Page 99 of Pervade Montego Bay
“Can we discuss this later?”
“Meet me in the foyer,” he snapped.
I made it there before him and then paced its length until he arrived.
James appeared from the west hallway. “I’m sureshe hasn’t gone far.”
“If anything happens to her—”
He shook his head. “We need to get her a phone. I was waiting…”
“For what?”
“Doesn’t matter now.”
“You were waiting for us to leave the island?” I glared at him.
“Let’s focus on finding her.”
He continued down the marble curved stairway and from there we accessed a spacious kitchen. Two empty glasses had been left on the counter. One of them had a smudge of soft pink lipstick on the rim. Same color Emily was wearing.
He reached for a glass and brought it to his nose. “Rum.”
“Where would he take her?”
James was already walking through another doorway, hurrying to find Emily.
James
Ishoved my way through the kitchen door.
Tonight’s plan had been simple—attend tonight’s charity event and support one of Louis’ favorite philanthropic pursuits. Which meant I was here for him one hundred percent. The least I could do considering I was strict in so many ways. I could keep an eye on him during his one public appearance of the year.
Secondly, make sure Xavier and Emily had a great time. They needed to dance, and laugh, and party hard. They needed time together.
It was imperative I stayed out of their way—watch them from afar and allow them to reestablish their relationship. They were falling in love with each other all over again and it was too precious for anyone to interfere with.
This wastheirtime.
Ironic that it had been me who’d torn them apart before. Now, I was thrusting them together with the last remnants of my heart.
Xavier’s proposal of marriage had me questioning everything. Pressing my hand to my breast pocket, I considered the best way to return the ring. Not tonight, obviously. Tomorrow, when they’d had time to recover from this soirée where the rum flowed freely and the mood was high and they both had a chance to finally let go.
Why the hell was Xavier making this hard on me? He knew I always got what I wanted…what I needed. And what I needed was for them to be happy together and have a certain future.
This would be a lot easier if I wasn’t about to be around Emily again. Keeping my distance from her had been a grand idea. Though her disappearance was making us both antsy.
There was no getting in or out of this party without my team monitoring it, and Emily had not left the property, apparently. She’d last been observed entering the home. So there was that, at least.
A red light was on above the closed door ahead.
“They’re in his darkroom,” I said.
Xavier stepped forward and banged on the door. “Em? You in there?”
“You can’t come in,” Louis’ voice rose from behind the door.
“Open the door, please,” said Xavier.
