Page 56 of Protective Phlox

“Okay, let me see if I can find someone to look after Cutter, and I’ll be right there,” I said, hanging up the phone.

If the vaults had been loaded poorly to start this could take hours. I hated disorganization and didn’t want any product coming to my businesses, but my father insisted that it was better than a random warehouse he had in the commercial district. Delivery trucks came and went from my businesses daily, so it wouldn’t seem out of place. I agreed with him, but they were also lucrative all on their own, and the last thing we needed was one of them to be raided. It was my stupidity. I built the buildings with massive bank secure vaults for overflow or emergency purposes only, but I should’ve known he and Ronan would take advantage.

Even though my mom was technically in the house, it was faster to call her. The phone rang and went to voicemail.

“Mom, are you free for a few hours? I need someone to look after Cutter.”

Hanging up the phone, I tried Kaylani. She’d arrived back two days ago, and yet I’d only seen a brief glimpse of her. Her phone went to voicemail as well. Great, just great.

“Cutter, we’re going to see if we can find Grandma,” I said, and he looked up from the building he was making with plastic blocks. “Let’s pack your backpack with some things to do.”

“Okay.” I held open his bag, and he put in his tablet and a coloring book with crayons. He didn’t just drop them. No, he made sure they were all perfectly positioned inside.

“How’s your wrist feeling? Do you need more medicine?” He shook his head no. “It doesn’t hurt?”

“No, it’s just itchy.”

I tossed in a few more things, like his favorite stuffed animal and a hoodie, before helping him put it on and then picking him up. This was new. Not the carrying him part, the worrying about what to do with him when I needed to work. Glancing at the time, I knew Savannah would be calling before she went to sleep. I couldn’t wait for her to get home. This week without her had felt like years all over again.

Walking to the far wings of the house, I nodded to the guard outside my mother’s suite. “Is everything okay,” I asked, eyeing him.

“Mrs. Mikhailov is feeling under the weather and has asked that I make sure she doesn’t receive visitors.” I narrowed my eyes at the guard, who I knew to be loyal to my mom. He didn’t give anything away.

“Is this something serious I should know about?”

“I only know what I am told, and that is she is under the weather.”

He was lying. I knew he was lying, but busting into the room or pummeling him to get the answer was out of the question.

“Fine. Have you seen my sister?” He shook his head no.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Well, it looks like we are heading out for the night together,” I said to Cutter, who smiled wide.

“But it’s almost bedtime. Will we get in trouble?”

“I won’t tell if you won’t tell.”

“But I thought you said we couldn’t keep secrets from Mommy.”

Fuck. I did say that.

“Normally, yes, this is the one time we will make an exception.”

Cutter crossed his arms, tapping his chin. “Does this mean you’ll keep me learning to skate secret?”

I was just schooled by my four-year-old.

“Okay, let’s make a deal. I won’t tell Mommy about you skating, and you won’t tell Mommy about our adventure,” I said, picturing the skinning I would receive for taking our son to a strip club.

Cutter nodded. “Okay.”

Reaching the front door, I buzzed the guard room, and within seconds, the sound of thundering feet raced down the hallway.

“All of you are with me. Henrick, you’re driving.”

Loading into the stretch limo, I tried calling my father and Ronan, but their phones were off. What the hell were they up to? I didn’t trust my father as far as I could throw him and didn’t want to leave my son with him, but they could’ve gone to the club.