Page 2 of Black Mark's Heart

"That's why, Dare." Rebecca stood and held out her hand. "Right now, the woman you love is somewhere scared and hurting. She has nothing on her to tell anyone where she is or where she has gone. Until we know she is safe, you don't get to break."

I took her hand and stood up. "She'll go to her father's house. It's where she always goes."

Rebecca lifted a brow. "Really? If I heard correctly, her father caused this. Do you really think she will run to him now?"

I took a deep breath, running my hand through my hair. "I should have asked her father's name when she told me her father did not approve of me. I should not have asked why, I should have asked who."

Warren came back over. "Clark is not answering his phone. I have called a taxi so we can get home," Warren advised me. I nodded. "Why did you do it?"

I shook my head. "She's Marshall Blake's daughter."

"I got that much. Why does it matter? He is your mentor, he likes you. Shouldn't that be a good thing?" Warren asked angrily.

"It is not permitted to be involved with the family members of your mentors, Warren. That is the rule," I explained as best I could.

Warren studied me. "This has to do with the swingers club you are in?"

Rebecca gasped. I glared at Warren, not believing he just said that in front of my sister. I shook my head when he returned that glare right back. "Let's go."

"Steffen left with Zander," Warren informed me as we walked towards the door. "He grabbed Mora's stuff from the powder room."

"Good, he should have it all packed up by the time we get back. It is not like Mora owns much," I muttered as we slid into the back of the taxi.

***

I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, replaying yesterday over and over. I'd gone home and packed up Mora's stuff after Steffen pointedly refused to do it.

'I have watched that girl struggle with her feelings for you for months, and when she finally gives in, you break her. If you want her out of your life, you do the dirty work.' Steffen confronted me when I asked him to pack her bag when I got home. So I'd packed her clothes in the bag, but mostly, I'd just opened the bag and thrown everything in there, then squished it shut.

Warren finally got hold of Clark nearly two hours after we got home yesterday. He'd returned the limousine, picked up my car, and arrived in time to take me to the airport.

'Where is she?' I asked, spotting her wedding dress in the boot.

'Who, boss?' Clark responded innocently until I glared at him, then he shrugged. 'I drove her around London for two hours, then I stopped the car and she got out and walked away.'

'Naked?'

'I gave her my jacket,' Clark responded, slamming the boot shut.

'And you just let her go?' I asked, frustrated at not knowing Mora was safe.

'Didn't you?' Clark asked pointedly. He climbed behind the driver’s wheel and ignored me for the drive to the airport.

Rebecca and the kids were equally subdued on the flight home. My father was surprised to see me. Rebecca quickly took him aside and explained what happened, and my father let it go.

Now I was tapping out a dirge on my chest in lieu of playing a piano. With a sigh, I looked at the clock and decided sleep was not going to happen. Getting dressed, I went out into the early dawn and ran as hard as I could into the cold and snow.

When I got back, I checked my phone for any missed calls before having a long, hot shower. I sat in my father's kitchen watching the snow fall outside. All I could envision was Mora's hair in the darkness of the tree trunks, her skin in the white of the snow-covered ground, her tears in the snow that was falling. My phone ringing brought me back to the present, and I looked at the caller ID before answering.

"Warren?"

"I cancelled the honeymoon. You lost the deposit, obviously," Warren informed me straight off.

"Obviously. Any news?" I asked, anxious to know Mora was safe.

"Nothing," Warren replied gloomily. "Zander drove to Jasper Jones's house last night with Alex to see if Jasper knew where she was. He drove back with them to check a few places he knew she liked to go. So far, nothing."

"Let me know when you hear something," I hung up the phone.

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