Page 15 of Lady of Darkness
“Guessing so,” Alaric mumbles. “Her phone record shows she was on the phone with Gemma.”
I pull up her phone record on my computer. “Yeah, but that call ended over an hour ago.”
“Check the location,” Theo murmurs. “She’s still there. Probably just sulking.”
“I wonder why,” I bite back.
Theo snorts. “She deserved every damn thing we subjected her to today.”
“Even your cock?” Gideon interjects.
Theo glares at him. “You’re one to talk, you bastard.”
I can’t help but smile. I pull out my phone and text her, which is unlike me. But something is worrying my mind a bit… the fact that both Harlow and Luka have gone silent at the same time.
Me: Can confirm that Gemma is safe. We won’t let her out of our sight.
Alaric walks over to me and stares down at his phone. “Why would she just be sitting out there? It’s nearly sunset, and she’s never done that.” He dials her number, scowling at the wall as it rings and rings. He hangs up. “She didn’t answer.”
“Fuck,” I murmur, trying her from my phone. “Honestly, these two probably scared her off,” I accuse, narrowing my eyes in Gideon’s direction.
It goes to voicemail, and I stand up. “Alright. Let’s go make sure she’s okay.”
Theo and Gideon aren’t smiling anymore, and we all high-tail it to Blackwell House in Alaric’s car.
None of us say anything. We’re all imagining the worst. I know I am. Because of our jobs, we encounter serial killers, crime lords, and the biggest drug dealers in the world. These are the people associated with us.
If she’s gone…
Anyone could have her.Anyone.All it takes is three seconds, and we know Acadia is adept at splicing security feeds because of Brenda’s murder. We’ve been distracted trying to find Luka. Something could’ve easily slipped past us. My heart races with possibilities.
If anyone hurts her, I will not stop until they’re all piles of ash.
I vow to keep a closer eye on her, to put more safeguards, to implement more safety protocols. We’ve had a slew of security guards at her house, but a security guard is nothing compared to some of the most highly trained criminals in the world.
We recruited her as a Lady–a fifth, vital leg of our order–and yet, something could’ve happened to her.Becauseof us.
My throat swells and I ball my fists.
Once we drive through the gate of Blackwell House, we all sprint to the back garden. Harlow’s phone is laying face down in the dirt, and a small, white cloth sits a few feet away. I pick it up and sniff, rearing my head back when I realize what it is.
“Chloroform,” I growl, fisting the material in my hand. It’s only then that I see the ‘A’ monogrammed on the cloth. As if her captors want us to know who took her. Turning to face the guys, I bare my teeth. My pulse is pounding in my ears, the rushing sound making everything seem faint.They fucking have her.
Without a word, I grab the nearest planter, ripping it from the ground and smashing the white ceramic pot against the dirt ground. The shards explode, but none of the guys shrink back. In fact, their expressions are just as murderous as mine.
Acadia.
They took her.
They took what’s ours.
“Fuck!” I scream as we all quickly make our way back to Alaric’s car. I punch the side of it, not caring about anything. I’d burn this car for her. I’d do anything for her–for any of the guys, really.
We were all a team.
A quintet.
And now she’s gone.
