Freeing Him: A Hart Brothers Novel, Book 2 (9 page)

So I keep at it and I know I’ll make her come like this with just one tiny touch or one little lick.

“Please, Kolson. Please.”

Her inner thighs, the backs of them, nothing escapes the torture of my mouth. And finally I bury my tongue in her slit and she comes like a wild thing, screaming my name.

It has me so fucking hard, I shove my cock into her, and she keeps coming.

“Oh God.”

That’s all she can say and it has me in a fuck frenzy too. Shit, I can’t get enough of her. And then I climax just as hard as I did a little while ago.

As soon as I move next to her, she climbs on top of me and molds her lips to mine.

“Mmmm. That was so amazing.”

And that makes me want to tuck her next to me and never let her go.

All this wonderful beauty is dashed by the sound of my phone.

“Shit.”

“Do you have to take that?”

“Probably. We’re already going to be late.”

“Yeah, but it was totally worth it.”

“True.” Reaching across her to the nightstand, I pick up my phone and my body instantly stiffens.

“What is it?”

“Work shit. A contract we’re working on has just hit a snag. Gotta hit the shower.”

“Okay.”

She follows me because it’s our routine. As she begins to wash her hair, I pull the bottle out of her hand. “Let me do that.”

I love doing it. Feeling her silken hair in my hands. I work up a lather and bury my fingers in it, rubbing her scalp. She sags in response.

“You are so good at this.”

“So you’ve said.”

As the suds rinse, I memorize everything about her. A deep clenching pain rips through my gut, and then I know it’s not true what they say about your heart breaking. It doesn’t even come close. Your heart doesn’t break. A gash splits your gut wide open and then it expands to your sternum until your heart explodes out of your chest. The fucking thing isn’t broken. It’s goddamn annihilated. And there isn’t enough superglue in the entire world to piece it back together. Then parts of you start to fall off, one by one. You know it’s not possible to ever be put back together again. You’re fucking Humpty Dumpty.

I squeeze conditioner into my palm and rub it into her hair. Then I clear the hoarseness away and say, “Hey, kea, I hear my phone. I need to get that. Big meeting today. Sorry.”

“Okay, babe.”

I scurry out of there so I don’t make a fool of myself. I dress in record time and hit my office. The message that came through has put me in hell:

Your debt payoff commences in twenty-four hours. Can’t wait to have you back, son. Pack your bags. You’re flying to Vegas in the morning
.

Like hell, I am. The only place I’ll be flying is the fucking coop.

This is the goddamn shits. I need to stay in here until Gabriella leaves so she doesn’t suspect anything. In thirty minutes, she sticks her head in.

“You’re still here?”

“Yeah. I have to get this out before I go.” I make up some lame excuse. Again.

“Oh. I’m leaving.”

“Okay. Hey, I’ll be pretty late today. Working on this new contract and I have a late meeting. Don’t wait on me for dinner.” I smile.

“Okay. Are you flying anywhere?”

“Maybe D.C., but if I do, I’ll text you.”

“Good. Love you, Skippy.”

We kiss.

I laugh. “Love you too. And I enjoyed your peachy ass.”

“Not as much as I did.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

And she’s gone. I give it five minutes before I allow myself to move. I want to break down but I can’t. There’ll be time for that later. I have things I need to do first. Important things.

Grabbing the duffel bag from the top shelf in my closet, I stuff in the clothes I’ve already set aside. There’s a backpack that I’ve preloaded with fifty thousand in cash, a passport, driver’s license, and two credit cards, all in the name of Jason Ackerman. It also contains a cell phone that will activate as soon as I make the call. I change my clothes, put on a hoodie and sunglasses, and leave the penthouse. Using the building’s side entrance, I walk several blocks and take a bus where I meet Sam on the west side of town. He’ll be the only one who knows how to contact me.

“Mr. H., you sure about this?”

“Sam, it’s the only way. I can’t go back or he’ll find a way to ruin her. You know he will. She can’t know anything for this to work.”

“Yes, sir.”

“She can’t know you know. Remember to wipe the security tapes of me leaving as soon as you can. This has to look like I vanished into thin air. All my things are at the house. No one, absolutely no one knows. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you know how to wipe the tapes?”

“I can do it in my sleep, Mr. H.”

“Good,” I say. “He’ll figure out I did it, but I don’t want him to suspect you. If he does, you know what will happen.”

“Yes, sir I do.”

“I hate to involve you, Sam.”

“Mr. H., I’m worried about
you
.”

“Sam, I’ll be fine. I survived him when I was a kid. I’ll survive him now. If I need anything, I’ll call you. But it will be from an untraceable number because you’ll be watched and I won’t contact you for a while.”

“Yes, sir. Good luck, sir.”

“Thanks. Now I need to get out of here and the fastest way is on a train, so I’m gone. You never saw me.”

“No, sir. And I’m going back now to check the tapes.”

“Watch your every step, Sam.”

I go to the nearest stairwell and take the train to Brooklyn. It’s there that my new life waits for me.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Gabriella

It’s eleven o’clock and not a word from Kolson. I’ve texted and called, and yet, nothing. Even his assistant, Jack McCutcheon, can’t be reached. Where the hell is everyone?

By 2 a.m., I’m sick with worry. I don’t know who to call, so I call Sam. A sleepy voice answers.

“Sam, have you spoken with Kolson today?”

“No, Dr. M.”

“He’s not home and I haven’t heard from him all day. Something’s happened.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure!” I yell at Sam. I’m freaking out. “I’m calling my friend, Case. He’ll know what to do.”

