42. Again?
again?
. . .
Davian
Earlier…
Today would go down in history as the day Davian Reed—infamous heir to Westport’s underground—died of blue balls. What a way to go. I could already hear my father making fun of me for it during my eulogy.
If I didn’t strangle him first for interrupting my time with Sadie in the kitchen.
He leaned back in one of the leather chairs on the other side of my desk now, rambling on about work and all the problems that needed to be dealt with. A new gambling den had popped up downtown, cutting into our profits, and he wanted me to take care of it.
I grew bored with the visit quickly.
My gaze strayed to the top drawer of my desk, where I’d hidden Sadie’s lace underwear for safe keeping. I’d told Sadie I’d only be gone a couple minutes, but nothing I’d done or said had convinced my father to leave yet.
I was debating telling him there was an emergency when he changed the subject. “Word on the street is you pissed off Zain Ali.”
That pulled my attention away from the drawer.
“Come again?” I asked. Zain was the one poaching men from us, not the other way around. I had the proof in a shed in my backyard. “I haven’t done shit to Ali.”
The brow over Seb’s eye patch rose. “Ah, so you didn’t shoot his brother in the leg before stealing the kid’s dog yesterday?”
Closing my eyes, I cursed under my breath. It wasn’t often my father said things that surprised me. “Fessy is Zain Ali’s brother?”
“An illegitimate one.” He twirled one of my pens around his finger. “Hashim got one of his mistresses pregnant. Fessy was kept a secret, but Hashim wanted the boys to know each other.”
This had to be a joke. “How did you find out?”
The pen-twirling came to a stop, and he smirked. “His wife wasn’t as happy about it. She made a lot of noise after she buried the bastard.”
Then it was likely Zain and his men who’d shown up at Sadie’s apartment. Based on what I knew about the hotheaded, trigger-happy Ali heir, nothing good could come of that. “Why would Fessy start his own crew with the Skulls if he already had family connections?”
“I never said the boys liked each other, but that doesn’t mean Zain wants anyone messing with his blood.” Seb tossed the pen onto my desk with a sigh. “Just tell me you didn’t blow up our decades-long truce with the Ali family over a damn dog, Davian.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was bullshit. “There’s more to the story, but it’s not his dog.”
“I don’t care whose goddamn dog it is.” His gaze hardened. “I don’t need Zain shitting in my backyard right now. Handle this .”
I bit back a retort. Zain had started poking around Lorenzo long before I shot Fessy. More was going on here.
“I’m already handling it,” I said instead.
Along with a dozen other messes my father had made.
“Are you?” Seb practically growled. His fatherly facade vanished as he leaned forward. “Zain is threatening war because you shot his little brother, and this is how you handle things? By baking cupcakes and getting your dick wet?”
The room went still, and I replayed his words.
There was no way my father could know Sadie was here. Not unless one of my men had told him—or he’d heard it from the same person who’d told him about Fessy.
The smile that slid across his face was anything but warm. “Yes, I met your charity case in the kitchen. Garishly pink hair? Big buggy eyes? Surprisingly nice legs for how short she is.” He leaned back in the chair, looking bored. “At least now I know why you were suddenly so interested in that damn dog shelter.”
I picked up the pen he’d been playing with, making an effort to keep my voice level. Unaffected. “You talked to Sadie?”
“ Sadie, ” he echoed with deliberate slowness, as if tasting each syllable. He grunted. “Pretty name. But I taught you better than this. If you want to roll around with a pretty girl, go to the clubs. Don’t bring strays home.”
My fingers tightened around the pen, adjusting my grip. “What did you say to her?”
He only leaned back further in the chair. Amusement flashed in his eye. “Look at you. I heard you were taken with her, but I didn’t want to believe it. Are you really getting worked up over a skirt?”
A sharp knock on the door barely stopped me from gouging my father’s other eye out.
I slipped the pen into my pocket and stood, grateful for the distraction as I strode to the door.
Antonio’s frowning face greeted me. He didn’t waste time on pleasantries. “Has the girl talked to you yet?”
I already regretted not going for Seb’s eye. “No. What happened?”
He glanced over my shoulder with a grimace. “She was supposed to come find you. Just talk to her soon. She was pretty upset.”
“In a second,” I said through a tight jaw. Turning back to my father’s smug face, I thought about all the ways he could’ve upset Sadie. There were too many to count. “What did you do?”
He had the gall to laugh . “You’ll have to be more specific, son.”
My steps were measured as I approached his chair. “Pop. What did you do to her?”
“Relax.” He waved a hand, dismissing me. “It’s nothing to get worked up over. I barely touched the girl.”
