Page 119 of Vow to Hate You

My phone vibrated, and I snatched it up. A text from Talie popped up with a number along with the name of a Swiss bank. In the next text, there was another overseas bank name and routing number, along with an account number.

Rhyett grabbed it from me. “Don’t worry about the numbers. Let Ash handle it.” He gave my phone to Ash before facing me again. “I know you’re about to lose your shit, but you need to focus. Her last words are something you’d understand. Think about what it meant.”

“Maybe it was her telling us to call her dad. Rhyett’s right. Jude has people who would make sure Percy never saw another day,” Ash muttered distractedly as he typed.

“No, we’re not calling her father or mine.” I sucked in a deep breath, forcing myself to focus. “We don’t know who’d they call, and I’m not risking Talie’s life. Can you send the money, Ash?”

“Give me a couple of minutes.”

“We aren’t giving him all of it until we get Talie,” Rhyett stated.

I paced the room, Talie’s last words echoing through my head as I tried piecing it together. “We’ve never talked about going to Georgia or an apartment there…”

“Think outside the box,” Rhyett said quietly. “It was a clue. Maybe for her location. Maybe Georgia means something other than the state.”

My mind raced with possibilities as I stormed around my office. It could mean anything, but nothing was making sense. Until it hit me.

Whirling around, I grabbed my keys and phone off the desk. “Georgia. Someone Jude and Christian wanted to go into business with. That dinner was months ago, and she declined. Jude is building apartments in the city he wanted her to invest in. It’s still under construction. That’s where she’s at.”

“Are you sure?” Rhyett asked.

“No. But it’s my best guess. I can’t fucking sit here and do nothing.” I was already at the door before glancing over my shoulder to look at Ash. “Let me know if you can track her phone.”

“Did you know Talie had a Swiss bank account?” Ash raised his eyes to meet mine. “And the amount is…fuck. No way she made all of this doing her music gigs.”

Rhyett’s brows raised. “How much?”

“Just over a million.”

“Sounds like the wife who spent five years hating you, never really hated you,” Rhyett murmured. “She kept most of the money she stole.”

I didn’t give a fuck about the money. All I wanted was her back in my arms. I glanced at my phone, sending the texts that Talie had messaged to Ash’s phone so he’d have it.

“It has some red tape around it,” Ash continued. “She hasn’t touched it in over two years. I can transfer it, though.”

“Not yet,” I said. “Not until I know she’s safe.”

“I’m going with you.” Rhyett followed me as I left the office. “Ash will call if anything changes.”

“What if I’m wrong?” I scrubbed a hand down my face. “What if she’s not at the apartment building?”

“We’ll find her.”

CHAPTER 47

talie

I gripped the sides of the chair as I sat there, watching Percy mutter incoherently under his breath. He’d been checking his watch constantly. I had no idea how much time had passed since he’d taken my phone. He was still holding the gun and had aimed it at me the one time I tried standing from the chair.

A pained groan had my eyes cutting to Jack. He was sprawled on the cement with a small pool of blood smeared around him. He was still holding his stomach, and every so often, he would beg Percy to call for help. My pulse was thrashing, the painful knots in my gut growing more every second. I glanced at the two elevators, noticing the one I’d been on was still here on the thirteenth floor, meaning no one had used it. The other elevator had a large sign on the door with the words “do not use” written on it in thick marker.

Dread weighed down my limbs as I sat there. What if Damian couldn’t find me? I had a feeling Percy wasn’t going to let me walk away. Not when he knew my husband and my father would never stop searching for him.

“It’s been over an hour,” Percy announced from across the room, his voice echoing. “Still no call or text.”

“He’ll transfer the money,” I promised hoarsely, my heart pounding against my ribs. “I told you it wouldn’t be instant.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t have talked to Damian.” He halted in his tracks, taking my phone out of his pocket to stare at it. “This was a mistake. What if they can find us?” His eyes darted to me. “Get up. We’re leaving.”

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