“I do not matter. And I am also interesting,” Nadia claimed with a smirk. “And I can handle myself far better than you can in these situations.”
I glared at her, not caring for her tone. I wasn’t a child, no matter how much she wanted to treat me like one.
“It’s for your own good, Natashka,” she added when I didn’t speak.
I opened my mouth to reply when one of Nadia’s men burst through the door, his features etched with concern. “We have an issue.”
My heart ramped up as Nadia’s hand instinctively went to the weapon strapped to her thigh. She reached for me, shoving me into the arms of one of her men. “Take her somewhere safe. Do not let her out of your sight until I give word. I’ll handle this.”
Before I could object, Stefan whisked me away into the night, shoving me into the back of a dark SUV. Flanked by two of Nadia’s guard dogs, we sped off into the night. And I worried about what threat may be plaguing us now and how it would affect my fragile new relationship.
As the SUV sped into the night, I couldn’t help but think of Kyle. If he knew the truth–knew who I really was–would he still want to help me? Want to kiss me? Or would he run as fast as he could from all my chaos?
CHAPTER 9
KYLE
Istared at the unmoved bedcovers, a frown on my lips as a dozen different things raced through my mind. Had she run off because of that kiss? Because of what I’d said?
Had I literally driven the poor woman to leap off her balcony and run into the night without her stuff because I was suffocating?
I’d checked the ground below her room. She wasn’t lying in a heap, so she hadn’t fallen. Where was she?
I glanced at the night table, noting the charger there. No phone. So, wherever she’d gone, she’d taken her phone. Was she coming back?
I pulled my phone from my pocket, intent on calling or texting her. Would she answer or would I just scare her off?
My fingers drummed the side of the device while I considered my next move. My heart skipped a beat as an idea formed.
Alex had tracked her phone before, at least to know she was nearby. Could he do it again?
I hoped so. I just wanted to make sure she was safe. And I also wanted to make sure I hadn’t completely put her off, but that was secondary. At least, that’s what I told myself.
I left her bedroom behind and hurried through the halls to Alex and Ava’s double doors, banging against them as I shifted my weight from foot to foot.
“Come on, come on,” I muttered, urging someone to answer as I prayed they weren’t heavy sleepers.
I knocked again, this time louder.
A second later, Alex yanked open the door, his eyes slits. “Doc?”
“Hey, I need a big favor,” I gushed, my voice fast and breathy as panic edged it.
“Now?” Alex asked, his features twisting with confusion.
“Yes, now. That’s why I knocked.”
“Ace?” Ava asked, tugging on her robe as she approached. “What’s the problem?”
“I don’t know, Doc’s panicked.”
“Nattie’s gone,” I blurted.
Ava frowned, her eyebrows pinching together. “Gone?”
“Yeah, did you check the kitchen or the living room? I put the alarm on. It would have gone off if she walked out the front door.”
I shook my head, annoyance building as I tried to explain what I already knew. “She’s not in the house. She jumped off the balcony.”
