Page 84 of Stripped

Chapter 37

"She's gone," Gabriel said to Wraith. "There was a second door in the bathroom. She must have used it to leave."

Wraith pulled his phone out, checking her GPS location. "She's in her dressing room." He headed down the hallway with Gabriel close on his heels and knocked on the door. No answer. "Primrose, open up," he said, trying the handle. The door opened. The room was empty. Wraith looked around for her phone, then spied her dance bag under the vanity. "She hasn't gone far. Her stuff is still here."

He opened the bag, rifling through it, and pulled out the black rose, his unease rising. "Fuck. Sokolov reached out to her." He searched for a notecard in her bag but came up empty handed.

"How do you know?"

"He sent her a black rose after her performance yesterday, only there was a note attached."

Gabriel was already on the phone to the colonel, explaining the situation. "Sin and Kian are sweeping the premises," he said, hanging up. "Alex is on his way here. We'll find her."

Wraith wracked his brain. Why would she leave without telling him? Her lack of trust in him stung and cast seeds of doubt into what she'd said. 'I love you.' Did she just say it to throw him off track. There was a knock at the door and he snapped upright as Gabriel answered it. Alex entered. "What do we know?"

"Nothing, except for she's gone and Sokolov reached out to her," Gabriel said.

"Wraith?" Alex asked.

Wraith shook his head, pulling himself from his thoughts. "I don't know. I was with her the entire time except for prior to her going on stage and right after. Both times, Paul was with her."

"Was there a change in her demeanor at any time?"

"There was, right after the performance. She seemed concerned but said she always gets like that after she comes off stage."

"That could have been the moment of contact. The flower could have been waiting for her."

"That would confirm Sokolov was here in attendance and the person Sin saw must have been him." Gabriel pulled his phone out. "The question now is where did they go?"

"Call Dougie and have him run a check on Viktor Sokolov, using any of his aliases and the film festival. See if there's a connection. He had to get his tickets to the gala from someone or someplace." Alex rubbed his chin. "Wraith, can you think of anyplace they would have gone?"

His initial worry was beginning to turn to anger. "She's convinced they are linked. That she needs him to dance well. He uses her vulnerabilities against her. So wherever he's taken her, it will be a place that has meaning to her."

"Dougie found a connection," Gabriel said, his phone to his ear. "There's a Vance Stevens, in partnership with Green Shore Production. They won an award at the festival. Vance Stevens was one of the aliases we connected to Sokolov."

"Was Green Shore Production in attendance at the gala?" Alex asked.

"No, they're hosting their own party."

"Where?" Wraith tried to control his tone, not wanting Alex to see his emotions get the better of him.

"Òran Mór."

"Bloody hell," he said. "Let's go."

"Gabriel, call Sin and Kian and tell them to meet you at the car. You'll go together. Wraith and I will take my car."

"Yes, Colonel."

They ran into Paul and his fiancée in the hallway. "Is Pim in her room?"

"No. I'm looking for her," Wraith said.

"If you find her, tell her we are headed to a different party and I'll talk to her tomorrow."

Wraith nodded.

"And give her these. She left them in the room we warmed up in." Paul handed him a pair of sweatpants and her warm up booties.

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