Page 130 of The Beast

The words came out flat. Matter-of-fact. Not a threat—a promise.

“Dammit, Gabe, think.” Harper crossed her arms as she stood in the doorway. “For one thing, where? You haven’t got a clue where he took her. You planning to burn down the Monarch? Because that won’t work.

“Guess we’ll find out. At the very least, I can take that away from him. But, no. I’m only going to his penthouse. I promise you, he’s there. And he knows where she is.”

He stood up, and she moved in front of him. “You’re playing into that asshole’s hands. You go in there guns blazing, you’ll either end up dead or in prison, and then who’s going to save Bella?”

“Get out of my way, Harper.”

“No.” She moved to the security room’s doorway and spread her arms. “I know you’re scared. I know you’re angry. I’m scared and angry too—she’s my best friend. But Bella needs you thinking clearly, not running off to do something stupid.”

“He has her.” The words tore out of him, ragged and raw. “Sterling Hart is a goddamn monster, and he has her, and every second I stand here is another second that she could be—No.

He couldn’t go there. Couldn’t let himself imagine what Sterling might be doing to her. What those men might be doing.

“Leo’s already got people checking Sterling’s properties,” Harper said. “His known associates, anywhere she might be. The FBI has a warrant for his arrest—they’re looking for him, too. We will find her.”

“I’m going to the Monarch.”

“Gabriel—”

“He might be there. He’d probably take her there. Where she and David pulled one over on him. Where she and I have the Gallery. It’s the place she’ll inherit when she marries. And it’s the place where she finally started standing up to him.”

His eyes met Harper’s, hard and sure. “He’ll take her there. And I’m fucking terrified that he’ll kill her there, too.”