“Who the fuck was this guy?” Carmen asked, out of breath.
“No time, we need to go,” I told them.
Running to VIP, my heels still in my hands I scooped up my purse with the mini gun inside and we ran out. It was only when we were finally inside of the blacked-out SUVs, breathing hard and out of breath did we realize Naomi was nowhere to be found.
“Where the fuck is she?” I asked about to tell the driver to pull over.
“I don’t know,” Trey shrugged, wide eyed. “But I’m starting to remember where I’ve seen that guy from. Miami?”
“Yes, that was him,” I was remembering the first time I’d ever seen theScared Man.
“Who was he?” Carmen was looking between us.
“One of Alistair’s men,” I said. “So, wait, did y’all see Naomi leave?”
“No, should we go back?” Carmen’s brown eyes were still wide with fear, she looked flushed, and her hair seemed to be damp, roots to tip, from sweat.
“I think she drugged me,” I looked at both of my best friends, realization was punching me in the gut. “She poured the champagne.”
“I feel fine,” Trey said.
“But I didn’t,” I stated. “And now she’s just disappeared in a foreign country.”
Pulling my phone out, my fingers feverishly texted Thierry to alert him to what had happened. He needed to be on high alert. Alistair could go after him next. This was supposed to be a vacation but instead it was becoming a bit of a nightmare.
He replied that they were on the way back to the house immediately. I didn’t feel safe until I was back at the villa and in his arms. My fingers hovered over Naomi’s name for the longest time while I relaxed sitting on the bed feeling shaken. I simply couldn’t bring myself to text her and ask her if she’d drugged me so that Scar could try and run me through with a knife.
Deep down, I was praying that I was wrong. But part of me whispered that I was a fool to think other wise.
“It’s ready,” Thierry called me out of my thoughts.
He had run me a bubble bath to soak in. Bubbles had filled to the very top of the tub as I first dipped a toe in and then the rest of my waiting body.
“Mmm,” I moaned, closing my eye.
Water moved over my tired muscles. I just wanted to be clean after the whole situation. Opening my lids, I found Thierry sitting nearby, he had his chin braced on his hands and he looked deep in thought. For a few moments, all that could be heard was the water sloshing just a bit.
“What are you thinking about?”
“How you could have been hurt tonight,” his eyes met mine. Worry had decided to place itself there. “How I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“It’s not like we knew that this would happen,” I averted my gaze and leaned my head back against the back of the tub.
Thierry gave a defeated sigh and left the bathroom. It must have been some time later because he came back in and gently woke me. I stood and he picked me up and out of the tub not caring if he got wet.
“You’ve turned into a prune,” he chided.
“I feel a lot better, though.”
He nodded and began to take the yellow towel that smelled of fresh linen and dried my body. When Thierry was satisfied with his work, he guided me to the bed and I crawled in, half expecting him to join me.
He shook his head. “I have some things I need to tend to.”
Both frowning and yawning, I beckoned him close. “What are you up to, husband?”
A lazy smile appeared on his lips. I wanted to kiss him in that moment, but he was easing me back gently and covering me with the covers.
“I like the way you say husband,” he admitted. “Much better than saying I want a divorce.”
