Page 14 of Mister Lane

As I spiralled into despair, wondering if there was a real possibility that I wouldn't be found for days, I couldn't help but think that this was my punishment for taking a chance. Nothing good ever came from taking chances. My shoulders shook as I cried harder. "Someone please help me," I moaned as I sat surrounded by empty papers.

With my back against the cold metal door, I cried. For the first time in years, I no longer wanted to be alone. It wasn't just being trapped on the abandoned floor that made me desperate for the men who'd barged into my world and made me rethink everything I'd thought I needed from life. I was realizing that there was nothing more that I craved than being in their arms, where I knew they would keep me safe.

Chapter

Fourteen

Mr. Brandon Lane

Ihad been sitting at my desk staring out my open office door for the last few hours, growing more and more agitated until I could no longer sit there. I’d been watching for any sign of Emily, wanting to judge her mood after what we had done to her this morning. I knew that we had gone too far, but I also figured that she'd left with an idea of just how much we cared for her.

She was starting to understand, I was sure of it. Even if just a little, she was coming to terms with it. I knew it would take a little more time, and we still had a ways to go until she was on the same page—I knew that and so did Brayden, but that was okay. She was worth the wait. She was worth the time and attention it would take to break down her walls, because once those walls were down, my good girl was going to be everything to us. She already was, but it would make it that much sweeter once she accepted us as hers. I couldn't wait to make her ours in every way. To have a ring on her finger and a baby in her belly. To have her last name as ours. Hell, I’d even take hers ifthat’s what she wanted. Just as long as we were linked together forever. No other woman has been as perfect for us as she is.

Now if I only knew where the fuck she was.

I glared at my phone as I paced my office again. I was going to wear out the varnish on my wood floor with how much I’ve been pacing. And I knew that Brayden likely wasn't doing much better. I lifted my phone and dialed his number for the 10th time in the last hour.

“Where the fuck is she?” I snarled, barely able to keep myself from yelling out my frustration.

“I don't fucking know!” he growled back. “The security cameras didn't pick her up leaving the building. She never got the company phone we left for her, so I don't have a tracker on her.” I heard something shatter as he lost the battle with his temper, and I glanced over to the wall where remnants of my own glass lay shattered. “She has to be in the building, though. Her badge was never used to call the elevator.”

“Well, she's not on the fucking floor!” I yelled, finally losing my patience. A sound from the desk outside my open office door had my head jerking up. I turned around to see Veronica sitting at Emily's desk, and my blood began to boil just seeing her sitting there, knowing that only my good girl should be there. No one else should ever be in her spot. “Hang on,” I murmured into the phone and brought my hand down to my side without hanging up. I stalked through the doorway to where Veronica was pretending to be busy at the desk, acting as if she wasn't watching my every move.

I didn't say a word until I was standing right in front of the computer monitor, looming over her. I waited until she looked and met my eyes. When she smiled with her painted red lips, showing off her dazzling white teeth, and leaned forward as if excited for my attention, I gritted my teeth in an effort not to just rip her head clean off her shoulders.

“Where is she?” I gritted out as calmly as I was capable of being.

I watched as she blinked up at me, her lashes fluttering wildly, as she cocked her head in confusion. “Do you mean Miss Fontaine? I have no idea.” She shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly. “Honestly, though, I'm not surprised. She does this kind of thing all the time.”

I raised one eyebrow. “Oh, really? Do tell?” I said, my top lip lifting in a clear warning that she would be wise to heed. Though I wasn't certain if she was smart enough to realize that she was treading on dangerous ground with every negative word she spewed from her venomous tongue.

“Absolutely,” she said with a smirk, confidence radiating from her that I was a fucking idiot buying her garbage. Nodding her head, she continued, “Even on her first day, she arrived late. She's always getting out of work. Anything she can do to spend extra time in the morning in the break room just to get a cup of coffee. Nobody takes 20 minutes to get a cup of coffee.” Veronica rolled her eyes and scoffed.

My good girl does when my brother keeps her in there just so he can spend time with his sunshine,I thought to myself, but that was not Veronica's business.

“Two-hour lunches,” she went on, “the girl never works!” She crossed her arms over her chest, making her tits press together, showing off her cleavage, and began tapping long red fingernails on her arm. “Earlier this morning, when she came out of your office, I'm assuming after you disciplined her?” She raised an eyebrow as if asking for confirmation of that. Even if I had been disciplining Emily, there was no way I would give her the satisfaction of knowing about it. I stared back at her with a blank expression until her lips pressed into a thin line.

“She came out of your office,” she began again, “looking upset and said that she was going to the restroom. Then, shenever came back.” She sat back in her chair, looking quite pleased with herself.

“Did she take her purse with her?” I asked.

Veronica startled as if not thinking about that and stuttered out her response. “I-I'm not sure…”

“Check,” I demanded.

“I'm not sure if-”

“Check!” I barked out, raising my voice, making her jolt in her chair.

“Yes, Mr. Lane,” she said, her tone turning bitter. She slid open the drawer, and I saw it there, the purse that I had personally handed back to Emily after buttoning up her blouse and straightening her hair. After she’d given me the best orgasm of my life.

“Give it to me.” I held out my hand, my eyes cold as ice on hers.

“Yes, Mr. Lane.”

I opened the purse, checking the pockets and her wallet, searching thoroughly for her badge. The pit in my stomach grew with every minute that passed without finding answers, and Emily’s badge was just another missing piece of the puzzle.

“What are you looking for?” Veronica asked, leaning over, trying to catch a glimpse of what I was doing while I searched. As she moved, a piece of paper slid with her hand where it rested on top of the desk, revealing the edge of what appeared to be a badge. My eyes snagged on it immediately.