: Chapter 69

An indescribable rage, the likes of which I haven’t felt for a very long time, courses through my veins like blood. Every cell in my body simmers with it, making every single move I make feel a thousand times more difficult than it actually is.

Closing my eyes, I grip the edge of the desk. My knuckles turn white. It might just be the only thing holding me up.

“Zeke?” Xander’s voice comes from a distance. I can’t focus on him. All I can think about is how she’s walking into the lion’s den; all I can feel is acute fear that I won’t be able to save her.

His warm hand grips the back of my neck, grounding me.

I focus on his bright blue eyes that are filled with the same anguish I’m sure must be in mine. I swallow down all the emotion desperate to pour out of me. “I’m here.”

“We need to think. Find out where she went and get to her as quickly as possible. West is on his way here.”

I mentally check off the things we need to do. I know people in Vegas, people who can get me access to as many weapons as we need. I’ll blow that motherfucker and his entire empire to pieces if necessary. “Make sure the jet is ready to go as soon as possible.” Xander already has his phone in his hand, and he nods. “Check in with her office too. See what time she left. That will give us an idea of how far ahead she is.” He nods again.

Redirecting his attention to me, I grip his face, if only to stop my hands from shaking. “I’m going to make some calls. As soon as West gets here, we’ll be ready to go.”

By the time West gets to the penthouse, I’ve arranged for a small arsenal of weapons to be at our disposal when we land at LAS. He comes straight to my office with Xander close behind him.

“Someone fucking took her, Z,” Xander blurts. My veins expand with the force of blood hurtling through them, and I absent-mindedly wonder if this is what a stroke feels like.

West looks as strung out as I feel. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“She never made it to the office. She’s been clocking time on a big story, so they assumed she was working from home. But I knew West dropped her off, so I had the security footage pulled. As soon as she got to the lobby, she was stopped by two mean-looking fucks. She left with them two minutes later.”

West pinches the bridge of his nose. “She left or they took her?”

Xander’s face is etched with worry. “She walked out, but the footage is pretty clear. They weren’t friendly.”

My head spins. “But her email. It was sent like forty-five minutes ago.”

West shakes his head, his jaw working, and I know he’s as fucked up over this mess as I am. “Maybe she didn’t send it?” The look on his face tells me he doesn’t buy that.

“No way.” Xander pulls his phone from his pocket. “I know my girl’s writing. Those are her words.” His eyes go wide. “She sent it using Schedjunkie.”

He looks up and must notice our blank expressions because he rolls his eyes. “It’s an app we developed for our Hellsgate employees, but I downloaded it to Lily’s phone for her to use. It allows you to schedule emails and messages ahead of time.”

I rub my temples, trying to stave off the dull ache throbbing through my skull. “So she wrote the email before those guys took her from the lobby?”

Xander nods.

“She knew they’d come for her?” West frowns. “None of this makes any sense.”

I am going to spank her ass so hard when I get my hands on her. If I get my hands on her. A violent swell of rage and fear washes over me, making me sway on my feet. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, focusing on what needs to be done and praying to a god I don’t even believe in that we find our girl in time.