Page 65 of Throne of Sin

Dante

Iwalkintomyhouse and pull the tie from around my neck. My thumb slides over the silk and all I can think about is Demi being tied up for my indulgence. She would look so fucking beautiful. My cock twitches, liking the idea all too much.

“Demi,” I call out, placing the tie in the back of my dress pants to use later. I’m met with silence. “Where are you, babe?”

I go to the fridge, take out a bottle of beer and a bottle of wine. Using my old party trick, I pop the lid off my beer with my teeth before I pour her a glass of wine.

“Should I pour you a hot bath?” I ask, heading toward my room. I already know I didn’t handle our conversation very well earlier. It caught me off guard and I didn’t process it well.

The room is empty.

I walk around my house, trying to figure out where she would happily ignore me, but she’s nowhere to be seen. The drinks are an annoyance in my hands and I place them down, continuing my search. Each room is empty.

My hands shake as I pull my phone out of my pocket. “Where is Demi?” I ask my security.

“At home.”

My mouth dries and it’s hard to swallow. “She’s not here.” The twisted part is, I know I told her she was free, but her leaving was never an option for me. I said that so she would feel better. Never in a million years did I think she would disappear on me. My chest clenches at the thought. “Pull up the surveillance.”

I hang up, continuing to search the house, more frantic this time. I go back into our room, thinking it will give more clues. My phone rings as I toss her clothes from the drawers.

“We have her walking out of the house into a black car.”

“What car?” I roar.

“The feed cuts out just before. There’s no car, then a car is idling, waiting for her to walk to it.”

I breathe deeply into my nose. My nostrils flare with each intake. It’s then I see the note on the closet door. “I need to think of Oakleigh first, please understand.”

I rip the paper off the door, crumpling it into a tiny ball before I toss it to the other side of the room. I thought I finally had what I wanted, which was Demi with me of her own free will and not because I was offering her a better option.

I kick the closet door and it springs off its hinges, falling half haphazardly across the doorway.

“Fuck!” I shout as I turn around in the room.

I may have thought I want Demi of her own free will, but I was wrong. Now that I’ve had a taste, I will stop at nothing to keep her. She is mine.

My phone rings again. “You better have information,” I greet.

“We’ve located the car. It’s at the children’s hospital.”

I rush to my car, my anger vanishing, replaced with worry. I hate the way it claws into me, its grip unnerving. If I had handled today better, I would have been her first call. Instead, I made her believe she couldn’t rely on me. In direct opposition to everything I have ever done for her.

My foot pushes harder on the gas, as I weave in and out of traffic. My GPS directs me to the location of her car, and just my luck there’s an open space beside it. I pull in, cutting off the engine, as I jump out of the car. I don’t even bother taking my keys with me.

I rush into the hospital, determined to find her. “Her doctor is on the third floor.” My earpiece says as I rush toward the elevator. Each floor number lights up at a snail’s pace. I could have run up the stairs faster.

“Room 315,” I’m directed by my men. The elevator opens. “Turn right.” I do as I’m told, walking through the quiet hallways. “Left.” Ahead is a desk with a few nurses behind it. I ignore them, not that they call after me. On my right, I see the room and walk in like I own the place.

Three sets of eyes blink at me in shock. “Where is Demi Gallo?” My jaw ticks as I wait for the answer.

“Who?” the doctor asks.

“Demi Gallo and her daughter. Oakleigh is under your care.” I hate that I have to explain myself. I make a mental note to find Demi a better doctor who cares about his patients.

His eyes light with familiarity at their names now. “I haven’t seen either of them in about a year. They missed their last appointment with me. Now, can you please leave so I can finish up with patients thatdocome to their appointments.”

For the first time, my eyes move toward the mother and daughter in the room. There’s no point in wasting time to teach this man manners. Demi isn’t here, she needs to come first. There’s no way she’ll ever return to this doctor. I’ll find the best doctor in the country.

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