Four Months later…
My hands sliced through my hair as I dropped my head back against the headrest. “Just drive,” I snarled to my driver, Daniel.
“Yes, Mr. Harrison.”
I’d had no damn luck locating the runaway bride of mine.
It was difficult to get, but I retrieved the guest list and searched through the female names to see who could have been there.
I scratched off the names and faces I knew.
It would take days to put names to faces without drawing attention to my search.
The internet provided too much tracking information, and yet not enough at the same time.
My phone rang, and it was Anderson calling. “Tell me you have something.”
“I might. You know how the cameras were down for a bit?” That was suspicious in itself, but I couldn’t even pinpoint who she was in order to find out why they would cut the camera feeds.
“Go on.”
“Well, I managed to find some footage from one hallway. I can’t say she’s in them because it’s grainy and, well, I have no idea what she truly looks like, but at least it’s something.”
The immediate rush of adrenaline barely allowed the words to get out. “Send me what you have. I’ll watch the damn thing.”
“I’ve gathered all the faces and I’ll send them to you.”
“Good.” I ended the call and closed my eyes.
He sent over the captured pictures. I spent the entire drive home examining each image thoroughly, and not one single woman was her. “Who the hell are you?” I sighed.
“Did you say something, Mr. Harrison?”
“None of these are her.” I tossed my phone onto the seat, aggravation doubling by the minute.
Daniel sighed and then cleared his throat, keeping his head facing forward and focused on the traffic. I’d become unreasonable and irrational lately with my staff. He must be on edge. “Sir, I was thinking… Maybe she was intentionally hidden by someone.”
I thought back to that night. Although our encounter was brief, I noticed so damn much about her, even down to the light sheen of sweat that kissed her slender neck. “She was running from someone that night.” I balled my hands into tight, white-knuckled fists.
“Do you think he caught her and had the cameras wiped?” The rage pumped through my veins. White hot anger burned my soul.
“I’ll find out, and then he’s a dead man.”
I exited the car and said, “Dig. Look into who attended the party without a listed guest. You might be right. Someone’s hiding her.”
Three hours later, my driver and head of security called me. “Sir, I believe I found the real footage of that night. I’ll send the videos over the secure drive.”
“Real footage?”
“Yes. It looks like someone tried to wipe the system, but they failed to dispose of two areas.” I ached to smash someone’s head.
“Who had control of the surveillance at the Sullivan gala?”
“They have their own security, so it could have been anyone in the Sullivan household. I contacted the best digital team to gather the info.”
“Thank you, Daniel.” I ended the call so I could focus on the videos.
It wasn’t long before I found her. She was standing next to an older man that I knew in passing.
He was a bottom feeder in the Bratva. He leaned in and whispered something in her ear.
She stiffened and her eyes widened. As he walked over to the next person, she took off running.
I checked the time, and the missing footage from our encounter would have happened a moment later.
Kiril Topov. A piece of shit that I wanted strung up from his balls.
I called Daniel back. “Give me everything you have on Kiril Topov.”
“Yes, Sir.”
It would take some time to get the information I required, so I went back to the office, needing to keep myself busy.
“What do you have for me?”
“Topov runs guns for the Kuznetsov Bratva. He has roughly ten million in his accounts, although he has a taste for expensive escorts and steaks. He has two mistresses and a daughter from his ex-wife, who passed away ten years ago.”
“I need images of the women.”
“Sir, I believe it’s the daughter you’re looking for. Her name is Yelena Topova. I just sent her image to your phone.”
I clicked on the message and dropped back into my chair. He was right. His daughter was going to be my future wife. “Are there more images?”
“I’ll send them to you, but there is something you should know.”
“What is it?”
“Topov has been on the search for a husband for her.” I slammed my fist down on my desk.
“Put surveillance on that house.” The Bratva wasn’t something to play with, and I had to know how deep Topov had his teeth in. Could I deal with him easily, or would I have to play it cool?
“Sure thing, Sir. I’ll send you the photos directly to your office.”
“Good. I want them yesterday.”
“Understood.” I ended the call and tapped on the one he sent to my phone. There she was; the bastard was trying to marry her off. That wouldn’t happen unless she married me.
I contacted my lawyer, Charles Shaw. “Les, get me a contract for marriage drawn up.”
“Marriage? You’re getting married?”
“Yes.” There was no doubt in my mind that it would happen. Only a matter of time.
“Like a prenup? Or are we talking about an arranged marriage, under-the-table type shit?”
“The arranged marriage because there will be no divorce.”
“Buying out your bride’s father isn’t technically legal if she’s forced into it, but if she isn’t forced, it looks like a gift. Let me know the parameters. I can draft it like a peculiar prenup.”
I read off my requirements. “It will need to be tweaked after I speak to her piece-of-shit father.”
“Just let me know. I don’t mind billing you for extra time. You can certainly afford it.”
“As long as you understand that it might be a quick turnaround.”
“You’re my best client.”
“I’m also your cousin.”
“True. Talk to you later.”