Page 68 of Hart of Redemption
Dominic rushed up to me, pale with fear. “I need you out in the hall now, Duke.”
It took me a second to comprehend the severity in his expression and the panic in his words.
“Is it Grace?” Joy asked.
Dominic gave a curt nod.
My body went ramrod straight. “What the fuck?” I mumbled just as the song ended.
Dominic ran off.
Joy and I hurried behind him. Every muscle I had was as taut as a violin string. The best-case scenario was that Grace was beating the crap out of Mateo, but I hadn’t seen him at the gala.
The whole Hart family was gathered near the restroom, all wearing forlorn expressions.
“I’ll find Ted,” Maggie said to Dillon.
Fuck. I did not want to tango with Detective Ted Hughes. He would blame me, no doubt, and he wouldn’t be wrong. I would take full responsibility if Grace was truly AWOL.
“Fill me in,” I said, acid rising in my throat.
Maggie held out Grace’s phone. “I found this on the floor over there.” She pointed at a spot by the restroom door.
“She could’ve just dropped it,” I said. “We need to search the entire hotel.”
“Grace mentioned she would be at the auction tables,” Joy said.
Dom nodded. “I’ve searched the hotel lobby, the other restrooms, and even the lobby bar. A waiter thought he saw her leaving through the side door that the employees use. He caught a glimpse of a dark-haired guy, average height, with a patch of hair below his chin.”
“Mateo,” I gritted out as I got in Dom’s face. “You were supposed to be watching her.”
“I was. She went into the ladies’ room, and I had to take a piss myself.” He bared his teeth.
Dillon stuck his hand between Dom and me. “Step off, Duke. Dom is right. It’s impossible to be with Grace every single second.”
I sneered at my brother. “Not with that fucker lurking around. Mateo has Rosario’s daughter as well.”
Everyone paled.
“Well, if you weren’t in the business you’re in, Grace’s life wouldn’t always be in jeopardy.” Jade’s words were like daggers to the heart, despite the truth she was wielding.
“Who’s Rosario?” Joy asked.
Several swear words blared in my head. “No one.”
I fished my phone out of my tux and headed outside and away from the damning looks my family was launching at me left and right.
The cold air filled my lungs, giving me a moment of reprieve to think. Valets were hustling to either help incoming or outgoing customers.
I paced up and down in front of the hotel along a brick sidewalk lined by two ornamental trees when my phone rang from a number with a Boston area code that I didn’t recognize. It had to be Mateo.
“Yeah,” I barked into the phone.
“Duke.” Mateo’s voice was reserved.
“Where’s Grace, Mateo?”
He let out a derisive laugh. “Do I have your attention now?”
