“And you? You’re happy with us, even though your life is in Chicago?”
I stare at him, trying to remember exactly what was so great about my hometown anyway. Other than The Monsters of the Midway, of course. “I’m happier than I’ve been in years. Maybe ever.” I give a loose shrug, the scent of orange blossom on my skin just as potent as the whiskey on my tongue. “I never thought I had a shot with Katie, and now there’s Dash, and you guys… I’m pinching myself on the regular just to make sure this is real.”
Another one of those heart-pinching smiles softens his eyes. “I’ve read your CV, Lachlan, and I think we should make some time to talk about your career plans, yes? If you are happy to put roots down here, I would very much like you to consider planting them in Paragon as well.”
I grin, because the college me who stared at Corbus Jannsen’s picture in my textbook and dreamed impossible dreams is doing cartwheels in his office right now. “That’d be great Corbus. I’d appreciate any advice you could give me.”
“I will put it in my diary.” He glances at his watch, a slight frown on his face. “I’m afraid we may have to drag Bram out of his team meeting.”
I sit up abruptly, surprised to see it’s close to six. When I check my cell for messages, there’s only one from Dash saying he napped at the theater, but wants to have dinner with usbefore tonight’s performance. “Have you heard from Katie this afternoon? I can’t get a hold of her.”
It’s the first time I’ve seen a flash of panic on his face. “Try her again, please.” He puts down his glass and hurries over to his desk, fiddling with his computer. “Anything?”
I shake my head. “It’s stopped going to voicemail. Maybe her battery is dead.”
“I have a program that might help.” The glance he shoots my way is uneasy. Just a glimmer through the flick of those eyelashes, but I’m learning to read him a little better. “Not to spy on her, you understand, but all the Janssen Jewels have trackers in them.”
I raise my brows, more impressed than disapproving. “You can ping her ring?”
He makes a humming sound that would probably be laughter if he wasn’t so worried. “Yes. It’s part of the insurance protocol that Bram insists on.”
He says insurance the same way I say ice bath, but I’m suddenly glad the other alpha is so paranoid. “Any hits?”
“Yes, from downstairs.” Relief loosens his shoulders, and he smooths down his tie; another self-soothing habit. “She’s in either the salon or the foyer. The locator can’t be more specific than that.”
I give a relieved huff, but his desk phone buzzes, and as he takes the call, I watch the panic bleed back into his eyes. “A girl in the foyer said Kate came into her coffee shop at noon,” he tells me, cupping the mouthpiece. “Kate gave her the ring and a strange message about Paragon and pastry chefs. She thinks the man she was with might have been threatening her, but they left together.”
What the fuck?
“She gave away her ring but left with him?” It’s pointless to repeat it, but the only scenario I can think of where she’d willingly do that makes my stomach pitch into my shoes.
“Yes, and Kate seemed upset about it. She may have been… coerced.” Corbus grips the edge of his desk, looking sick. I thought I wanted to see his mask shatter, but not like this. Not because of Katie. “She must have thought she was protecting the ring by giving it away.”
Which means the asshole with her was a recognized threat.
Someone she knew.
“Get Bram,mijn liefje,while Icall security.”
I’m out of the room before I think to ask for directions, and I have to throw open a couple of doors before the scent of leather and ink rolls out to greet me. As I barge into the boardroom, I’m not expecting the twenty-plus heads to swivel my way. A quick glance around the imposing table tells me they’re all alphas, and all brimming with a confidence I haven’t felt in years.
“Excuse me, what are you…?”
An older guy is half out of his chair to intercept me, but Bram waves him down as he gets to his feet. “Lachlan.” He rounds the table in a few strides, his hand coming down on my shoulder. Safety. Warmth. Protection. I get all of that from him while I shake like a fucking leaf. “Are you alright?”
I grab his arm, not wanting to blurt out my deepest fears in front of his entire staff. “It’s Katie.” He lets me maneuver him towards the door. “She’s in trouble. A guy came up to her in a coffee shop and threatened her in some way, so she slipped a server her ring. The server is here, worried about Katie.”
His lashes flicker, his mouth tightening as he absorbs my words. “When did we last have contact?”
“Corbus and I haven’t heard from her for hours. I don’t know about Dash, but the server said she was there around noon.” I look at my watch and my heart skitters in my chest. “Six hours,at least, and the server said she wasn’t happy about leaving with him.”
“She knew him.” Uber eyeshine suddenly fixes on me, so bright it’s like staring into a pair of molten suns. “Her ex? King? A different threat?”
I give a helpless shrug, only to realize the entire boardroom is staring at us, straining to hear every word. Most of them are staring at their boss like they’ve never seen him before, and I feel my temper snap. “The meeting is over. Get out.”
They ignore me, of course, but Bram turns his head, his uber dominance on full display. “You heard my mate. Leave us.”
They obey without a word, the squeak of chairs and the slap of laptop lids preceding their hasty exit. When we’re alone, Bram turns his attention back to me, and I watch the tension ripple through him like he swallowed an electrical cord. “Breathe, Bram.” I chance pressing my hand against his chest, right over his thumping heart. His scent burns in my nose, like ozone after a lightning strike. “Don’t freak out on me. We need you sharp right now, okay?”
