“You don’t want that. They’ll do a verythoroughcavity search.”
I shudder. Drat. “Have the guards and whomever else is down there seen my face?”
“No. But they’ve all heard of you.”
“And if there were a distraction?”
She squints at me. “It would have to be a big one.”
I yank my phone out of my pocket to see I only have one flickering bar and send a text message to my mother. It goes through with an onslaught of messages and social media notifications coming in. I ignore the notifications and only look for important threads from Parker or Raven. There are no more than the ones we exchanged this morning. I shove my phone back into my pocket. “Well, at least I had a signal for once.”
Fifteen minutes later the doorbell rings and soon after a very loud, very distraught “Where is my daughter?”is heard from the grand foyer.
I grin at the brown-eyed nurse dressed as a maid. “Well, thatwas quick.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Matilda fucking Barclay
One Hour Prior
I haven’t walked the grounds of the Winters’ estate unless it was to leave flowers at Charlie’s monument, which I have permission to do so from my ex-husband. The twat. I have not stepped footinsideof the Winters’ Manor in over a decade. Nevertheless, I know the entire layout like the back of my hand. Which is why when I find Parker in the library with an entire bratva and mafia army and a few familiar faces, I am not only livid, I amdistraught.
“Tildy,” he drawls, and though I could swoon at his delicious accent that at times has made me a bit of a puddle, I don’t let it get to me. Sexy, All-American distraction. I’ll write about it, then fuck Derek til my heart’s content later. He’s the one who truly inspires all of the scenes anyway. The mouth on that man. The rest is fodder.
“It has beendays, Parker. You saidquickandcovert. Where is Tink? I need to speak to her. She’s not answering my messages nor my calls. I have not received an update. This is not right. I want to see my daughter.”
His jaw clenches tight, but those mismatched eyes of his are full of both tension and worry.
“What is it?”
“She isn’t here, Tildy.”
“Pardon my French, Savage, but excuse the fuck out of me?”
His fists open and close at his sides, and he looks as though he’s ashamed to tell me something.
“Open your fucking mouth, Hayes. That’s an order. Do not forget though you may fuck my daughter, you work for me.”
He flinches at the brass in my tone, a tone I have never used towards him, but this has gone on far toolong. “Everybody out,” he booms sharply, and everyone, save those familiar faces, leaves on his command. “She’s with Burton. At the Ainsworth Estate.”
My heart stutters in my chest. “YOU LEFT HER ALONE WITH THOSE VULTURES?!” I screech. I put my hand over my heart and feel the ground beneath me move.
“Shit. Fuck. Tildy! Grab her!”
It’s Damon who catches me before I hit my head on the rugs of the library. I’ve always hated this rug. Flashes of my former mother-in-law dance in my mind as I look up into silver eyes the color of rain clouds. Beautiful. I grab onto his bulging bicep and give it a squeeze. “I’m fine. Help me stand. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine, Mrs. Barclay. Let me get you to the sofa, okay? Trust me, I’m a doctor.”
Well, when he puts it that way… I nod once curtly and let the gorgeous raven-haired man lift and carry me to the sofa. He grabs my wrist and looks down at his watch, counting for a few seconds. I catch Raven’s honey gaze and the small smirk on her face. Well done, my girl. Very well done. She winks in my direction. Brazen girl. I’ve always liked her. Damon asks a series of questions, and when he gives me the go-ahead, I turn to Parker. “Explain everything to me. Leave nothing out.”
So he does.
I grow furious. But then he lifts me like I'm a child and moves me to the monitors and shows me not only the camera footage, showing Sabrina, but also all the text messages they’ve shared. All of the data they’ve collected by moving silently. They tell me their plans to go there as soon as the sun goes down and all is silent in the night. I know he’s capable. I know he’s a good man. I know my daughter is safe with him. The healing wound on his chest just below his heart proves it.
I stand from where I’m perched. “I hope you understand you’re fired upon getting my daughter back to me?”
“I have my resignation letter written,” he purrs with a dip of his chin.
