Page 49 of The Billionaires' Gamble

“Mr. Saint tried to fire Tomasz.”

“No one’s getting fired. You did the right thing. Keep them there. And keep an eye on King. He might try to go out a window.” Or the chimney.

My phone beeps, alerting me to another incoming call. Speak of the devil.

“Keep me in the loop,” I say and switch calls. “King?—”

“They won’t let us leave!” His voice echoes through the cabin.

“They can’t do that, King.” I immediately take the call off speakerphone and get up, heading to the room in the back and buckling myself in.

“Why not? We could have gone after her! We have vehicles.”

Folding forward, I drop my forehead into my hand. My heart aches for him. That handful of words, in that frustrated tone, tells me everything I need to know. He’s climbing the walls. Trying to hold it together.

“And what? Endanger all three of you, not to mention my men, with a chase through the city?”

That was never going to happen, but I certainly feel his frustration and urgency. In his position, I’d be feeling the exact same.

He grumbles.

Gathering myself, I blow out a breath and quickly put together a mental to-do list. “Give me a second to send a text, then I want you to tell me everything.”

“Okay.”

I can almost see him deflating, his normal vibration slowing to a dull hum.

My first text is to Magnus to find out the whereabouts of Tyler and Lucinda. Next, I contact my tech division.

With my teams dispatched, I focus on King again.

“King?”

“Yeah?” He sounds small and unsure, and I fucking hate that. He blasted into our lives, a ball of energy and happiness. So full of love that he’s terrified to let those words out, but he shows it. Now he’s sitting in a temporary townhome in New York, going out of his mind. And I’m stuck on this damn plane.

Vera’s reassuring voice comes through the speaker. “Prepare for departure.”

I tighten the belt across my lap. “We’re going to get her back. Now tell me everything you saw.”

There’s a pause, and I strain to hear every sigh, every murmur, every blubber as he pulls himself together.

“Don’t say that, Alex. Don’t get my hopes up.”

“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t.” That’s standard practice in my business. Be optimistic, but don’t make promises you can’t keep.

There’s a pause from the other side of the call. The plane picks up speed, pressing me back into my seat as it hurtles skyward.

“What aren’t you saying?” he asks.

17

KINGSTON

My hand shakes around my phone as I stalk back and forth in front of the glass doors leading out to the garden.

After Tadhg dragged us inside, concerned for our safety, Tomasz followed me down to the ground level. He watches me like a hawk because he’s not stupid. I’m climbing the walls, looking for a way out. A way to go after Katherine.

Sweat rolls down my back, my heart rate hasn’t come down since our run, and my lungs feel tight.