“Okay, ma’am, but maybe he was detained somewhere.”

“Sam. Kolson would’ve called.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

My hands are shaking so much, I have trouble dialing. Finally I get it right.

“Gabby? What’s up?” Case answers.

“I can’t find Kolson.”

“Are you two okay?”

“Yes, we’re fine! He’s missing, goddammit!”

“Okay, calm down.”

“I can’t. My boyfriend hasn’t returned any calls or texts and it’s two o’clock in the morning and you’re telling me to calm down. I can’t calm the fuck down!”

“Jesus. I’m coming over.”

It takes Case an eternity to get here. I’m half out of my mind by the time he does. I know I look like one of my patients who needs to be admitted but I can’t control myself. I’m certain something dreadful has occurred.

Case takes my hands in his. “Where’s your liquor cabinet?”

“In there.”

He drags me behind him and pours a glass of something. I don’t even notice what it is. That’s how fucked my mind is right now.

“Sit.” He points to the couch and sits next to me. “Start from the beginning.”

I do, and when I finish, he asks, “Mind if I take a look around?”

“No, go right ahead.”

“What was he wearing?”

“I don’t know. He was at his desk and I didn’t pay attention. A sports shirt and pants. No tie but I don’t know which shirt or pants.”

Case nods and goes into our bedroom. He looks in the closet and comes out, glances around the room, but doesn’t say anything.

“Where’s his office?”

“Down there. Follow me.”

I lead the way and he walks in and takes a look around, picks a bunch of stuff up, and rifles through papers.

He cocks his head and says, “He never went to work.”

“Huh?”

“Whatever happened, happened from here. Who goes to work without their cell phone or brief case?”

I walk to his desk and there sits his phone. Grabbing it, I look at all the missed calls and texts from me, among the many others from Jack and God knows who else.

“What the hell?”

“See anything on there you recognize?”

“No. I know he said something about a meeting today and that he was going to be late. He said not to wait on dinner for him.”

I continue to scroll and I come upon the one from his dad.

“What the fuck!”

“What is it?”

“A text from his dad about joining his company and going to Vegas.”

“Interesting.”

“Yeah, since Kolson hates his dad and would never even consider it.”

“Gabs, how much do you know about Kolson’s dad?”

“Enough to know I don’t want to know any more. He’s an ass, a creep, and a son of a bitch.”

“Do you know his suspected involvement in …”

“Organized crime?”

“Okay, as long as we’re on the same page.”

“Yeah. Kolson’s not like him in any way, Case. You need to know and understand that right now. He left his dad’s organization for that reason. Well, that’s one of the reasons.”

Case looks around some more but finally says, “It’s late. I’ll crash here tonight and in the morning, I’ll call my NYPD connections. You can’t report a missing person for twenty-four hours anyway. That’ll be our timeline. How does that sound?”

“The best we can do. I’m afraid his dad may have done something to him.”

Case doesn’t look very reassuring when he says, “Let’s not jump to conclusions yet.”

“Thanks for coming up here.”

He hugs me. “What else could I do, my friend?”

***

In the morning, Kolson’s phone rings. I grab it. It’s Jack.

“Have you talked to him?” I ask.

“No. He missed the meetings yesterday. I don’t know where he is.”

“Oh, Jack. It’s like he vanished. I found his phone here in his office late last night. My friend, a private investigator, is looking into it but you may want to call in the security team at HTS.”

“Good idea, Dr. Martinelli.”

“My friend, Case, is going to call the police when he wakes up. What time is it?”

“It’s six.”

“I’ll call if I hear anything.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

I head for the kitchen to put on coffee because Case and I are sure to need it. Kolson’s phone rings again. I don’t even bother to see who’s calling. I just answer.

“Hello?”

“Who is this?”

“Who is this?” I ask back.

“This is Langston Hart. I’m calling for my son.”

“Langston, this is Gabby. I don’t know where he is. He disappeared.”

“He what?”

“Yes. I left for work yesterday and he was here and that’s the last I saw of him.”

“Why, that conniving little bastard.”

“What are you talking about?”

“None of your goddamn business.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. Everything about Kolson is my business.”

“Oh, smart little doctor. Keep your damn nose out of this. This isn’t your problem.”

“Yes, it is my problem because I happen to love your son and he’s missing and I’ll do whatever it takes to find him.”

“Well, at least we see eye to eye on something.”

“On what? The part about finding him or the part about loving him? Because somehow I think our feelings couldn’t be further apart.”

“Mind your own damn business. If you hear from that sneaky little shit, you tell him that Daddy’s waiting.”

“Fuck off.”

“Oh, baby girl. I’d be very careful about saying that to me. Very, very careful.”

And the call ends. I don’t realize how much I’m shaking until I put the phone down. And then I scream, which brings Case running into the kitchen.

“What happened?”

“That was his father. He’s such an asshole!”

“What did he say?”

When I tell Case, he’s not surprised.

“Go shower. It’ll make you feel better.”

Right. The only thing that’ll make me feel better is Kolson walking through that door.

With zombielike motions, I shower and dress. Seeing patients in this state of mind is out of the question. I’m supposed to work at the hospital clinic tonight. I’ve cut my hours back, because I don’t need the money like I did. With my office rent expenses cut by two-thirds since I moved in with Case, my bills have eased up. I’m not spending any money on food, since I eat at Kolson’s or with him every night, so I’m able to put more money toward my loans. Granted, it’s not much more, but every bit helps.