“Sure, I’ve been invited by the young lady being held against her will.” When the man at the door looks at me with wide eyes, I hold up my badge that’s only good for the nature preserve back home, but he doesn't need to know that. “Now you can let me in, or I can get my backup involved.” I point my thumb over my shoulder at Wilder. “I’m sure you’d like to keep this quiet and not disrupt the party.”
The man nods quickly and steps out of the way. He sputters something about letting the host know I’m here, but I don’t stop to listen as I walk through the entrance and look around the room.
“What the hell are you doing?” Wilder hisses at me from behind, but I just shrug.
“Whatever it takes to get her back.”
“And you’re one hundred percent sure she wants to get taken?” I want to roll my eyes because he’s asked me this several times today.
“Yes.” My answer is clipped, but I feel him sigh next to me. “Wilder, have you seen me do anything like this before?” When I look over at him, he shakes his head. “I know, okay? I know deep down in my soul that she’s the one for me, and damn it, I’m not letting her get away without a fight.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to a fight,” he mumbles under his breath while we make our way through the crowd.
In the distance, I can see caterers walking around carrying trays of drinks and food, and as much as I’d love a whiskey right now, I’ve got to focus.
“Is that him?” Wilder asks, and I turn my head to see that little weasel Carter on the other side of the room.
There’s about fifty people between us, and the dense crowd is making it impossible to see everything, but that’s him.
“Just remember to go easy,” Wilder warns as I start walking toward him.
There’s a blonde next to him who’s a few years older. It could be his older sister or his mother with how much makeup and work she’s had done, but her white dress is tight fitting and screams for attention. Carter is in all black and leaning down to someone next to him so he can hear what they’re saying. The way he’s smiling makes me want to rip his throat out because I know he’s the one that’s been keeping Evie from me.
The closer we get, the more the crowd clears, and I can see the person Carter is bending down to talk to. It’s a young woman in a slinky silver dress—a scrap of material that barely covers her big tits.
It’s like getting hit by a truck when the woman in the silver dress turns to look my way, and I see it’s Evie. She doesn’t look anything like my sweet innocent girl, but instead looks scared and timid as she tries to hide herself in the crowd, but the grip Carter has on her arm keeps her from moving.
“Evie,” I whisper, but I might as well have screamed it because she looks right at me, and her eyes widen with what must be hope and surprise.
She starts to take a step toward me, but once again the grip Carter has on her keeps her from moving. Wilder moves beside me as I stalk toward them, and although I don’t want this to be a scene, it’s about to be.
Who the fuck would dress her up in this and parade her around a crowd? This sick little shit, that’s who. It’s obvious she’s uncomfortable, and although I think she would be beautiful in a paper sack, this dress isn’t something made for outside the bedroom. And this fucker knows it.
“I’m calling security. You have no right to be here,” Carter says as he pushes Evie behind him and steps in front of her.
“Carter, who are these men?” the blonde beside him pipes up.
“If you get out of my way right this second, I’ll let you keep breathing through your mouth,” I say through clenched teeth.
“Try it and I’ll sue you for every dirty penny you’re worth, which I’m sure is exactly nothing. You aren’t welcome here and it’s time for you to leave.”
“Connor.” I hear Evie from behind him, and every cell in my body goes on red alert.
“We can do this the easy way, or you can drink your next meal through a straw.” I give him one last chance before I take him out in the middle of this fucking party.
“Gentlemen, I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding,” the blonde says, and I turn my glare on her.
“Mind your own business.”
“You’re speaking to my son, so it is my business,” she snaps, and then I see a couple of men in dark suits coming from the opposite side of the room.