Alice stared at Kenneth.His eyes were devoid of emotion.In a dreamlike state, she stood up and crossed the room.She glanced back one last time, wishing for all of this to be a joke, but Kenneth was already back at work.
Fighting the onset of tears, she collected her few belongings and headed outside.As soon as the cool air slapped her in the face, the tears rolled.Almost blindly, she made her way across the street.It wasn’t until she realized where she was that she stopped.
She took in THE GIN ROOM sign.The gold lettering and the soft yellow glow beckoned to her.Why had she made her way here of all places?
Axel might be in there.He would comfort her.Except, he was just as twisted as her boss.No, she had to find her own way in life.Wiping away the tears, she bowed her head and continued to the subway.
She never made it.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Axel hung up.Panicthreatened to consume him, but he pushed it down with a hard shove.Right now, he had to act.There was no time for misery.They had Alice.He had to get her back no matter what.
He glanced at his phone.He didn’t want to get the rest of the pride involved.They were after him, he had no doubt, or they wouldn’t have taken Alice.No, he knew exactly what he had to do.
An hour later, as they’d instructed, he arrived at Alice’s office.He pushed through the building doors, finding them open, just as they’d told him they’d be.In one glance, he took in the space around him.A reception desk to one side, empty.Entrance turnstiles for employees to clock in, and after them a set of elevators which would take them to their place of work.He took one of them and pressed the button for the top floor.The CEO’s office.
The doors opened into the office.Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched along the back, giving an impressive view of the city skyline.The desk, situated in front of the windows, commanded attention with its sleek glass surface and polished edges.Behind it, a man sat motionless, flanked by two large, muscular men dressed in dark suits.
To the sides of the room, several paintings adorned the walls—the one they had been planning to steal back in its place.Diplomas and certificates framed in gold added an air of authority, while shelves filled with trophies and books showcased the owner’s knowledge.Next to one of these, a closed door.
None of the figures caught his attention.The only thing that mattered was the woman sitting on the brown leather couch.Alice.Her hands and feet were bound, and her posture was rigid with fear.Red-rimmed eyes locked onto his.Her bottom lip trembled as she mouthed his name.
He went to her, kneeled, and undid her bonds.
“You okay, Baby Girl?”He cupped her chin, brushing the stray tear aside with the pad of his thumb.
“Yes, but Axel—”
“I’m sorry to interrupt this tender scene, but Axel, I believe we have business to discuss.”
Axel stood up and turned his attention to the man at the desk.CEO Alastair Jubatus saluted him with a nod and sly smile.Even though he was not tall, Alastair had a muscular build, though his most striking feature were his piercing green eyes and high cheekbones.
“Alastair Jubatus.I would say it is a pleasure to see you again, but since your father’s death and our brief meeting then, I haven’t had the pleasure.”
The cheetah shifter’s gaze narrowed.
