Page 88 of We Three Kings

Why is a suitcase sitting by her door?

How could I have fucked up this bad again?

I swipe through keystrokes like a mad man to see what happened.

Shock like I’ve never experienced bolts through me to see her leaving with an officer and what I guess to be a plain clothes detective. What the hell?

Dad’s trying to check the screen over my shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“She left with the police.”

He’s a blur of rage and cursing as he hightails his ass to the door while I circle around my desk and race just as fast. I generally don’t have an issue with cops since our focus is international rather than local. We rarely cross paths. But when they take my angel I will destroy them and burn down this city to get her back.

This we agree on.

We hustle out in unison. I don’t even bother giving my assistant the heads-up regarding my departure. Because it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is Seraphina.

As we ride the elevator down, my father gets our criminal attorney on the phone while I text the image to my best tech guy so he can figure out who the hell the men are that think they can fuck with us and what’s ours.

He strides straight to his SUV and is already hitting the gas while I slam my door shut. We need the bigger vehicle because there will be three of us riding back. No fucking question.

I endure the longest fifteen minutes of my damn life while we both talk on the phone. My tech expert confirms the detective is some stupid eager beaver transfer from the south who doesn’t know who the fuck we are. There’s going to be hell to pay once he finds out.

Dad slams the brakes in a no parking zone in front of the steps, and we both haul ass exiting the car, blowing past the quizzical faces of the men who actually know who the fuck we are, yet can’t figure out why the hell we’re here.

We split after blowing through security, ignoring the metal detector alarms and line for pat downs. Dad heads toward the interrogation rooms while I beeline to the chief, who’s already heading my way with his palms raised. Thank god he knows his guy fucked up. Ending this bullshit will be that much easier.

Gaspar

While we don’t agree on a lot, this divide and conquer attack to rescue our girl unites us without any words needed.

Balthazar charges to the chief while I sprint down the hall. A stern voice booms from the second room, and I ram open the door.

Seraphina slumps forward, so broken and fragile. Red-rimmed eyes meet mine, and I see the relief explode on her face from my arrival. Her delicate body jolts straight up, just like my rage from the asshole bent over the desk too close to her and talking in her gorgeous face.

“Daddy!”

Yes, I am. “Come on little one. We’re leaving.”

Fear returns in her scrunched expression as she glances down to her left. She struggles to lift her arm a few inches restrained by a pair of handcuffs connecting her wrist to the chair.

“I can’t.”

Mother. Fucker. “Release her now.”

The bastard in a cheap suit shakes his head. “Who the fuck are you?”

I step forward and answer with my fist to his jaw. He slams into the wall and slides down the plaster to the accompaniment of Seraphina’s startled scream.

He’s conscious but confused. I shove my heel into his chest to keep him subdued. “Give me the key.”

With shaking hands, he fumbles in his pocket and holds it out. I give him a hard kick to the rib cage before I focus on my girl.

Unfortunately, that’s all the torture I can administer right now. We’ll pick him up later to ensure he understands in the most excruciating way possible how badly he fucked up.

Seraphina trembles until she’s free. As soon as the metal ring confining her opens, she launches herself at me. I welcome her just as eagerly, wrapping her legs around my waist as I rise. “You’re safe now. It’s all over. Nothing’s ever going to happen to you again.”

I have to get her out of here where she never belonged in the first place. She clings to me as I hustle down the corridor. A wide path clears for us without me having to utter a word. Balthazar continues to berate the fool who allowed this to happen as we exit the building.

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