Page 83 of Belonging to Them
Ironwood did their homework on Gianna, and she seems perfectly harmless.But something about this news puts a sour taste in my mouth.
“She told me to tell you goodbye, and that she’ll call you before she goes to sleep tonight,” King says.“Don’t be butthurt that she didn’t say goodbye—other than fucking her after dinner, you were kind of a dick tonight.”
“Sorry.And I’ll apologize to her, too.I’m really wrestling with that song, but it’s no reason to take it out on you guys.”
“No worries.She wasn’t upset.We fucked around some more after you went back to work.”
I narrow my eyes at him.“Rude of you not to invite me.”
“Nah.There was a good opportunity.Didn’t want to miss it.”
“Well, see you in the morning, I guess,” I say.I love my friend, but if Ella’s not in bed, I’m not sharing it with him.
“Yeah, goodnight.”
I stop in the doorway, rubbing my gut.“I don’t like this.It doesn’t feel right.”
Kingston swings his legs out of the bed.“I don’t feel good about it, either, but it’s not like we can go to Gianna’s and drag her home.”
Sighing, I say, “I’ll call her, I guess.”At the disbelieving look on Kingston’s face, I add, “Not to drag her home or spoil her fun.I just need some reassurance she’s okay, because fuck, things feel off right now.Maybe because I was such a dick at dinner.”
I go off in search of my phone, which I think is in the living room, when I hear both mine and Kingston’s phones ring at the same time.Mine’s only set to ring for certain numbers.One is Ella, another is Kingston, and the last one is Ironwood.
“It’s Ironwood,” Kingston says, and puts it on speaker.“Kingston here.Sebastian’s with me.”
“This is Hunter Ashby.There’s been an incident,” a cool, male voice says over the speaker.
“What the hell do you mean, an incident?”Kingston asks.
“Mr.Marsel and Mr.Callihan are already troubleshooting.They would like your assistance.Miss Marchand has gone missing, and we believe she was taken.”
The world drops away from my feet.Where is the room right now, anyway?Everything is both starker and less substantial at the same time.It’s impossible to breathe.Ella.An incident.She’s gone missing.
“Who took her?”I ask.
“Please, come to the offices,” Ashby says.
“Where the fuck would they have taken her?”Kingston demands.
“We’re not sure.We’d like you to come in.”
“We’re on our way,” I say, giving Kingston a quelling look.Arguing with one of Ryder and Jaxon’s grunts isn’t going to accomplish anything right now.
King ends the call and puts on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.I’m already dressed and marching toward the elevator to jab the button.One minute later, we’re in the parking garage and climbing into King’s car.
We’re out of the parking garage and speeding toward the Ironwood offices.My heart feels like it’s being torn in half.I fuckingknewsomething was wrong.I knew it and I was ignoring my gut.If Ella had come to say goodbye to me, maybe I would’ve stopped her from going.Maybe all of this would’ve been avoided.
My baby girl is probably so fucking scared right now.I know I am.
“Fuck!”I scream it again and again.King just watches, looking miserable.We’re a couple of miserable fucks who couldn’t keep our girl safe.
* * *
Ella
Two men sit in the back with Gianna and me.The two in front—a driver, and Keith—talk shit back and forth.It sounds like they’re arguing over some sports scores or something.Like driving around two kidnapped women is just another day and they have nothing more important to worry about than whether one sportsball team beat another sportsball team at sportsball.
Assholes.
