Page 21 of Claimed By My Billionaire Ex

Jessie sighed. "Well, I'd like to hope this is just a power outage, but let's get a head count just to make sure. I'm about to make my speech. Compare the guest list with the people in the room. If anyone is missing, let me know. And lock the door behind you."

"Yes, sir."

I dared a glimpse through the glass and watched as Jessie left. His security, a large balding man in a blue suit, didn't follow him. Instead, he stayed inside the office and locked the door, blocking my only way out. It was clear he had no intention of leaving the office. There went my only exit.

How long until they discovered that I was missing from the main hall?

Fuck. I peered over the edge of the balcony at a concrete patio below. Jumping wasn't an option...but I might have another way. A wooden trellis hugged the wall between the balcony and a two-story bay window.

I'd climbed more precarious things before. This would be doable if I took my heels off.

But the window concerned me. The concrete corner of the balcony shielded me from view, but I'd lose that protection once I started to scale the trellis.

What I needed was darkness.

I shot off a quick text to Quinn.Need you to shut off power to the whole house.

His response was immediate.Did you get it?

What a dick. Seriously, Quinn?Yeah, and if you want it, you need to shut the power off or I'm fucked.

Thirty seconds passed with no response. The hum of conversation emanating from the party suddenly quieted. I glanced around the corner of the balcony and spotted the windows into the living room below. I could see Jessie in the middle of the crowd, his arms lifted in the air as he attempted to garner everyone's attention.

I needed to make moves—and quick.

Maybe the jump wouldn't hurt as bad as I feared.

Just then, darkness slammed into the house. Every single light in the house shut off. Muffled gasps filtered out the glass. Quinn had come through.

It was now or never. Sliding out of my heels, I tucked them beneath my arm and climbed over the railing. Inching toward the trellis, I reached out, shifting my body weight until I had a good hold on the wooden frame.

I scaled down as quickly as I could in my dress, wishing that I'd sewn it a little looser. The second my bare feet hit the concrete, I was sprinting across the backyard, toward the kitchen. I'd seen a door behind the spiral staircase, and when I looked around the back of the house, I spotted it—and prayed with everything in me that it was unlocked.

My hands wrapped around the handle...and the door opened.

"Fuck yes."

Emerging into the dark kitchen, I slid on my heels, ran my fingers through my hair, and walked quickly toward the door from where Lucas had exited. Tucking my bag under my arm, I slid into the living room just as the lights flickered on.

The crowd's whispers shifted to cheers and more than one person clapped.

"There we go!" Jessie grinned, clasping his hands together. "Just a little power outage."

Please believe that—and keep that story going.

My stomach dropped as I spotted Jessie's security on the main stairwell, his eyes trained directly on me.

Was I imagining the intensity of his gaze?

There was no way he'd seen me upstairs—I was sure of it—but the swinging kitchen door hadn't fully shut, its hinges still creaking behind me. I needed to move.

I'd gotten lost coming back from the bathroom—that was the story I'd stick to.

"Anyways, as I was saying," Jessie said.

Sliding back into the crowd of people, I searched for Lucas but couldn't see him over the sea of people. The only person I did see was Jessie's security, slowly making his way down the stairs.

Jessie laughed. "Wait...what was I saying?"

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