Page 38 of The Billionaire's Angel

He sounded tired. I thought about leaning into the hall, saying something. Anything. Asking him if he wanted to share a beer. How his trip hadgone.

I stayed where I was. Aiden was another one who just needed time. My cousin could be a stubborn fuck. No one knew that as well as Idid.

I was just as stubborn. Eventually, he would give in and stop being such an asshole. Nothing was more important to Aiden than family. He wouldn't be able to hold out against meforever.

I was studying a spreadsheet and the accompanying report when I heard a sound that had every hair on my body standing straightup.

A scream. Muffled, then cut off, but definitely ascream.

I was on my feet before the sound died out. I grabbed my 9mm and was through the door a second later, gun in hand, my mind calmly sifting through scenarios as I ran down thestairs.

It had been a woman’s scream. The only two women in the house were Sophie and Amelia. Mrs. W slept in her cottage, a few hundred yards from the main house. I would've heard her deactivate the alarm if she'd comein.

Amelia slept like a rock, and it was unlikely she'd be out of bed. If she'd screamed in her room, I wouldn't have heard it in my suite, so odds were the scream came fromSophie.

I ignored the chill in my gut at the thought that something had happened to Sophie. Fear and hesitation wouldn't help. I had to stay focused until I foundher.

I didn't have to lookfar.

Sophie's crumpled body lay outside the door of the wine room, right between the library and Aiden's office, her silvery hair spilling across the dark hardwood floor, her white robe glowing in the moonlight streaming in from the hallwindows.

I wanted to go straight to her, but I didn't have time. I flicked on the light and gave her a quick, searching glance. Noblood.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she whispered, “Gage?”

“Don't move, Angel. Stay right there for me,okay?”

She blinked again, a look of confusion on her face. She was conscious, which was good, but it was clear she wasn't sure what had happened. I’d deal with thatlater.

“Don't move,” I ordered, again. I couldn't take care of Sophie until I was sure she was safe. As quickly as I could, I checked the library, wine room andoffice.

Empty.

I jogged down the hall and checked Charlie's unoccupied suite, then Sophie's room. Both were empty. I carefully swung open the door to Amelia's room to find her fast asleep andundisturbed.

Whoever had hurt Sophie, they were probably long gone, and I wasn't willing to leave her for another second. I'd verified there was no immediate threat. Now, Sophie was mypriority.

Kneeling beside her I was relieved to see her chest rise and fall in deep evenbreaths.

“What happened?” she asked, in awhisper.

“I don't know yet,” I said, running my hands over her body, making sure she didn't have any broken bones or hidden bleeding. She winced when my fingers slid over the rising knot on the back of her head, but otherwise, she seemedunharmed.

I flicked on the safety and shoved my gun in my belt. Scooping Sophie into my arms, I rose and strode down the hall to thestairs.

“Gage, what are youdoing?”

“Taking you to Aiden. Do you remember whathappened?”

Her eyes squinted up at me as if she were thinking. Speaking slowly, she said, “Someone was in the house. I came down the hall, and there was somebody there. I knew it wasn't you or Aiden or Abel. Too short. And then –” She trailed off and blinked. “Did you findanyone?”

“No,” I said, striding up the stairs with her held securely to my chest. I wanted to run, but I wasn't going to bounce her head around any more than I had to. “Did you get a good look athim?”

“It was dark, and it all went so fast. I saw him; I'm pretty sure it was a man. He wasn't as tall as you, but he was tall. Then I realized there was a stranger in the house and… He must've hitme.”

“It's okay,” I reassured her. “As soon as I make sure you're safe with Aiden, I'm going to search thehouse.”

“Should we call the police?” she asked, eyebrows pulled together from the pain in herhead.