Bittersweet Blood (The Order #1)

“How can it be your fault?”


“I—” He stopped, bit his lip. “Nothing, it doesn’t matter, but I still think she’s in some sort of trouble.”

“Should we go to the police?”

“What will they do?” Jamie asked scornfully. “They’ll just tell us she’s over twenty-one and probably off partying somewhere.”

“And you don’t think she could be?”

“No!”

She laid her hand on his arm. The muscles were locked tight under her fingers. “I know she’s not out partying. I was starting to worry myself. So if we can’t go to the police, what can we do?”

“I think you should go and see Christian Roth.”

“What?”

“He’s an investigator, isn’t he?”

She’d forgotten that, but of course he was, and he had a whole company to call on. They could look for Chloe.

A wave of excitement washed over at the thought of contacting Christian, and she realized that she’d been subconsciously searching for an excuse to see him again.

Guilt followed closely on the excitement—that she should get what she wanted because Chloe was missing.

“Well?” Jamie asked, and she could hear the thread of impatience in his voice.

She nodded. “I’ll do it.”

He relaxed, and a slight smile flashed across his face. “Thank you.” He picked up his coffee and drank it quickly. After putting the mug down, he stood, crossed to the window, and stared down at the street. “It’s almost sunset.”

Tara glanced at him sharply. Why should he have mentioned that? But he didn’t add anything further, just came back and sat down again.

She picked up her phone but paused before pressing the number. “Do you want to come with me?” she asked.

“No. I’m going to look a few more places, talk to more people.”

She spoke to someone on reception at CR International. It wasn’t Graham, but they appeared to recognize her name, and told her to come in that evening. Christian would see her. She put the phone down. “I’ll see him tonight.”

“Good. I’ll take you over there safely before I go off.”

“I don’t need an escort.”

“Yes, you do. Chloe’s missing, and I’m not letting you loose on the streets of London.”

Tara could have told him she didn’t need an escort because she already had one. Christian had done as he’d promised, and there was at least one person watching her at all times, more than one for the last day. They made no attempt to hide from her, and in fact acknowledged her presence if she left the apartment, then trailed her at a discreet distance.

The thought of the guards made her think of something else. Could Chloe’s disappearance be tied to what was going on in Tara’s life? It made no sense. At least she desperately hoped it made no sense. She couldn’t bear it if she was the cause of harm to her friend.

The sun was setting as they came out of the tube station, turning the sky red and tangerine. As they hurried along the embankment, Tara was aware of Christian’s man trailing them, but Jamie seemed oblivious, his mind obviously focused on Chloe. He was clearly rattled and that worried Tara more than anything. He’d always seemed so laid back and relaxed.

At the glass doors, he kissed her cheek. He appeared so forlorn that she hugged him. “It will be all right. Christian will help us, and together we’ll find her.”

For a moment, his hands tightened around her then he stepped away and nodded.

Tara hesitated before the door, a ripple of apprehension running through her. She’d spent so much time thinking about her feelings for Christian but hadn’t considered what Christian’s feelings about her might be. He’d said he wanted her to come to him, but he’d also been angry with her. How did he feel about her now? How would he react to her asking for his help?

The sky darkened to purple as the sun set behind the tall buildings. Deep in her mind, she sensed another presence. Christian was awake.





Chapter Eighteen


Graham grinned as she approached the reception desk.

“It’s good to see you,” he said. “Perhaps we’ll get some peace now. Christian’s been a nightmare for the last few days.”

“He has?”

“Yeah, on the phone every five minutes to the guys watching you. Must have driven them crazy.”

She suddenly felt amazingly happy. “He was?”

He nodded. “I’ll call up and let him know you’re here. He’s in the office.”

Christian didn’t seem particularly pleased to see her. Seated behind his desk, fingers steepled, face expressionless, his eyes never left her as she walked across the huge expanse of floor. Her nerves tightened with every step, and the excitement building inside her since she’d spoken to Graham oozed away.