“Okay. Just give me a moment to change and I’ll be down in a minute.”
Carter nodded and I headed to the bedroom before deciding the jeans I had on were fine. I changed from my t-shirt into a blouse and added a blazer. I quickly brushed my hair and debated whether I should throw it into a ponytail and decided not to but placed a hair tie on my wrist just in case I changed my mind. After messing with my hair for a little while longer, I decided that was the best it was going to get on that front. I slipped some black pumps on and thought I looked pretty put together for someone who had little notice that they were leaving the house. I tossed my makeup bag into my purse and headed out to the living area.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
“Excellent. Let’s go.”
As I looked at Carter, a slightly uneasy feeling flowed through me due to his eagerness. Carter walked out of my apartment before me, and I turned around to lock the door behind me. When I turned back around, my eyes widened as Carter raised his hands to hit me with something that I didn’t have time to identify. Before I could react, I felt the force of something hitting me, and all went black.
29
Damien
“Have you heard from Anais today?” I asked Rob as I got into the SUV and slammed the door behind me. I couldn’t wait to get back home and tell her that I was pretty confident I would be closing the deal on her office building. Of course contracts needed to be worked out, but I made the owner an offer she couldn’t refuse, and she jumped at the chance. Now I could share the news with Anais.
Rob shook his head. “She hasn’t asked to leave today.”
I nodded, feeling satisfied with that answer. She did mention wanting to cook dinner tonight, so I wondered if she had asked anyone to get her any groceries. Maybe it could be something that we could do together since I was getting home a little early and it would be nice to do something low-key. I hadn’t realized how domesticated we had become until I rushed to get back to her whenever I could slip away early. Even at work, my mind would drift to her, causing me to become somewhat distracted, although it hadn’t hurt business.
I looked through my text messages and realized that I had told her to put the vibrator in her pussy earlier. I shook my head at myself, wondering how I had forgotten, and decided this was a prime moment to tease her about what I had planned tonight. I dug into my pocket and discreetly pressed the button, but nothing happened. Something was interfering with the signal, but it was more than likely because of her not turning her phone on. I couldn’t fight the smirk from appearing on my face. I knew she was going to give me hell for demanding that, and I couldn’t wait. Forever my Spitfire.
Rob navigated the SUV through New York City rush hour traffic like the professional that he was, and he pulled up to the front door in no time. I grabbed my briefcase just as he pulled to a stop. My smirk turned into a grin. I couldn’t wait to get upstairs to Anais.
“Don’t worry about getting my door. I got it,” I said. “Oh, and by the way, why don’t you take the night off?”
He looked at me through the rearview mirror. “Are you serious?”
“When do I ever joke? Go have fun,” I said before I stepped out of the car. I closed the door and entered.
“Good evening, Mr. Cross,” said Lydia.
“Good evening to you too,” I said as I headed toward the elevator. I flashed my badge that allowed me to get to the floor where my penthouse was. It took a second before the elevator moved and I watched as the numbers moved up one by one. The long ride to my front door made me wonder if it was worth moving back to my other home in NoHo to avoid this climb to the top. I checked my watch, realizing I was being impatient because I really wanted to get to Anais as soon as possible.
My heart pounded when my front door was in my view. Just a few more seconds until I could kiss Anais. I turned my key to unlock a door and when I pushed the door open, I knew something was wrong. It was dark, not yet pitch black because the windows let some light in, but it made little sense to have no lights on in the apartment with the sun well on its way to setting. Had Anais fallen asleep or slipped past Kingston without me knowing? Where was Kingston anyway? Had I heard from him at all today? Rob had been with me most of the day, so she wouldn’t have had our private mode of transportation.
“Anais?” I called.
No response. “Anais?” I asked louder, hoping that she might have taken a nap in our bedroom. Still, I heard nothing.
I flicked the light switch closest to me, illuminating the living area. Nothing looked disturbed or abnormal. I closed the door and dropped my briefcase. I walked past the living area and into the bedrooms, the bathrooms, and my office. There was no one in there. My searching turned frantic as adrenaline took over. “Anais!”
I ended up back in the living area and just as I was about to pull out my phone, I noticed something I hadn’t seen when I walked in. There was a white piece of paper on my countertop in the kitchen. I debated whether I should pick it up in case there were fingerprints on it. Then again, maybe Anais had left the note, but I feared the worst. When I got closer, it was clear the note wasn’t from Anais because there was a miniature sunflower resting on it.
Dear Damien,
You should have listened all those years ago, but since you didn’t, now you’ll pay the price.
See you soon.
Charlotte
Thank you for reading! The next book in the series, Steel Empire, will be released in Spring 2021.
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About the Author
Bri loves a good romance, especially ones that involve a hot anti-hero. That is why she likes to turn the dial up a notch with her own writing. Her Broken Cross series is her debut dark romance series.
She spends most of her time hanging out with her family, plotting her next novel, or reading books by other romance authors.
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Also by Bri Blackwood
Broken Cross Series
Sinners Empire (Prequel)
Savage Empire
Scarred Empire
Steel Empire
Scarred Empire: An Enemies to Lovers Dark Billionaire Romance (Broken Cross Book 2) Page 17
