Page 27 of Risky Fight

He nods and some of his staff are already making calls and scrolling camera footage as I try not thinking of all the worst-case scenarios. “Her brothers are on the way back here now, we haven’t said anything about her being missing.”

One of the men with a laptop says, “Catering crew have all been contacted, the boss will bring them back. They were just off-loading equipment.” At least they are not playing games, we don’t have time to waste. Every minute she could be in danger or getting further away from me.

“Keep me updated,” I say, seeing Nolan standing at my office door with tired eyes, looking confused. “Hey, what’s up?” I bend down to talk to him, lowering my tone, so he isn’t afraid of me.

“I woke up, and there was so much shouting. Are you cross?” he asks me.

“Yes, but not with you,” I say, smiling, “come, I will take you to bed.” I pick him up and he wraps himself around me, resting his head on my chest.

“Can Lou read me a story?” His soft request only makes this situation worse, he is attached to her, how could she do this to him?

“Lou is already asleep, can I read to you?” I offer, and he pulls his head back and frowns at me.

“You don’t read,” he says, “You fall asleep and snore.” I laugh — he isn’t wrong. There is something about his books that send me straight to sleep. “You can just snore me to sleep, it’s okay.” He giggles and I put him down on his bed, pulling a comforter up to cover his small body. Once he is tucked in and settled, I sit next to him for a while, my mind running a thousand miles an hour, trying to think why she would go. She never once threatened to run, she hasn’t tried to get away. Why now? Things were supposed to get better, she was supposed to remember how we were and forgive me. Forgiveness isn’t her strongest virtue. I think Lou will hold grudges until eternity and even then, they may not expire.

There is a soft knock at the door, and one of the guards is waiting for me, I get up as quietly as I can and tiptoe out of the room, shutting the door before I speak. “Yes?”

“The O’Neill brothers are in your office, and all the cater staff are in the living room. Where would you like to start?” I think about it and walk into the office first. The still intoxicated brothers are seated at the desk, an armed guard stands next to them.

“Lads, where is your sister?” I ask them, because I have an inkling they either helped her, or helped someone get to her. “She seems to have taken herself on an outing without permission. You didn’t have a hand in that did you?” I walk circles around them as I talk, wanting to be close enough to see their expressions and reactions.

“We don’t know where she is,” Damon slurs, and pulls a face like he might be about to vomit. I take a step back. “She was here, she told us she disowns us. We really pissed her off with the whole marriage thing. Shit, we thought she would be okay with it because it’s you. You and Lou, were made for each other.” We are made for each other, she has just forgotten it. I am not sure they are innocent, but they’re too drunk to be useful.

“Sober them up, but don’t let them leave. I am not done with the two of them. Not yet,” I say, leaving them with a guard. Maybe she did run, and they had nothing to do with it, how the fuck did she get out then?

“Sir,” I am called over to the security room before I can get to the catering staff, “we have her on camera.” About fucking time they found something. “You are going to want to see this.” Oh, I bet I do. I stand behind them looking at all the monitors, as he pushes play on the cctv footage from the cameras around the house.

I see her — she planned this, she ran away from me. Lou changed into a catering uniform, and then left with one of the staff, she didn’t return with them when they arrived back. How did she arrange it? They must know each other. She will know where Lou is, and she is going to tell me.

“Bring her to me.” I am livid, how could I not have seen this coming. I should have been paying more attention, but I thought she had accepted this. Me and our engagement. Lou played me for a fool, and I am no one’s fool. She will be sorry, because I am not going to let her get away with it.

“How do you know Lou?’ I bark at the cater waiter. She just about shits herself, jumping in her chair.

“Who?” she asks me, confused.

“How do you know Louise, my fiancé? You helped her leave tonight, why?” Frowning now, she is completely bewildered. “She got into the van with you.” I remind her, jogging her memory.

“The new chick?” she asks, “she said I must tell the boss she quit. He was a dick to her.” She answers, and I am incensed by her lies. “She walked off towards the water when I went to get more silverware.” Fuck — she could be anywhere by now. That was hours ago.

“How long have you two been planning this?” I get in her face.

“I met her tonight, in the kitchen when we were sent to go get cutlery,” she says, “I didn’t plan anything, other than being home by now. It’s late man, and I don’t know why you’re so upset some chick quit mid-shift.”

“Some chick?” I am losing my patience, “That is my fiancé, and this was our engagement party.” Her expression changes as the penny drops, she’s finally put two and two together. “So, I need to know where she went, who she was with, everything. I need the details.” I clench my jaw to tame the need to throttle this idiot. “No one is going home until we have Lou back.”

Chapter17 - Lou

The dockyard is eerie at night, the lights are not all working and the moon is blocked by the clouds. It’s dark, and humid. The heat intensifies the awful smell of stagnant water and whatever is rotting is hanging in the air. I am careful not to draw the attention of the night watchmen. We used to come down here when we were kids to smoke and drink behind the shipping containers. I know where to walk to keep myself well hidden.

Once I am past the commercial shipping loading bays, I come out at the yacht club jetty. Before I step out of the protection of the darkness, I look to make sure there’s no one having a boat party or hanging around. It’s quiet, except for the sound of water lapping against the boats, and the pier. One or two lonely seagulls are perched on the ‘No Trespassing’ sign and I make a quick dash, jumping over the small gate that is useless at keeping anyone out. One of these boats will be empty and open — rich people are careless and stupid. They think they’re safe, not in a city run by the mob. No one is safe here, there’s danger silently lurking everywhere.

I spot a boat that is being repaired, and I know the chances are it’s open and empty. In fact, it looks like it’s been abandoned halfway through the project. Parts of the woodwork are in tatters, and the paint is peeling off the hull. The ‘Maiden of Madness’ has been forgotten here a long time, and as soon as I step onboard, I can see it’s a time capsule. Trapped in days long gone, the kitchen decor down below tells its own story, along with the musty stink of damp and dust.

I don’t turn on any lights, just feel my way around by the dim light that filters in from outside. No one will notice me here if I don’t draw attention to myself, I can watch which boats are crewing up to sail and stowaway across to England. The summer is when rich people take such frivolous trips for fun.

I bet Roark has a boat somewhere now, he’s probably got a fucking plane, too. It’s no secret he made it big, and that his endorsement deals alone were worth millions of dollars. He is not short of money, and now he’s involved in the family business, which means he has a bottomless pit of dirty money at his disposal. I am sure he will use all of it to find me if he has to. I know he will not just let me go. I’m prepared to be hunted because it’s not in his nature to lose.

For now, I will lie low, hiding until I can get a free ride away from here. The shitty old yacht will do just fine. It’s not the sort of place people go looking unless they have a reason to. Being invisible is going to be key now. If I know him, he will go after my brothers first, then the staff and the cater waiter will spill, so any minute now they’ll start looking for me.

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