Page 81 of Reckless Dynasty (Knight's Ridge Empire 9)

TOBY

My fists clench and unclench as I pace back and forth in Theo’s penthouse. The others are all sitting on his sofas, watching me as if I’m about to explode at any second.

“He can’t just have got out. It’s not fucking possible,” I mutter to myself.

It’s been ten minutes since I stood in that doorway beside Daemon and stared at an empty cell, and I still can’t believe it.

There’s no way.

The security system installed down there is better than most prisons. There is no way he just decided one day that he was fed up being our little toy and opened the door and walked out.

“It can’t be a coincidence that it happened this weekend,” Seb muses as Theo furiously taps away on his laptop, trying to pinpoint a time for all of this happening via the security feed that runs twenty-four-seven around this place.

At some point, we’ll be able to see him leave. We’ll know how he managed it, and hopefully, it’ll give us a lead.

It has to. There is no other option.

“Have you got hold of Jodie yet?” Stella asks from the edge of the sofa where he’s watching me with concern.

“No, her phone just goes to voicemail. She’s at the hospital.”

“We should go over there. Make sure she is and that she isn’t about to get intercepted by—”

The blood that rushes past my ears at her words stops me from hearing whatever follows the beginning of that statement.

“Go,” I boom. “Get her the fuck back here and lock her down,” I demand.

If he gets even within a mile of my girl then… my heart begins to race. My lungs pump, but they’re unable to drag in any air.

Stella’s warm hand landing on my upper arms startles me. I stare into her blue eyes, seeing my own fear reflected back at me.

“Just breathe, Toby.” Her grip on me tightens as she directs me to just suck in a deep breath before blowing it out once more. “We’ll get her, okay? Seb’s already called Dad. Mom is fine. They’re both safe and on high alert.”

“They should come here,” I tell her. “It’s safer here.”

Stella nods. “I’ll call him on the way to the hospital. We’ll get them all safe, and then we’ll find him,” she promises me.

My lips twitch in acknowledgment of her words, but by no means do I feel the smile.

“Come on, Princess,” Seb says, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and dragging her away from me.

I want to reach out and stop her, but I know that Jodie needs her more than I do right now.

“Look out, the cavalry has arrived,” Seb shouts loudly from the front door, and two seconds later, Damien and Charon come storming into the room.

We were expecting the boss. Theo called him the second Daemon and I dragged him down to look at the empty cell. But I could really do without seeing my so-called grandfather.

Anger surges through me at the memories of the last time I saw him in Damien’s office. When he stood there, completely unfazed by the fact he knew his cunt of a son treated Mum and me the way he did.

“No,” I boom, moving across the room faster than I expected. My fingers curl in Charon’s suit jacket before I slam him back against the wall.

I pull my arm back and am just about to commit the ultimate sin by planting my fist into his traitorous face when a hand locks around my upper arm.

“Careful, soldier,” Damien warns, his fingers digging into my bicep until it hurts.

“He’s not welcome here. He was probably the motherfucker who let him out.”

My grip on his lapel never loosens, and Charon’s cold stare never breaks from my eyes.