Page 101 of Wicked King

Which means… this isn’t a recent video!

Nicky still hovers nearby, a wary expression twisting his lips. “What’s going on?”

I try to ex out the video, but my phone seems frozen, stuck on this eternal loop from hell. That woman…

“We have to call Marco!” I shout at my guard who’s the picture of confusion. “My phone’s not working either.” I race into the boutique then curse myself remembering Ari left for the warehouse, and I never bothered to put in a landline.

Something bad is about to happen, and I’m completely useless to stop it.

An hour later and a lethal mix of fear and panic has set in bone deep. I circle the kitchen island like a madwoman, unable to keep my feet from moving. I have to do something. I can’t just stand here.

Marco is gone.

Despite Nico’s assurances that we’ll get him back, I’m terrified. I haven’t been able to draw in a full breath since seeing that damned video of him and Esmeralda.

My gaze flickers to the dining room table, to the candles, the rose petals… I force my eyes away to keep from sobbing.

“Can I get you anything, Jia?” Maisy appears beside me, putting an end to my circling. “Some chamomile tea, maybe? That always helps soothes my nerves.”

“I’m not just nervous, Maisy, my husband is missing!” I snap. “Tea isn’t going to help.” I bite my tongue, immediately regretting my harsh tone. My almost sister-in-law has been nothing but kind to me since we met, but I’m just so damned worked up.

“I know. I’m so sorry, sweety.” She pats my arm gently, like I wasn’t just a total bitch to her. “Nico’s right though, we will find him.”

“How can he just disappear like that?” I shout, again my tone is sharper than intended.

Nicky’s dark eyes dart to mine from across the room, the big guard’s mouth twisting. He’s already apologized a dozen times for screwing up. The whole damned thing with the phones was a setup. But why?

Clearly, this has something to do with Esmeralda, but what’s their plan?

Nico stalks into the kitchen from Marco’s office where he’s been camped out for the past hour. I’d finally found someone with a cell phone and called the operator to get the number for Gemini Corp. From there, I finally got a hold of his twin. That’s it, I’m never going to be so dependent on my phone again. From now on, I’m memorizing everyone’s phone numbers.

By the time I spoke to Nico, it had been nearly ten minutes after the incident with the woman in red Chanel. We returned to the penthouse to find it empty, and the dining room set up in a beautiful display.

My heart aches.

Marco was planning something special for tonight, and if we don’t find him, I’ll never know what it was. That thought alone has my throat thickening, emotion squeezing the airway.

No. I cannot lose him. I won’t. He’s the first good thing I’ve had in my life in years, and I refuse to give him up.

Maisy and Nico are right. We will find him.

“Maisy, can I borrow your phone?”

“Yeah, of course.” She hands the cell over as the wheels in my mind begin to grind out an idea. “Do you want to call your grandfather?”

“No, I’m calling in my men. If Marco is out there somewhere, the Four Seas will find him or suffer the wrath of their new laodà.”

CHAPTER 47

STRANDED

Marco

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I grumble as I struggle against the ropes binding my wrists to the back of a metal chair. I scan my surroundings, my mind hazy and thoughts murderous. Darkness surrounds me, except for a sliver of light peeking in through the cracks in the doorway. The last thing I remember is walking into that damned warehouse, so out of my mind with worry for Jia, I let some asshole get the drop on me.

Jia. Fuck, where is she? Did they get her too?

“Jia!” I shout for no other reason than I’m pissed off as all hell. “Jia, where are you?” I yell for a few more minutes until my throat is raw. Then I sit back in the hard chair and mutter a curse.

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