Shit. The very mention of the word goodbye makes me feel fucking sick.
“I’m not—” I start, then grit my teeth. “I’ll say goodbye—”
I stall again.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Go say goodbye. Awwwww,” Lennon teases. “Pretty fucking mushy for a guy who didn’t want to be here at all.”
That was then. This is now.
I still smell her on my skin, feel her dried virgin blood and juice on my balls, and I’ve got about six more orgasms to give her before dawn.
But it’s not just physical and I know it. I don’t just want to be inside her. I want to be near her. And that’s a whole new feeling for me.
I don’t let any of my feelings show. Lennon is gunning for a fight, and if he says one thing against her, I’m pretty sure I’ll knock him right the fuck out.
“Like I said, you go. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Victor nods and shakes my hand, his eyes glazed and red.
“Happy for you, man. Have fun. See you soon,” and then he hauls Lennon off, like he’s a bouncer getting rid of an asshole at the club.
I turn to make my way back upstairs. Back to her.
To us.
I’m balls out running and out of breath when I reach the room. I open the door softly, trying not to wake her. My princess, my angel, my…
A quick glance around the room makes my heart fucking drop.
She isn’t in bed, she isn’t in front of the fire, and she isn’t in the bathroom, either.
She’s not here.
She’s fucking gone. And I don’t even know her real name.
I take off, running down the hallway, calling out for her, but I get no answer.
My blood is pounding in my ears. She’s mine. Mine. And there is no fucking way I’ve lost her now.
I book it down the stairs and take a sharp left, where I find two of the conference organizers, one of whom I recognize. The woman in the leopard-print dress.
“Yes, sir, how can I help you?”
“Where the fuck is she?”
She blinks a few times. “Who, sir?”
“Stephanie.” I run a hand through my hair then grip the back of my neck. “Or whatever the fuck she’s called.”
I’m really roaring now and I can tell I’m scaring this woman.
Good.
She better be fucking scared. Because if there is even one fucking chance that I’ve lost her, I’ll…
“Sir, please. Calm down.” The woman moves to grab the phone on her desk, but I beat her to it and flip the desk over, sending the computer, a glass of wine, and a whole bunch of pens and shit flying.
“Where the fuck is she?” I’m out of my fucking mind right now.
“Sir! Get control of yourself. Right this minute. I don’t know where she is, but I will help you find her.”
But I’m seeing red now. So fucking angry, so fucking enraged. I hear the woman mutter something to her colleague, including the words “alpha rage” and “get Mike.”
If alpha rage is the word for what I’m feeling, I’ll fucking take it.
Now some security guy intervenes, Mr. Clean in a three-piece suit who might as well have Former Marine tattooed across his forehead.
“Sir. My name is Mike. And you need to take a breath. Before I call the cops.”
“Good. Call the fucking cops, Mike. Call the FB motherfucking I. Because that girl is mine and I guarantee you there is no way she left that room of her own free will. You hear me?” I get right up in his face now, shoving him up against the wall. “Tell me where she lives. Right this fucking minute.”
Mike shakes his head. “Sir. You’re out of line. Back off or I’ll have to take steps.”
Take your steps, dickhead.
“I need to find her. I need to make sure she’s okay. Tell me where the fuck she lives. Or you and I are going to have some shit to sort out. And neither you nor your dentist are going to like how it ends.”
I step back and wind up with a punch.
But before I release my left hook, I feel a zip cuff tighten around my right wrist. And then my left.
Mike and two other guys drag me off, roaring. But I’m not done.
I ram my head into the gut of one of the new guys, use my shoulder to barge the second out of the way as I hurtle forward. Mike steps back, realizing I’m not about to be subdued so easily. I’m snarling like a cornered animal but I don’t care.
I’ll fight for her. I’ll kill for her.
“Calm the fuck down!” Mike commands, but there’s real fear in his voice now.
I’m tugging at my arms, trying to get free of the zip ties, but it’s no good.
The others have recovered. They’re coming at me from either side now. I snarl at one, then the other, but they’re not going to be caught out again. First one feigns forward, then the other is behind me, holding me in a half Nelson as Mike and his colleague come forward.