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“Where is he?” I whimper.
“Boring Bratva business, I’m sure,” Guilia says. “He’ll be back.”
“Since when has Bratva business ever been boring?”
I pull my phone from my clutch and call him, but he doesn’t answer. I follow up with a text.Hey, my love, just checking in. Everything okay?
Another half-hour passes, and not only has he not responded to my text, he hasn’t even read it.
Guests are circling our table, keeping Enzo and Guilia busy. But I can’t sit here and gossip for another minute. I excuse myself to find my husband.
I circle the restaurant twice before I’m forced to accept that Arsen isn’t actually here—which is when I corner Gedeon coming out of the restroom.
“Where is he?” I ask with a little more force than usual.
Gedeon takes a surprised step backward. “Who?”
“What do you mean, ‘who’?” I blurt. “Arsen! He disappeared over an hour ago, and I haven’t heard a thing from him. Have you?”
Gedeon frowns, which isn’t encouraging in the least. “I know that Dominik’s with him. Does that help?”
I take a small breath. “Maybe. Did you see them leave?”
“Dom followed Arsen and Jasper out of the restaurant. Between the two of them, I’m sure they can manage Jasper.”
The anxiety in my chest loosens slightly, but I still can’t relax. I check my phone, but still, nothing. “He could at least text me back.”
Gedeon rests a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Just relax, okay? Go back to your table and shoot the breeze with Guilia. I’m sure Arsen will be back before this party is over.”
Everyone except me seems to be “sure” everything is fine, so I want to believe them. But something about this feels wrong.
With nothing else to do about it, though, I retreat back to my table and try to take his advice.
And I sit there…
And sit there…
And sit there…
An hour later, the restaurant has all but emptied, and I’m still marooned between Guilia and Enzo, with no sign of Arsen anywhere.
When Gedeon finds me, he looks decidedly less relaxed. “Maybe I should get you home, Laila.”
“Have you heard anything from Arsen?”
“Not yet.”
“Dominik?”
“Negative.”
Even Guilia’s usual optimism seems to have lost its edge. “It’s not like Arsen to just abandon his wife at an event without an explanation,” she muses distractedly.
“I’m sure he has an explanation,” Enzo suggests. “And a good one at that.”
When Arsen ever shows up, I’ll be sure to tell him his new ally is already defending him.
“It’s still bad manners.” Guilia grabs my arm. “Come on, Laila, we’re taking you home.”
