Page 2 of The Veiling

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“I know.” I thrust the bathroom door open, and my eyes lowered to the most horrific scene I had come across since London, but worse.

A puddle of blood on the floor, smudged handprints on the outer stall wall near the sink, and a smear leading to the exit caused me to let out a sickened groan. Nausea rose within me.Isabelle was gone!

Every muscle in my body flexed. Every hair stood on end. I clenched my fists at my side. Every ounce of my serenity had now disappeared with her. Narrowing my gaze on Noah, I inhaled a sharp breath as Tanya walked in and saw the mess.

“Oh my God!” she wheezed, slapping her palm over her lips.

Noah’s mouth fell agape after he forced his way past us. “Fuck, get back,” he muttered, dashing to the three stall doors. Gun drawn, he kicked each one in. He aimed at the ceiling, inspecting every tile and vent. “Clear, boss.” He tilted his head to the side‌.Red in the south hall bathroom. Initiate full lockdown immediately.

Tanya was hyperventilating, almost collapsing to her knees, but I caught her, stabilizing her. She sobbed uncontrollably, “Where is Isabelle?! This is my fault! I should’ve come with her! Oh my God!”

“Noah, find her,” I spat, ignoring Tanya.

“I know. I got this.” He marched out of the bathroom just as William entered.

“Take her.” I heaved Tanya at her husband in passing and exited the room. “Noah, get Joseph.”

“Follow me,” Agitated, he interjected. With haste, he led me down the hallways back to the office where I had met with Emilio Rovati. The moment we entered, he shut the door and ran his fingers through his hair. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he handed me a wireless earpiece. “Here.”

“I’m going to murder him.” I wedged it in my ear, syncing it with my watch.

The door pushed open again and Joseph came barreling in. “We need to get you away from here immediately.”

I yanked the black and gold eye mask off my head. “Where the fuck is she at Jo—”

“He’s taken her,” Joseph panted. His expression was full of concern, showing through his normally calm disposition. “You need to go home and let us do our jobs.”

“I won’t go anywhere until the entire hotel is searched thoroughly!” I spun to Tate and Giacomo, two of my bodyguards, who were behind him. “Where the fuck is she?!”

Tate was actively checking the hallway for any sign of activity.

Giacomo mumbled in his mic for a moment before he spoke up. “Liam’s grabbing security footage now and will be right here.”

Joseph took a step forward. “We don’t know where they took her, but our team is on it.” He rested a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll find her, but we need to get you home and have a meeting.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted. “Va…Mr. Greco, please let us do our jobs.”

Gritting my teeth, I shook my head before tightening my gaze on Giacomo and Tate once again. “Find my fiancée,NOW!”

William and Tanya came speeding through the doorway as my men rushed away. Tears were streaming down Tanya’s blotchy cheeks. Her makeup now streaked and ruined. William set a laptop on the desk and typed furiously on the keyboard.

I lifted my watch to my mouth.If you can hear me, I want you searching harder. There has to be a sign—

“They’re gone,” William blurted.

I lowered my wrist. Stepping over to the desk, I peered down at the footage on the screen.

Tanya gasped. “That guy!”

“What about him?!” I crossed my arms high on my chest.

She wiped her eyes with a tissue, staring down at the recording of someone in a jester costume and another man leading Isabelle away out a back,staff onlydoor. She peered up at me in terror. “That jester guy. He was walking around creepy all night, but I thought he was just part of the hired performers and was staying in character. Clowns are the worst!”

“He’s the one who offered Isabelle the appetizer,” I growled. “Cazzo.” I spun to Joseph. “Were the staff not checked?!”

“Thoroughly!” he barked. “It must’ve been someone clean the hotel hired or Felipe paid.”

Blaine appeared in the entrance. “V, the girls are gone and—” He froze, darting his eyes around the room. “What’s happening?”

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