AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Just thinking about finding her in our bed—comfortably tucked under the blankets—makes my heart ache. Eager to hold her, I open the bedroom door to look for her inside. To my surprise, Kat isn’t in bed. In fact, the covers are completely undisturbed.
So I make my way to the kitchen. It’s possible, perhaps even likely, that Kat made her way there for a late-night snack. I’m a little hungry myself—for food and for her. But after switching the kitchen lights on, I frown—Kat’s nowhere to be seen.
With an exhausted sigh, I rub my tired eyes again. She’s probably back in the guest room, the bedroom she first occupied. Whether she went there to fetch something she left behind or to provoke me, I don’t know. I’d bet my money on the latter, knowing her.
If that’s the game she wants to play with me, I’m more than happy to oblige her. It’s not a problem. Nothing will delight me more than meeting her challenge.
So I shove the guest room’s door open. My amusement promptly dies away when I find the room empty.
I quickly step into the adjoining walk-in closet, but Kat’s nowhere to be found.
Frantically, I search every room in my home, practically kicking doors open and impatiently turning on the lights. But it’s all for nothing—Kat’s whereabouts remain a mystery to me.
A horrible, icy feeling settles in the pit of my stomach when I realize I have no idea where she is or if she’s safe.
Enraged, I make my way to the penthouse’s east wing. Without knocking, I push the door of the room next to my office open. A young shestyorka whose name has completely evaded me chokes on his coffee as Vladmir inquisitively glances at me. The only indication of his surprise at seeing me is the slight rise of his eyebrows.
Before they can say anything, I ask, “Where is she?”
I don’t miss the look the two men exchange between themselves before Vladmir says, “Ms. Devereaux left a few hours ago, Nikolai. She told me you let her go out on her own.”
“Did she now?”
Vladmir nods. “She said she had a few errands to run.”
“And did that sound like something I’d realistically allow her to do by herself in our current circumstances?”
Vladmir visibly swallows. “I didn’t think?—”
I cut him off. “Oh, we can agree on that. You most certainly didn’t think. Did she mention where she was going?”
Vladmir shakes his head, and I leave him, cursing. This is a waste of my time, and I have a feeling I won’t be able to keep my temper in check if he keeps looking at me like that—as if I’m a besotted fool who can’t control a woman who’s clearly playing him.
I can’t believe Kat did this. A few hours ago, she promised to stay in the penthouse until I finished dealing with McGuire. But now, she’s gone without so much as a by-your-leave. God only knows where she is or if she’s safe.
I tried to explain these things to her, but she refuses to understand that while I can guarantee her safety while she’s under my roof, it all goes out the window once she’s out there. As long as McGuire is on the loose, Kat isn’t safe out in the streets by herself. There’s nothing he would love more than to punish me by harming her.
If there was an important matter that required her immediate attention, why not just tell me? I would handle it for her. Or, at the very least, I would have escorted her while she was out and about.
Kat promised me she would stay at the penthouse, and I thought I could trust her to keep her word. I thought I could expect her to trust my judgment.
Dmitri’s excited voice interrupts my thoughts. “Nik, there you are. You’re not going to believe what I have for you.”
I pivot in his direction. Could it be? Did he run into Kat? Did he bring her back home? But no luck. Instead, Dmitri is by himself, looking a little out of breath.
One look at my face and his expression turns into a frown. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Kat’s gone. She went out a few hours ago and isn’t back yet. I don’t know where she is or if she’s all right.”
Dmitri’s frown deepens, but he tries to reassure me. “I’m sure it’s nothing you need to worry about, Nik. I’m sure Kat’s fine. Maybe she wanted to get some fresh air or something like that.”
I shake my head, grimacing. “Then why wouldn’t she say something to me before leaving? Just a few hours ago, I asked her to stay here until I have a chance to take care of McGuire. She promised me she would.”
“Well, you know how Kat is. Maybe she forgot to tell you she was going out. I’m sure she just needed a break from the tension around this place, so she stepped out for a moment. You were hard at work, and she probably didn’t want to disturb you. I’m sure that’s all. I have no doubts she’ll turn up safe and sound any minute now.”
A terrible, ominous feeling festers inside me. “I hope you’re right, Dmitri. But I’m not sure I buy this idea that she just forgot to tell me she was going out. She knew I wanted her to stay here for the time being. She promised me she would. You can’t tell me she didn’t know what she was doing when she left without speaking to me.”
Dmitri interjects with a sigh. “Did it occur to you that Kat might feel a little claustrophobic if you try to keep her in this expensively decorated gilded cage? I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that’s what happened. I’m positive she needed a moment to herself. But she’ll be back any minute now. If you want my advice, you should probably reevaluate this super controlling approach of yours.”
