Page 123 of Beautiful Secrets

I do not remember it being like this when Cole brought me here. The party-goers parted for him, but they only resist when I try and push through them. Instead, I have to maneuver around each and every person, wincing every time an elbow jabs into me or someone stands on my foot.

The music sounds different too. It is frantic, desperate almost. The dancers seem as if they can barely keep up with the hectic rhythm.

But eventually I fight my way through to the other side of the room and take the stairs up to the office where I met Sarah for the first time.

Please, God, let her be here.

Cole’s hotel refused to give me any information. And the more insistent I was about getting in contact with Cole, the more suspicious they became.

The receptionist kept telling me that Cole wasn’t at the hotel, and all she could do was leave a message for when he returned.

She would not say when he was last there. Had he been back at all since dropping me off at the airport?

What if something had happened to him?

No, Mika! Those thoughts will only derail you. You are taking these stairs, and you are finding Sarah, and you will—

“Mika? What are you doing here?” a deep voice demands.

I spin around, grabbing the railing to catch my balance.

Sarah’s husband is standing behind me, a thick ledger in one hand, and a bottle of water in the other.

“Hello! Uh…”Chyort! I forgot the man’s name. I take a step down to him. “Where is Cole?”

“He isn’t here.” Sarah’s husband frowns. “Did your father bring you here?”

My…? Yes, of course. He thinks Cole took me back to the estate. I have no idea if I am supposed to lie or not, so I try to skirt around the subject instead.

“He forgot this in his pocket. I wanted to return it.” I take out Cole’s credit card and hand it to Sarah’s husband. He scans the card, his frown deepening, and tucks it into his pocket.

“Upstairs,” he says, gesturing for me to follow as soon as he passes me on the steps.

The air inside the office smells stale, but as soon as we’re inside, the man turns on the air conditioner. Cool, filtered air pumps into the room.

We are barely inside before the phone on the desk rings.

“Derek,” the man answers. “No, not yet. Give me a minute.”

Derek points at the sofa, and I perch on the edge of the cushion as he takes out his cell phone and taps on the screen a few times. “Haul,” he says into. “Listen, do you have Cole’s number? Yeah, he left something at our house.” Derek holds up Cole’s credit card, studying it a moment before his eyes flicker to me over the top. “Just wanted to let him know.”

My heart starts pounding in my throat.

That must be Cole’s brother he’s speaking to. I guess, judging from the way Cole acted around Sarah and Derek, it is not surprising they do not have his contact information.

I want to sit back, relax into the seat. It has been a harrowing few hours ever since I left the airport. But I need to know where Cole is.

If he is safe.

Until then, I cannot even bear the thought of relaxing.

“Thanks, mate. Say hi to the kids. Yeah, I will. Cheers.”

Derek hangs up and looks at me until his phone buzzes in his hand. Then he taps on the screen and puts it to his ear.

He must be phoning Cole.

I am on my feet, hands clasped in front of me like an idiot before I realize what I am doing.