I raised my eyes to his, frowning at his tone.
“This is not garbage. Do you have any more comments that have come in with the phrase Dark-eyed Darling? Check your filter to see if you’ve got anymore.”
Even before I could ask him about this, he called his partner. “Ryker, the guy is on her blog. Trace it. Quick!”
I got up, thrown off by Barun’s sharp command. Gone was the lover. The man standing before me was every inch the bodyguard whose life goal was to protect me.
“What is this about? You’re freaking me out, Barun.” I stood up, my breath shorter.
He sighed, looking defeated. “Princess, I was called in because you received a kidnapping threat. It was specific and was addressed using the same phrase.”
Shock passed through my system, making me stare at Baun mutely. My heart grew heavy, and my throat closed in panic. Kidnapping? Threat? Specifically against me?
“How long?” I whispered, placing the coffee back on the table.
Barun stepped back, watching me with a grave expression. “Two months, give or take.”
I inhaled audibly. What!? Two months… that’s why he’d been summoned. Because my brothers were worried about my safety.
“Your coming to Honey Valley has got nothing to do with Jasmine or Alia, is it?”
Even before he could answer, I saw the truth on his face.
“And you thought it was okay not to alert me about threats that I received? Even after what happened last time?”
This time, it was I who moved away. I shook my head when he stepped closer.
“Princess, please…”
“No! I asked you specifically many, many times if there was more. Yet you didn’t open up. You did not trust me with this information.”
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t go against your brothers.”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “And there lies the problem, doesn’t it? It’s always my brothers first and then me. I now wonder if you slept with me last night because your control slipped. I wonder if you really chose me.”
“Katy!”
Barun’s sharp tone did nothing to curb my anger. It made me hopping mad to stay in the same room as him. Feeling a fresh bout of betrayal and anger, I turned around and ran down the stairs. Before Barun could realize what I was up to, I ran out and got into his car.
#17
Barun
Iwatched in horror as Katy ran away. Hurriedly pulling on a t-shirt, I put on my shoes next before rushing to the door. Just then my phone rang, making me realize it was still inside. Shit! Hurrying in, I grabbed it from my closet before running out of the door.
“Who is the bastard? Did you find out?” I ground out, slamming the front door behind me.
“Benjamin West, a professor who teaches computers in…” As Ryker delivered the news, my blood ran cold. Fuck! Benjamin… Ben… that nerdy bastard who was here last night. He was in Tinselford for Katy. That fucker wasn’t traveling for the holidays. Disconnecting my call, I immediately called Luke, the first employee in my company, who was put up in the hotel at the end of the town.
“Katy has taken my car, can’t explain everything right now. Ryker is tracking my car. You bring yours immediately.”
My blood was pounding even as I started running in the direction where Katy had left. Calling my partner Brad, Iasked him to alert the Falcone brothers before running to the approaching car.
I got in immediately, slamming the door close. “Go, go, go.” The tires squealed as we took off in the direction that would lead us out of the town. I opened the tracker that had Katy’s location to find my car near a barn that was at the other end of the city.
Immediately, Luke veered the car in the opposite direction. I placed a hand on my gun, my instinct on high alert. I jumped out of the vehicle even before Luke could stop the car completely. Running to the barn, I kicked open the door to find a stale smell. Other than that, nothing.
Glancing around, I snarled in frustration. Desperate, I searched the enter area, finally noticing Katy’s scrunchie. I remembered her having it around her wrist when I placed the coffee this morning. My blood ran cold at the implication.
