Page 45 of Mastered By Bliss

I shouldn’t do it, but I can’t help myself.This guy’s dad needs to know where he is, what happened.I answer the call.“Hello?”

“Vanessa?”

“No.”That guy in the car—I’m pretty sure he isn’t Vanessa.“I found this phone.I’m in trouble, and Vanessa probably is, too.”

A familiar voice comes through the speaker.“Leah!”

“Gage?”

“Dmitri’s here, too.We’re on a conference call with Harvey Billings.”

“So this phone…is his daughter’s?”I peer into the car again.The shape slumped over the wheel is in shadow, but it definitely appears to be a man.

“Yes,” the other man—Harvey Billings—says.“Where is Vanessa?Is she all right?”

“I don’t—I don’t see her anywhere.”

Something slams into me from behind.

* * *

Gage

Leah cries out in surprise, maybe pain.I exchange an alarmed look with Dmitri.He’s sitting in the back of the car, but leaning forward like he can make my bodyguard, Heath, drive faster.

“Leah,” I say.“Leah, are you there?”

Heath’s already pushing way past the speed limit.I don’t understand his urgency, but I’m not complaining.

“Vanessa!”Billings shouts over me.“Listen to me.I’ll come get you.Just tell me where you are.”

“Don’t say aword,” Dmitri cautions me in a low voice.

We don’t want Billings to know where she is, but we just heard from Ironwood.Leah and her bodyguard were near the Rossi Nature Preserve.That’s where we’re headed, and Ironwood has already been in touch with emergency services.

Through the phone, Vanessa’s voice is full of rage and anguish.“…tookeverythingfrom my dad.Ruinedmy life.All I ever wanted was to be a part of it all?—”

Someone shouts in pain.Leah?Vanessa?

“It wasn’t me.”Leah’s voice is faint, like she’s getting farther away from the phone.“I wasn’t a part of any of it.”

“If I can’t get to him, I may as well hurt him through you.”

Another cry of pain.I glance at Heath.“Drive.Faster.”

He doesn’t dignify the request with a response; he doesn’t need to.I know he’s already going as fast as possible, but nothing is worse than being a passenger when the person you love most in the world needs you immediately.

“They took everything public.”Vanessa is ranting again.“They tried toruinhim.”

“I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about.”Leah sounds as if she’s trying to reason with Vanessa.“But if you come a step closer, Iwillhave to protect myself and my bodyguard.Stay the fuck back.”

That’s our girl.

* * *

Leah

Standing between Vanessa and Gage’s car, I hold up a tree branch.It’s flimsy, but Vanessa can’t know that.She eyes it warily while circling around, looking for another opening.She’s holding a knife.

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