Page 9 of Chained to You (Dark Billionaires 6)

t a minute. Mia is kidnapped by whom? You said my uncle? Uncle Herbert? Not the Mexican mafia? What the hell?”

“Yeah, what the hell is right,” Matt said. “Who the fuck is this Herbert Weston? How come I didn’t know anything about him until now?”

James said, “Let me explain.”

Chapter 5

James

James calmly explained everything he knew so far about Herbert Weston. He noted that Andy looked utterly shocked to the core upon hearing this, which didn’t surprise him. He had no doubt that Andy had thought he and his sister Mia had been saved from that child molester, since they’d run away from home. But of course, that was not to be, as they had been hunted down by Herbert for years now.

Andy was still shaking his head in disbelief. “He was looking for us? Hunting us down? Sick. Just plain sick.” He felt shaken and his knees wobbled. Shit! He couldn’t believe this was worse than he had initially thought. Herbert Weston. Their uncle. Their monster. If that beast did anything to Mia… Shit! Shit! Shit!

James watched as Matt caught Andy before the boy fell to his knees on the floor.

Matt asked, “You okay?”

Andy managed to reply, “I… I think so.” He looked around for a chair to sit. “I…” His head was in a haze of confusion as he straightened himself.

James said, “You’re in shock.”

Scott offered, “I’ll get you something warm to drink.” Then he disappeared out the door while Andy made his way toward the sofa near the window with Matt’s help.

A moment later, Eric came in. When he saw Andy looking as pale as a ghost, he asked no one in particular, “Is Andy all right?”

Matt replied, “Just needs to catch his breath.”

Eric nodded in understanding. He turned his attention to James and said, “William’s on his way.”

James nodded. Then he asked, “Has anyone found Herbert’s whereabouts yet?”

Eric shook his head. “The team is currently combing the usual suspected areas.” By this, he meant the most common places people like Herbert Weston were likely to hide, such as along the deserted alleys, streets, and abandoned buildings and warehouses in remote spots around L.A., not to mention dubious motels.

“L.A. is a big place, James. It’ll take time. We also have a team searching for Sophie. The bitch should be easy to track. The team knows what she looks like, after all. Just got a word from Cole, too. He and his team are on their way to her apartment now.”

“Good,” James said. “We need to get this done quick before shit happens to Mia. I don’t want Herbert taking Mia out of town before we find him.”

Eric nodded. “Cole will call in when he’s onsite.”

James nodded.

It was then the door squeaked open and Aria’s little head popped in, her blue eyes searching about the room for her father. Apart from her Uncle Eric, she noted another two men. One of them was Uncle Matt, who had visited her occasionally, and the other was a young man sitting on the sofa, looking so pale that it worried her. He looked a lot like Mia, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“Aria?” James’s voice drew her attention away from the young man.

Aria darted her eyes to her father and then slipped into the room. Still in her pajamas and her dark hair in a wild mess, she ran to him and threw herself into his open arms.

James lifted her up and asked, “What are you doing here? Isn’t the maid with you?”

Aria wrapped her arms around her father’s muscular neck and said, “She’s asleep in my room. Daddy? Where’s Mia? I couldn’t find her when I woke up this morning. I looked in her room. She’s not there. I looked all over the house. She’s not here. Where is she? And who’s that man? Is he Mia’s brother? ‘Cause he looks like her. Is he here to take her back? Please don’t let him take her back, Daddy. Please?”

James stroked his daughter’s dark head and smiled gently. “Yes, he’s Mia’s brother, but he’s not here to take her back.”

“Oh, that’s good then,” she said and flicked her gaze to Andy again, who was watching her with interest now. When she noted him giving her a smile, she shyly grinned back and said, “I like him, too, Daddy. Can we keep him? Then they don’t have to be separated, ‘cause they’re siblings, right?”

James chuckled as he patted her cheek. “We can’t keep him, darling.”

Aria frowned. “Why not? He looks like he needs someone to look after him.”

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