Page 50 of Royal Pain

But as I sauntered to the suite I shared with the other girls, I realized I was easily happier than I’d been in a very long time. We’d gone back to his suite, doing nothing more than enjoying wine and some appetizers he’d had brought up by room service. He had such an incredible view and we’d sat outside, remaining close and cozy while enjoying the evening.

I’d wanted to stay but thought it best to return to my suite at some point. Just to try to separate business from pleasure. Right. Who was I kidding?

It was late but almost as soon as I walked into the suite, my phone rang. It had been in my purse the entire time and I’d chosen to keep it there. I certainly didn’t need to be tethered to it all the time.

Sadly, it stopped ringing before I could grab it. When I did, I became horrifically concerned. My mother had called at least a dozen times. She never did that.

I was frantic, heading into the kitchen and tossing my purse.

“Your mother called me.” Hearing Heidi’s voice startled me. I lifted my head. She had a strange look on her face.

“What did she want? I’m worried.”

She shrugged and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “Not my place to answer.” She started to walk out and I couldn’t have been more floored.

“What?”

When she turned back around, I sensed a total change in my friend’s demeanor. “Let me ask you a question. Why did you dare divorce Joseph? He tried his best to give you everything. Everything. You acted like he was nothing, like the world where you were raising a family meant nothing.”

What?

Seeing the venom in her eyes was shocking. I’d long believed her to be close with certain community members, but she’d always seemed so nonjudgmental.

I was so shocked I couldn’t respond at first. I was immediately taken back to a horrible night almost five years before when I’d been hunted down like some wayward dangerous animal, brought back home and…

“You know why. The community is… terrifying. The man is deranged.”

She shrugged again and my God, it was like I didn’t even know her. “So he wasn’t perfect. Who is? Maybe now you’ll realize you two really do belong together.” Her smile was polished, perfect.

And terrifying.

My phone started ringing again and I turned away, my stomach doing flipflops. “Mom. What’s wrong?”

“It’s the baby. He’s gone. He’s gone. I don’t know where. I can’t do this. I tried calling you and it was crazy. Even that friend of yours acted as if she didn’t care.”

So the bitch did talk to my mother.

“Mom. Calm down. What are you talking about?” I carried my purse into the living room, my heart racing.

“Joseph. Your father wasn’t here and he broke in with his buddies and took him. He snatched the baby!”

It wasn’t just fear that sweltered deep inside. It was rage. “Did you call the police?”

“Yes. They laughed at me and said it was a domestic dispute.”

“Even though I’m divorced and have a restraining order on the bastard?”

“I guess they don’t care. What can I do?”

“Nothing,” I told her. “Sit tight. I’m going to get the hell out of here. I’ll call you when I’m in the air.”

Why hadn’t I moved far away, not just across the city? I’d been lured into thinking the bastards couldn’t get to me or had decided not to bother. Besides, Joseph had a new girlfriend. Maybe that was a lie. What the hell was he doing?

He didn’t like to lose.

I dumped my phone into my purse and fled from the door. My best friends, the girls I’d trusted my entire life were a part of this. How had I not figured that out before? I was the biggest fool of all.

I headed to the elevator, still holding onto the keycard Gage had provided. When I stepped onto the private elevator, I tried to make a plan. First things first. Getting the hell off the island.

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