Page 82 of Vengeful Embers

I frown. That’s strange. Did I use ten dollars? I rack my brains, but I can’t remember spending any money earlier. The front door creeks and I walk toward it before freezing. It’s open. Fuck, did someone come inside?

And stole ten dollars when there was a whole stack of much larger bills.

That doesn’t make any fucking sense. I scan the table. My keys are gone. My head turns toward the coat rack. My jacket is gone. My heart jolts and a bad feeling creeps up my spine. I glance outside. My car is still there.

As I walk toward the bedroom, I notice Tara’s clothes are no longer scattered on the floor. They’re gone.

Fuck.

I run to the bedroom. Empty.

Bathroom. Empty.

"Fuck!"

I grab my phone. "Konstantin. Get here now. Tara’s gone."

We meet and search everywhere. It’s Konstantin who says it:

"If I were her, I’d head for the gas station."

That pisses me off more than it should.

We hit the station.

“Yeah, a woman came through about ninety minutes ago. Didn’t buy a ride. Just made a call."

"Anyone else stop by?"

"Some old guy.” The woman snorts. “He bought condoms."

My blood boils as I slap cash down. "Show me the footage."

We review the tapes. A Range Rover sits just out of camera range.

“She must’ve snuck into that Range Rover,” Konstantin observes.

“Who is that man?” I ask

“That’s Nikolas Vasilikis.” A young man comes in from the back. “He lives in a mansion on the outskirts of town.”

The trip to the estate takes too fucking long and by the time I get there, I’m already far too impatient. We get the estate’s location. The security is very tight. Anyone would think the fucking King lived here as guards with leathal weapons stop us.

"I need to see Nikolas Vasilikis,” I snap. “He has something of mine and I’d like it back.”

The guard takes his time, goes into the guardhouse, and ambles back.

"Mr. Vasilikis isn’t thrilled," the guard says, but lets us through.

A butler meets us at the door, weapon at his hip. "Mr. Vasilikis will see you in his study."

"Fuck the study. I want to search this house. She’s here."

"You search my house without my permission, you leave in a body bag," Nikolas’s voice cuts in like a blade.

He appears out of nowhere. Still. Dangerous. Calm.

"Where the fuck is she?" I snap.

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