erik said.
“Wait. We don’t have enough information. Why did Josie run out, Ares?” Xander asked.
“That’s not your business.”
Xander raised a cool eyebrow. The tension in the room suddenly so thick the atmosphere felt heavy.
“She might have seen something she shouldn’t have, okay? It might have freaked her out.”
“Would you run an op with scarce details? Tell me what’s going on!” Xander said.
“It’s none of your fucking business, okay?” Ares yelled.
“Oh, I think it is,” Xander stood right in front of him.
He had never hit his brother. But today he pushed him out of his way.
“You asked me to manage a team that you didn't want to know anything about. I’ve done that. I made a mistake. Josie might have heard the woman who has been our guest for these last several months. I don’t know why but I think the feed was up.
There was a security glitch. She might have seen something or had something said to her. ”
“What the fuck, Ares?” Xander asked.
“I’m not perfect, okay?”
“And you waited this long to do anything about it? Is your team compromised?”
“I’m handling it.”
“By walking around in a daze?” Xander asked.
“I want to make sure she did walk out of the house because she was scared not any other reason. If we find out she is hanging with a friend, that’s fine. I’m going to go get her.”
“No.” Xander said. He crossed his arms over his chest, flicking his long hair over his shoulder.
Ares met his stare cooly. “Why? Why wouldn’t you want to find Josie?”
“It’s not our job to find Josie. We haven’t been hired to find Josie and doing so might expose us and we can’t risk that right now. And you don’t know why she is missing.”
“Fuck you, Xander. If it was Harper you wouldn’t hesitate.”
“I also didn’t need your permission to date Harper or your prodding.”
“That’s not how I remember it,” Logan said from the doorway. The big man took up all of the space in the room, even with his arm in a cast.
“You are going to stop me?” Ares asked.
“I didn’t say that. You want to go and check out if Josie is okay that’s fine. Leave my name out of it.”
“That’s so rich coming from you!” Ares screamed. “Nick, got anything on that address?”
“Yeah, it’s owned by Jared Hanson.”
“That guy is friends with Carter who owns the restaurant she has her business out of,” Ares said.
“Sounds so dangerous. She’s visiting friends for Christmas.” Xander said.
“Let’s go!” Logan clapped his hands together. “Quinn, do you mind driving?’
“Why does he get to drive?” Erik asked.
“I chose one of you. Let’s go. Ares are you coming?”
“Yep. Move out of my way, Xander.”
“Keep me informed.”
“Why? There’ nothing for me to tell you.”
He marched out of the conference room behind the guys but paused at the doorway.
“When I have Josie safe in my arms I'm taking her home. To our home. I bought a place that looks out over Howe Sound. That’s where we were on Christmas Eve. I’m going to be happy, whether you like it or not!”
“Good,” His brother said calmly. “Don’t let me stand in your way, I never asked to be in that role. You think it had to be one or the other but it's not.”
“That’s not true! I even told Josie she’d have to accept that taking care of you is part of my deal.”
“Is it?” Xander tilted his head. “Or are you just afraid of what happens when you have to focus on what it is you want? When you can’t use me as an excuse anymore.
You asked me what if it was Harper,” Xander shook his head.
“I would have turned every single inch of this city apart until I found her. I would have screamed at the moon until it came down, demanding that the gods give me her back. I wouldn’t have moped around for fucking days, telling myself I couldn’t do anything because I had to protect my brother. ”
Xander never minced words.
“You're welcome, for everything.” He marched out of the building he had helped build because it was his brother’s vision and into the car of the men loyal to him.
Nothing was going to stop him from finding Josie and showing her how much he loved her. Not even loyalty.