Page 41 of Need

“I know it’s a risk, but I’m not going to hide her. We’ll just have to deal with whatever comes.”

We hung up a minute later, and I headed up to my condo. I expected to find Brianna working in the kitchen. Instead, I was met with nothing.

I called out her name, but still nothing. I quickly tore through my home looking in every room. They were all empty.

There was no sign of a struggle, which was good. I’d noticed Brianna’s car in the garage so I knew she’d not gone anywhere in it. Maybe she’d walked somewhere.

My heart was pounding as I picked up the phone and called downstairs to the security desk.

“Hello, sir.”

“Tom,” I breathed a small sigh of relief. He knew Brianna and would be able to tell me if he’d seen her recently. “Have you seen Brianna today? Has she been down?”

“Yes, sir. She’s down here now. I do believe she is visiting with a friend.”

She was downstairs. Safe. “Thank you, Tom. I’ll be right down.”

I nearly ran to the elevator. The doors opened to the lobby, and it only took me seconds to spot her. Instead of finding her talking with Lily as I had thought I would, I came face to face with Cal Ross.

Brianna

After his goodbye kiss when he left for work this morning, I felt much better. I’d been nervous about how he’d react this morning given what he’d done to me last night, but he’d just been the same Stephan.

I spent most of the day reading, writing in my journal, and watching TV, just waiting for him to get home. For all my fears, I wanted to see what would happen if we did what he wanted tonight. Just the thought of it made me nervous. But it also made me feel something else. That... excitement? I think that’s what it was. It was sort of like what I felt when I knew he’d be home soon, but stronger. More.

I’d just sat down on the couch with a book I’d found upstairs in his library when the phone rang. Not my cell phone, the main phone.

Reluctantly, I picked it up. “Hello?”

“Hello. Miss Reeves?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, Miss, but there is a man here in the lobby who says he is here to see you. A Mr. Cal Ross. His name is not on Mr. Coleman’s approved list. Do you know him?”

“Um.” I didn’t know what to say. “Yes.”

“Should I send him up?”

As soon as he said the words, I felt the panic start. My eyes darted around the room as I tried to picture him up here. In the only place I felt safe. Alone with me. “No,” I said a little louder than I’d intended, so I tried again softer this time. “Um, no. Can I... come down?”

“I’ll have him wait.”

“Thank you.”

I ran to my room. The closet on the far right held my jeans. For some reason, it just didn’t feel right to go down and see Cal in the skirt I was wearing.

Fifteen minutes later, I had changed into the most casual clothes I could find. I grabbed my cell phone, and rode the elevator downstairs to the lobby.

The doors opened, and I slowly stepped out. I’d never been down here without Stephan. It felt strange.

I saw Tom first. He smiled up at me from behind the desk.

Then I saw Cal. His eyes were watching me, and it made me somewhat uncomfortable. My brain was screaming at me to run. To get back into the elevator and go upstairs where it was safe.

No. I wasn’t going to do that. Tom was here. Stephan trusted Tom. I’d be okay.

I had my cell phone. Stephan was only one call away, the first person on my speed dial.

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