I had him yanked up from the chair and shoved against the bookcase before I knew I was doing it. The books rattled on their shelves as I pinned him by his throat, getting up close.
“You touched her?” I pressed, not recognizing the venom in my voice.
My father’s amusement only grew.
“Careful, Davian,” he rasped, wrapping a hand around my wrist. “You’re showing your cards.”
I pushed harder, cutting off his air. “If you so much as laid a finger on her?—”
“He told her about Daniella,” Antonio said behind me.
My blood ran cold. I hadn’t heard that name in ages, and now it’d come up twice today.
“What’s there to tell?” I scowled, easing up on his windpipe just enough that he could answer. “I’m not going through with your bullshit marriage scheme.”
“Well, it’d be good for business if you did,” Seb said, voice hoarse under my hold. “Daniella isn’t so bad. A couple surgeries will fix that nose right up.”
My scowl deepened in disgust, but we didn’t have time for this. Sadie was prone to freaking out, and the longer it took me to find her, the higher the chance she’d convince herself never to speak to me again.
“Don’t go anywhere. I’m not done with you,” I told Seb, shoving him roughly before letting go.
I rounded on the door, and Antonio fell into step behind me.
“Leaving so soon?” my father called. “You haven’t even poured me a scotch yet.”
“Get your own damn scotch,” I said before swinging the door shut behind us.
“He knew about Sadie before he came over,” I said to Antonio, lowering my voice. “Someone’s relaying my moves to my old man. Find out who.”
He nodded curtly. “I’m on it.”
As he disappeared down the hallway, I headed for the backyard to start my search for Sadie—just as Vince rounded the corner with a bowl in his hand.
The contents drew me to a stop. “What the hell are you doing with a bowl of ice cream?”
He glanced down at it with a shrug. “Sadie asked for some. Apparently, I’m an errand boy now.”
“I’ll take it to her. Where is she?”
“Up in your room.” He handed over the bowl, and his gaze strayed to the door behind me. “What did Seb want?”
“Nothing good,” I said, walking past him. “I’ll fill you in later, but this is time sensitive.”
He grunted, and I took the stairs two at a time up to my room.
From the hallway I could hear the water running for the tub, and a plan began to form—this talk could go a lot better if we were both naked during it.
But all thoughts of hopping into a bath with Sadie vanished when I walked into my room and found the sheets stripped off the bed. The balcony doors were wide open, and a blanket was tied to the railing.
I didn’t need to check the bathroom to know the tub was empty.
“ Vince! ” I yelled, setting the bowl aside and striding to the balcony. Sadie had made a sad excuse for a rope out of our sheets. I leaned over the railing, but there was no sign of any pink-haired bakers or slobbering beasts in the open area of the grounds.
Vince burst through the door moments later with his gun drawn. “What happened?”
Cursing under my breath, I stormed back inside.
Other than her clothes, Sadie’s things were gone. Her phone wasn’t on the charger. Even that stupid dead plant she’d insisted on bringing here was gone.
But the piece of paper on the dresser hadn’t been there earlier. I picked up the hastily scrawled note.
Dav,
Sorry to run off like this. I’ve really enjoyed our time together, but I think it’s time for me to get back to my life. Thank you for not holding the whole hostage thing against me.
If things were different, I would’ve loved to have that dinner with you.
Your hostage-taker hostage friend partner sweetheart I’m not sure what to write here Thank you for everything,
Sadie
P.S. I’m also sorry for leaving the bath running (again), and I promise to reimburse you for the water bill.
I carefully folded the note and set it on my dresser, barely clinging to the last shred of my patience.
“Again?” I asked evenly, slowly rounding on Vince. “You lost her again ?”
He’d been off fetching ice cream for Sadie instead of watching her.
Vince stared at the note like he couldn’t believe it was real before answering through a clenched jaw. “That girl is surprisingly duplicitous.”
“You keep underestimating her,” I said, already dialing the guard at the front gate.
A quick chat with Hollis let me know no one had left the premises.
“She couldn’t have gotten far. Have Enzo look through the outdoor camera footage while everyone checks the buildings and grounds. Be on the lookout for any hiding spots,” I told Hollis, before remembering something important. “Tell Enzo not to go back further than half an hour on the footage.”
I’d been so wrapped up in Sadie earlier, I’d forgotten about the security cameras facing the patio.
That was out of character for me.
Hanging up, I turned to Vince. “Find the dog. Sadie won’t leave without him.”
He scowled but pulled out his phone. “I’ll call in Shane and Malcolm to?—”
A series of loud explosions erupted through the open balcony doors. Both of us reached for our guns and ran toward the noise.
The heavy scent of smoke came next, followed by quiet.
I shared a look with Vince. “What the hell was that?”