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“Did you call Viktor?”
“Are you fucking crazy? I’m not telling Viktor shit. I’m going to get the kid back and pretend none of this ever happened.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“Bring your laptop and your duffel bag. Meet me at the house. Anddon’tlet Ivan out of your sight.”
“I’m on my way.”
I swore again and slammed my palm into the steering wheel. Where the fuck was he?
27
Roan
Waitingat the police department took forever. The interview with the cop dragged on and on andon. He was nice enough, but I was exhausted, physically and mentally, and answering the same questions over and over wasn’t helping.
“I think that about covers it,” the officer said at last. He gave me a small smile and flipped his notepad shut. “I’m sure a detective will be in touch with you tomorrow to go over everything again.”
“Yeah, ok. Um, I don’t have my phone. It was on me when they grabbed me but I don’t know where it is.”
“Is there another number we can reach you at?”
“My parents.” Ugh. The last place I wanted to be, but the only choice I had at the moment. The lease was up on my townhouse and Frankie didn’t answer her damn phone. So when the officer announced dispatch located my parents and called them to come get me, I feigned gratitude, feeling less like a rescued victim and more like a teen busted for underage drinking.
“Ok. Great.” The cop held up a finger and tilted his head to the side slightly, listening to something in his ear piece. “Speaking of, it sounds like they’re here. I’ll walk you out.”
“Thank you.” The words stuck in my throat as images of Sasha floated in my brain. Instead of threatening me with bodily harm, the officer smiled again.
In the lobby, Mom burst into tears and ran forward, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing until I couldn’t breathe. “Sweetie, are you ok? When the police called and said you were here, I was so stunned! What are you doing all the way out here in the suburbs? Where are your shoes? Your shirt?”
“Wait.” I pushed away from her like she slapped me. I couldn’t have heard her correctly. All of the fucking concussions Sasha gave me must have screwed with my hearing. “Did you just say ‘what am I doing here?’ Are you serious?”
Mom blinked her weepy eyes, but didn’t repeat the question.
Dad already looked bored. “Can we talk about this in the car? I have an early flight.”
I ignored him and turned my attention back to Mom. “You didn’t know I was missing?”
She brushed the tears from her cheek and looked up at Dad, deferring to him as always.
“You said you were going to leave,” my asshole father reminded me with a bitter smile. “And then you did. A little late to be crying wolf, don’t you think?”
“I didn’tleave,” I snapped. “I was fuckingkidnapped! There’s a difference!”
“Let’s get you home, ok?” Mom wrapped her arm around me and rubbed my arm, leading me out to the car.
Why couldn’t Frankie have answered her damn phone? Maybe then I’d be with someone who actually believed me.
In all of the rescue scenarios I imagined,notbeing believed never even occurred to me. I didn’t want a fucking parade, but I couldn’t believe my own parents were giving me the side-eye.
I stopped abruptly and faced my father with a glare. “If you thought I up and left without a word, how do you explain the ransom demand?”
He laughed, opening his door. “A ransom?”
“Yeah. They wanted something in exchange for me. I don’t know what, but they said it wasn’t money.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Who kidnaps someone anddoesn’twant money?” He rolled his eyes and slid into the car.
