The force of our orgasms seemed to suck the strength out of us both as we collapsed on the stairs.
We’d fallen asleep where we were on the staircase, and it was my phone ringing sometime later that woke me up.
“Yeah?” I grumbled lazily into the phone. I wasn’t even sure I had answered until the caller spoke two words that made my heart stop.
“Lake’s gone.”
I jumped up immediately and pulled up my jeans. Sheldon started to come to when I yelled into the phone. “What the fuck do you mean she’s gone?”
“I mean she slipped out sometime during the night,” Dash gritted.
“Night? Wait… What time is it?”
“It’s after six in the morning. What the fuck are you doing over there?”
“Nothing,” I answered a little too quickly. “I was asleep.”
“What’s going on?” Sheldon mumbled sleepily.
“Is that my sister?” Dash yelled through the phone.
“Is that Dash?” I nodded quietly to her before ordering her upstairs. For once, she listened without argument.
“Have you called her?”
“Several times. She won’t pick up, but I know she sees me calling because she keeps sending me to voicemail.”
“Why would she leave?”
“Probably because Keiran rejected her visit again.”
I clenched my eyes closed and swore. “He’s going to kill us and then her.”
“Yeah, and sooner than you think. We managed to convince the private investigator and the hospital to drop the charges.”
“How?”
“Money. How else?”
“So when is he being released?”
“In three hours.”
“Fuck!” I shouted. “So we have three hours to find her. Have you tried her aunt?”
“I’m on my way there now.”
“I’m on my way.” I hung up without saying more and ran full speed up the stairs to the first level, hooked a right, and ran up the second set of stairs.
“What’s going on?” Sheldon asked as she pulled on her jeans from yesterday.
“What are you doing?” I stopped short and glared down at her. Sheldon was average height while I was tall, and I used it to my advantage each time I sought to intimidate her.
“I’m getting dressed. I can’t exactly go home naked, can I?”
“You’re not going anywhere, so naked shouldn’t be a problem. Think of this as your home until we find Ken.”
“Don’t call her that. You don’t get that privilege.”
“As the man who fertilized your egg, I think I do.”
“But that’s all you were.” Her voice rose with each word as she yanked on her clothes.
“Because the bitch who birthed her didn’t try to inform me that she had my baby.”
“Don’t blame me because you’re a coward. What was I supposed to do? Search all over the world? Turn over every rock you might have crawled under?”
“Yes,” I answered simply. “It’s what I would have done if you had run away—if you do run away.”
She planted her hands on her hips and regarded me coolly. “Is that a threat?”
I walked up to her until my chest was flush with hers. I gripped her chin gently and lifted her face so I could look into her eyes. “It’s a threat, a promise, a commitment, and a vow. Take it seriously, baby, because if you ever leave, I will find you, but I can’t promise you will survive it.”
“I miss the old you,” she whispered unexpectedly. The pain in her eyes was unmistakable.
“That’s too bad because he’s gone.” A broken heart couldn’t be mended.
“Forever?”
“Yeah, baby. Forever.”
She slipped her chin from my fingers and took a step back. “Then there’s nothing left to say. I’m leaving.”
I nodded once, and she seemed to take that as acceptance, but when I picked her up and tossed her on the bed, she screamed and fought.
“Be still, or I’ll fuck you right here, and this time I won’t wait for permission.”
“You wouldn’t rape me.” The fear evident in her eyes belied her challenge.
“Oh, yeah? Try me.”
“I’ll fight you.”
“I’ll like it.”
She fell silent and still, so without another word, I ripped the jeans from her body and stood up. On the way out, I picked up the rest of her clothes and stormed out, slamming the door behind me for good measure.
Regret snuck up on me as I leaned against the door. If I could kick my own ass, I would. I sounded like a creep even to my own ears, but what was I supposed to do?
I couldn’t let her leave, but a part of me wished I hadn’t taken it that far.
Maybe I should let her go.
The longer I was around her, the more dangerous to her I became, but the selfish part of me that was most dominant just couldn’t let go.
*
I pulled into the driveway of Lake’s childhood home. Dash’s R8 was already parked on the street so I went to the door and rung the bell. I didn’t expect Dash to be the one to answer the door, but as soon as I stepped inside, I knew why.