Page 16 of Blissful Devotion

“It always hurts to know my brothers don’t miss me.”

Brothers…

“Nice to meet you. My name is Lorenzo Lawson.” I can’t stop myself from gasping when he says it, even though some part of me knew it the second I saw him. “You can call me Enzo.”

He moves his hand from under my chin to cup my cheek, and I pull away, or at least I try to. I can’t go far, and my movement seems to amuse him more than anything as he strokes his thumb over my cheek, making my stomach roll.

“Now tell me how a beautiful girl like you got mixed up with them.”

4 Days without Kat

Despite my hatred of flying, the flight back to the States seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, nothing else does. The hours pass so slowly they feel as if they are doubled, and each day feels longer than the last.

It’s been four days since the accident, yet it feels like an eternity as we sit and wait. Even Ruby seems sad, often lying in Addison's or Kat’s room if not with one of us, like she knows something's wrong.

It’s funny how smart animals are. Addison’s had a few nannies, and it’s not like they have a shortage of help, but Ruby has never taken to anyone the way she has Kat; nobody but Addison.

Would it be better if this were a ransom situation or not? I’m unsure, but something tells me this won't be that easy.

Nothing ever really is.

The idea of Kat being subjected to trafficking makes me feel physically ill; knowing she’s pregnant makes it even worse.

Is she even still pregnant?

So many things could have happened; the crash was bad enough to have possibly left permanent damage, but who knows what she's been through since then.

“Vince,” Nathan snaps at me, and I pause to glare at him before resuming my back-and-forth strides through the living room.

If he doesn't like it, he can go anywhere else; he has a million other rooms. He's the one who sought me out.

With a sigh, he seems to give in, knowing it’s a lost cause right now.

“Have you heard anything back yet?” he asks, even though he knows the answer.

If I had, he’d know; they all would. Still, I can’t stop myself from fishing my phone out of my pocket to check. Hoping, beyond hope, for a message from our new friends.

It shouldn’t be so disappointing that I have no new messages, but it is.

“Nothing.”

“We just have to give them time. You saw how well they handled Carter. They said they would be here today,” he says, and I know he means well. He’s probably trying to convince himself as well as me, but fuck, I can’t handle it right now.

“What if she doesn’t have time!” I shout, grinding to a halt, and I know this isn't on him; if anything, it's on me… again, but this time is different.

“This isn’t the same as Carter. He was hiding. We were the danger…” I trail off, unable to finish, but I don't need to; judging by the look on his face, he knows exactly what I’m thinking.

“We’ll get her back.”

He sounds sure, and I want to believe him, but even if we do, will she ever be the same?

“How’s everyone else holding up?” I ask to change the subject because I need to do something else, to think of something else, in hopes of passing the time.

Not that it’s worked so far, but I’m not one to quit.

“Oliver is quiet, still looking online, hoping to find a lead on the dark web.”

The thought alone makes goosebumps pop up on my arms. What would we do if we found her online, being sold…