Page 13 of Virtue & Vengeance

Whoever he was, she was afraid of him.

“A real shady looking fucker. Filthy. Missing teeth. Sound like anyone you know?”

Her expression changed as she tried to mask her fear, and a fake smile tilted her sweet lips. “Nope. Doesn’t ring any bells. I appreciate you giving me this job, Zander, but other than that, I want nothing to do with you.”

Fury struck me deep, and my jaw tightened so hard I felt like my jawbone would crack.

I opened my mouth to tell her precisely what I was thinking, but before the words rolled over my tongue Joey, my second in security, called my name and momentarily distracted me.

“Mr. Hale, we have a problem at the front desk.”

I turned toward him. “Can it wait?”

I was dealing with Eden, and for some reason I didn’t quite understand, the situation felt more important than whatever was going on out front.

I’d never put anything before Empire, at least nothing except my little sister, and the realization that I was putting Eden ahead of the vital situation out front shocked me.

“I don’t think so, sir.”

“Shit,” I said, losing my fingers in my hair. My eyes flittered toward Eden. “We aren’t finished. Go to my office and wait for me.”

She shook her head, her expression transforming yet again and her eyes filling with a deep sadness. “Goodbye, Zander,” she whispered.

“I’m serious, angel. Just wait for me there.”

Her eyes flittered to Joey before returning to me. Then she nodded, nibbling her bottom lip with worry. “Fine. Go. I’ll wait in your office.”

Only then did I leave her and follow Joey to the front desk.

It turns out the emergency that required my attention was a young guy dealing drugs in my front lobby. I made sure security had him detained until the police arrived before I quickly made my way to my office to finish my conversation with Eden.

However, when I pushed my office door open and found it empty, rage exploded through me.

“Fuck,” I roared, slamming my palm into the door.

She hadn’t gone to my office and waited as she said she would, and that lit a fire in my chest.

Pulling out my chair, I snatched the phone from the receiver and dialed a familiar number before I sat down.

Eden had said she didn’t know the man looking for her, but I hadn’t roamed the streets of Vegas full of liars and crooks my entire life without learning a few essential things.

No one could lie to me.

And the angel who had all but ran away had done just that.

She lied.

She knew exactly who I was talking about and the fact that she was leaving so suddenly told me she was scared and in danger. Just as my gut had told me earlier, this guy was fucking trouble.

She was stupid for not coming to me, but then again, she wasn’t aware of my reach. Still, I would do what I could to protect her. The terror on her face was familiar. I’d seen it before, and it usually appeared on the faces of the most desperate people I’d come in contact with.

Whoever this guy was, he made her afraid for her life, and she was running.

I wasn’t about to let that happen.

The phone rang three times before he finally picked up.

“It’s Zander,” I said into the phone. “I need to call in a favor.”

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