Nothing on Lyam. We may not get anything at all until we go to The Underground. We have more on Nicolette, though.
She sends texts to someone named Savannah. Her sister, I’d guess. Other than that, the only other contacts are women who work here. Her world is small, then, essentially limited to the confines of these walls.
That’s a good thing, for my purposes.
I scroll through her bank account and feel my eyebrows rise. She has twenty thousand euro saved.I wonder what her endgame is. What’s her goal?
Why is she here?
I want to know everything about her. I want to know what she likes and what she doesn’t. What brings her joy and what drives her crazy? Does she have a favorite holiday, and what brought her here from America? Does she have a hobby, or a career that attracts her? Is she a morning person or a night owl?
But more than any of that, I want to know where she is now. Right this very minute. I can’t press a button and find my brother, but I can find her.
I’m pacing again, my steps soundless on the plush carpet in my office. Is she safe? Is she scared? Is she replaying the memory of what happened to her over and over in her mind? I want to know.I need to see her.
I swipe through security footage again. My heartbeat spikes when I see a lush sweep of brown hair by the hallway that leads to the workout room, but when the woman turns, it isn’t her. I curse under my breath, moving from frame to frame more and more quickly. Where is she? Where did she go? I gave her the goddamn night and the following week off, but I already know—that won’t be enough. The thought of any other man touching her…
I freeze when I catch her on camera leaving. She took a left and went north, ten minutes ago. Where did she go? I want eyes on her, for fuck’s sake, preferablymine.
I stand to leave and call Louis again. “You still with my brother?”
“No, he left a minute ago. What do you need?”
“Nicolette left and went north of here. Where could she have gone?”
He pauses for a moment. “I’m not sure. There aren’t many things open this late at night, are there?”
“No, not nearby.”
“Give me a second.” He’s silent, likely looking up things on his phone. “Looks like the only places open are a bar and a bookstore.”
“Names. Text me.”
I’d bet my eye teeth she wouldn’t go to a bar after what happened today, and from what I know about her already, I can easily predict the bookstore is where she’ll end up.
I disconnect the call. Walk to the bathroom adjacent to my office and change into something more casual. Grab my wallet and phone and leave.
She needs to think this was an accident, a coincidence. I can’t let her think I’m stalking her. And yet…
I call Louis one more time. “Boss?”
“Have two dozen pink roses sent to Nicolette’s room with a card. I’ll text you the sentiment.”
“Yessir.”
I take out my phone and think about it before I press “send.”
A little something to brighten up your room with an apology for what happened earlier. ~Fabien
Something innocuous and simple. Something that won’t make her suspect that I’m about to make her mine.
CHAPTER FOUR
Nicolette
I try to move on.I try to pretend I’m not fighting flashbacks of being nearly raped only a few hours ago.
My face pushed down on the bed, my lungs constricted, unable to breathe…
