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Dad.
“I tried calling her phone and it wasn’t just off,” she continues, “it was disconnected. Where is she?”
“I don’t know.” My heart races as I pace the room again, unable to stay still. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”
“Well, you better get back here and find her. From the conversations we’ve had, it doesn’t sound like she has anyone else she can turn to.”
Where would she go then? Did she get a hotel? Stay with a friend? Where do I even start? How am I supposed to track her down? It’s a city of over eight million people. It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack. “I’ll figure it out,” I tell Lori. “But don’t mention to anyone we talked, okay? If my father contacts you for any reason, you haven’t spoken to me since I left.”
“You think your fa-”
“No questions. As far as you’re concerned, you’re just there to do your job.”
“Got it,” she says, a slight waver in her voice.
“I’ll give you an update when I find out more.”
“Okay.”
I hang up and turn to Connor. “That goes for you too. You don’t know anything about this situation.”
“What are you going to do?”
He clearly overheard the conversation, so there’s no use hiding it from him. I can’t sit idly by if Serena’s gone. “I’m going to New York.”
“But Dad-”
“I don’t give a fuck about Dad,” I explode, nearly at my wit’s end. I grip the back of my neck so I won’t hurl the alarm clock across the room or punch the wall above the bed. I haven’t felt this kind of impotent rage in a long time. Not since Mom died. I shut down then, but right now, I’m pure emotion.
His eyes widen, wisely staying silent.
I jab a finger in his direction, still pacing. “I bet you more than anything this was Dad. I know how his mind works. You haven’t directly worked with him like I have. There’s nothing he loves more than destroying the competition, especially if they’ve slighted him.”
“Who’s he competing against?”
“Greg Montague. If that P.I. found out he was cooking the books, there’s no doubt Dad would take it personally.”
“But he’s doing this to Serena.”
“Greg wanted her to marry into our family for the connections. You split us up and boom, no more connections. And Greg needs money. Bad. I’m sure of it. I can guarantee you Dad will do everything he can to blacklist Montague Media too. No one will work with them or buy them. They’ll go bankrupt by the end of the year.”
“Doesn’t he care that he’s hurting you?”
I pause in my pacing, looking at Connor. God, there’s so much of Mom in him. “No. He doesn’t care. He gave an edict and expects it to be followed. Feelings don’t come into play as far as he’s concerned.”
He bows his head, his chin nearly touching his chest. “Like with Gabriel.”
“Exactly.” I grab my suitcase and lay it on the bed, unzipping it and stuffing the closest things at hand inside. “Tell Dad you don’t know where I am if anyone reports I’m not here. You’re just as confused as him about where I’ve gone.”
He nods.
“And don’t defend me. It’ll only set him off. I don’t want you mixed up in this.”
“Do you know what you’re doing? Have you thought about what he might do?”
I open the dresser drawer, pulling an armful of clothes out to chuck in the suitcase. “I’m prepared to accept whatever happens.” And it’s the truth. I can’t live my life under his thumb. Not after discovering how my life could be with Serena.
“All right. What can I do to help?”
“Find me the next flight to New York.”