ZANDER
With adrenaline pounding through my veins, the last thing I want to do is leave Ella, even for a minute. I loosen the tie at my throat and make sure my presence won’t be missed.
There’s a round of applause as Kelly passes the microphone back to the MC and the lights dim even lower so the spotlight is only on the runway. Ella’s hand hasn’t left mine since we sat down. We’re strategically placed in a private corner. It’s easy to come and go.
Kamden thought of everything.
As I prepare to leave, Ella squeezes my hand and her dark eyes peer up at me.
I don’t want to walk away from her side. Unfortunately, it’s necessary. This is part of the job. And it’s my responsibility, as Ella’s Dom and the man she loves, to ensure her safety. There’s a flicker in my chest as she stares at me, as if she knows I’m leaving again.
I’m the man who loves her. Anything less than what I’m going to do tonight wouldn’t live up to our relationship.
I lean closer to her, breathing her in before telling her, “You stay with Trish.” I keep my voice low so that only she can hear, but I make sure she knows it’s a command. “You’ll stay right here, or accompany her if she needs. You will not drink alcohol, and you’re going to keep your phone on.”
My pulse hammers as I prepare to leave her. She will be fine and I won’t be gone long.
A moment passes of silence as she stares back at me and then swallows, looking down before looking back at me. “You’ll be fine, my jailbird. You’ll be perfect even,” I tell her, reassuring her and kissing her temple. “I’ll only be gone for a moment and I’ll be back before the show is over.”
Ella looks deeply into my eyes. I can tell she’s responding to my tone. Her face flushes, and a hint of worry comes to her expression, but she gives in, trusting me as she should.
“Yes, sir,” she finally says. She leans in and kisses me. Her lips brush against mine and I almost find myself lost in the moment.
This is the start of our forever and I’m going to destroy everything and anything that stands in the way of that. With one last squeeze of her hand, I leave her and give Trish a nod. As I pass through the back, Silas is there, hands clasped in front of him. He nods my way and I return it as we share a glance.
She is safe, I remind myself and quicken my pace.
As I make my way through the event space, I keep in mind that whatever happens tonight has to be done quietly. We cannot afford for the police to get involved. If they are, any chance of a judgment in her favor regarding her conservatorship is fucked.
No kinks, no hindrance. With the show starting, there’s only a single waiter in the hall, and he doesn’t see me as he heads to the kitchen. Apart from him, the hall is vacant. I turn the corner, knowing the meet is to take place by the garage. As I glance at my watch, movement ahead catches my attention.
Heat dances along the back of my neck as I spot Kam, slipping out of a side exit and into the side yard of the estate. He’s not a member of The Firm and with the secrets he’s kept, I don’t know if I can trust him.
Moving quickly, I catch up with Kam. I track him to a staircase that winds up the corner of the event space. He’s just moving out of view when I begin to take the stairs behind him, keeping my footsteps as quiet as possible. I’m not sure how he’ll react when he realizes I’m following him.
He’s not supposed to be at the meet so I don’t know what the fuck he’s doing. Glancing at my watch again, it’s nearly 9:30, the time of the drop. My heart hammers as another door opens and then closes with a creak. I rush to catch the heavy door before it shuts completely. If he hears it, he’ll know someone’s behind him.
Then again, it doesn’t really matter. Kam’s reaction isn’t as important as what he knows.
He exits the stairs at the third floor and moves down the hall with long, confident strides. He knows exactly where he’s going. This estate is a winding maze, but I’m certain he’s been here a hundred times before or more. After all, Ella said the group of them have always been close and it’s Kelly’s home. Kam doesn’t even look back as he approaches a door near the end of the hall, opens it, and goes inside.
Immediately, voices rise. I can’t tell what they’re saying but they aren’t friendly tones.
Swallowing thickly, I steel myself and move slowly toward the door taking each step carefully, my hand on the butt of my gun. The door stands open and I position myself so that I can see inside.
I peer in through the threshold. It’s a large office, one with an anteroom containing a silver bar cart holding bottles of wine and whiskey. The dark liquids are illuminated by the single light from a standing lamp. The small chamber leads to a bigger room with a heavy wooden desk and behind it, shelving with books and antiques. Judging by the stacks of boxes and rolled-up rug in the corner, I can’t imagine anyone uses this office for any purpose other than storage. Shadows move about the room as the voice tells Kam he shouldn’t have interfered.
Fuck. A dull click can be heard and it’s then that I pull out my gun. Fuck, fuck, fuck. We need the team here.
What the hell is Kam thinking? Adrenaline races as I text Cade 911 and the intense situation escalates further with a round going off and the voice not belonging to Kam yelling out, “Fuck, man.” The click is heard again and all I can gather is that Kam gave a warning shot before speaking clearly enough that there’s no doubt when he says, “I told you that you would regret it if you didn’t leave her alone.”
“I’m sorry. Kam. It was a mistake. I take it back.”
“You can’t take back threats like that,” Kam says although the words are muffled.
I ease in through the doorway, preparing for chaos. This wasn’t the plan and all I know is that I have to get back to Ella. This needs to end now.
It happens fast, the second I turn the corner.