The group joined him in the conference room, apologizing for an unexpected, highly important conference call.Blah, blah.Callum didn’t care.Introductions were made, and he explained that Grace would be back momentarily.
A scream poured down the hall.
His blood ran cold.The chatter stopped.He took off at a run with the murmuring of confusion trailing behind him as he hauled toward the sound of a woman—not Grace—screeching at the top of her lungs.“What’s wrong?”
The group barreled in behind him.The screaming woman was on her knees, untying another woman on the ground, and his heart faltered.
“Who is she?”Callum demanded.
“My receptionist.”Mr.Bastamonti surged forward.“Carol.God.Carol, what happened?”He dropped to his knees to ungag the woman on the ground.“Get the cop at the front of the office.”
Fuck.“There wasn’t a cop by the door.”He moved into the hallway.“Grace?”Callum turned to the lawyers.“Who’s the tall Asian lady?The woman at the front desk.”
Mr.Bastamonti stared at him blankly.
Damn it.They’d been played.“Call 911.Where’s the bathroom?”
Another lawyer pointed Callum the way Grace had been directed.
Callum flew down the hall, calling her name, knowing damn well she would not answer.A few attorneys had followed him.He reached the bathroom door and pounded on it.The door didn’t budge.“Grace?”
No answer.
Everything within him turned dark.He reared back and kicked the door in.
The bathroom was empty.
The window was open.
Blinding rage swelled in him like a wave so dark and powerful he didn’t know how to direct it.Callum reached for his phone.Someone else had already called the cops.He called his boss.
Vivian picked up.
“Call in every favor you have to find her—”
“Hale?”
“And do whatever it takes to tell me who did this.Because I’m going to kill them.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Titandescendedupontheoffice park.They arrived in SUVs and helicopters.They bypassed police tape and trumped every official-looking badge.Rage rolled off Callum.He didn’t know whom to talk to, whom to trust.He wanted to burn the goddamn world down, but couldn’t until he used every resource to bring his woman home.Then he would kick off his revenge tour, taking out every single thing he deemed responsible for today.
The door smacked open.A man he’d never seen strode in.Dark hair.Dark eyes.Years of stress were etched on his face.All at once, Callum knew who he was and didn’t know whether he should trust him.
“We haven’t met since you joined Vivian’s team.Jared Westin.”The man held out his hand, eye ticking at the moment of Callum’s hesitation before they shook hands.“We will bring your woman home.”Jared held up a hand to block Callum’s explosion of distrust.“I take responsibility for whatever caused this to happen.Now, sit down.I’m going to tell you a story.”
His hands balled into fists.He didn’t have time for this bullshit corporate ass-covering.“I don’t have time for fuckin’ story hour—”
Jared paced to the window overlooking the circus in the parking lot.He rubbed a hand across his forehead.“It’s not an easy story to share, but you need to hear it.And you’ll trust me when I’m done.”
Doubtful.Callum yanked back a chair and forced himself to sit.If this was the next step to getting answers, he’d momentarily follow directions.
Jared cracked a couple of knuckles and stared out the window.His face darkened, as if he were reliving a bad memory.“Years ago, there was a man who nearly destroyed my world.His name was Buck Baer.”Jared’s eyes narrowed on Callum.“Ever heard of him?”
Callum shook his head.“No.”
“Yeah, didn’t think so.He’s been dead for a while.Good fuckin’ riddance.”He pulled out a chair at the head of the table.“We were battle buddies.But Buck Baer was in it for the glory.Then, after the Army, he wanted the money.Not a bad thing, but he took it too far.”
