Page 6 of Captured By the Bratva

I step away and dial Caleb’s number, my heart pounding in my chest. He picks up on the second ring.

“Violet?” Caleb’s voice is tense. “I’ve been trying to reach your dad. He isn’t picking up my calls.”

“What?” I feel my stomach drop. “Where are you?”

“I’m driving by your location now,” Caleb says. “I’ll be there in five minutes. Stay where you are. We need to check on him.”

“Okay,” I say, my voice shaking slightly. “I’ll wait out front.”

I hang up and quickly head back to Sarah. “I need to leave. Something’s wrong with my dad. Caleb’s picking me up.”

Sarah’s eyes widen with concern. “Do you want me to come with you?”

I shake my head. “No, stay and enjoy the party. I’ll call you if I need anything.”

“Be careful, okay?” she says, pulling me into a quick hug.

“I will,” I promise, though my mind is already racing with worry.

I make my way to the front of the house, my thoughts spinning. My father never misses my calls unless something is seriously wrong. The missed calls and now his radio silence are setting off all kinds of alarms in my head.

A sleek black car pulls up, and Caleb steps out, his face etched with concern. “Get in,” he says, opening the passenger door for me.

I slide in, my anxiety mounting. “What do you think happened?”

“I don’t know,” Caleb replies, his jaw tight.

I can’t help but bombard him with questions. “Why has my father been so concerned with safety lately? Is he okay?”

Caleb keeps his eyes on the road, his knuckles white as he grips the steering wheel. “Your father has been receiving threats, Violet. We don’t know who’s behind them yet, but he’s taking them seriously. That’s why he’s been so strict with you lately.”

“The house is guarded,” I say, my voice rising. “There’s no way someone could harm him there. So why does he need to be so worried?”

Caleb glances at me, his expression softening slightly. “It’s not just the threats, Violet. Your father’s health has been a concern too. He’s been feeling sick lately, and he fainted once earlier this month. That’s why I’m so concerned.”

“Fainted?” I repeat, shock washing over me. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“We didn’t want to worry you,” Caleb explains, his voice gentle. “Your father didn’t want you to be stressed out. That’s why I’m extra cautious now.”

Guilt twists in my stomach as I realize how disconnected I’ve been from my father lately. I’ve been so caught up in my own world, in the complications of my life, that I missed what was happening right under my nose.

“I had no idea,” I whisper, feeling a lump form in my throat. “I should have been there for him.”

“You’re here now,” Caleb says firmly, his eyes meeting mine briefly before returning to the road. “That’s what matters. We’ll make sure he’s okay.”

I nod, but the worry gnaws at me. My father has always been the strong one, the protector. The thought of him being vulnerable, of him needing protection, shakes me to my core.

The rest of the drive is silent, the tension thick between us. All I can do is pray that we find my father safe and sound, and that we can figure out what’s really going on.

We pull up to the mansion fifteen minutes later, and the imposing structure looms in the darkness, its grandeur shadowed by my mounting anxiety. Caleb parks the car, and we hurry inside, the quiet of the night amplifying our footsteps on the marble floors.

We make our way to my father’s room, and I knock softly on the door before pushing it open. The room is dimly lit, and I see my father lying in bed, seemingly asleep. A wave of relief washes over me, and I let out a sigh.

“He’s just sleeping,” I whisper to Caleb, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease slightly. “He must have put his phone on silent.”

We’re about to leave when Caleb stops, his gaze fixed on my father. “Something’s wrong,” he says, his voice tense. He walks closer, his eyes narrowing as he observes my father’s still form. “Sir?” he calls softly, but there’s no response.

I watch as Caleb removes the covers and gently shakes my father. “Dad?” I say, my voice trembling.

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