Logan’s POV
As Nadine exclaims in joy, “I could kiss you right now!” I feel a surge of desire.
I have to restrain myself from giving in to her simple request. My cock twitches in my trousers, responding to her proximity, but I know I must resist.
Instead, I slowly lean in and kiss her hair, trying to play it cool. I make my way outside, taking a deep breath to calm myself down. I don’t want to compromise our budding cordial relationship.
The fact that she accepted the gift is a positive sign, but my mind is elsewhere. I’m worried about the impending danger lurking in the shadows.
Ethan is nowhere to be seen, and I don’t know what he’s planning. I need to be prepared, nothing can go wrong with Nadine and Shawn, not while I’m still alive.
I pull out my phone to call Asher, eager to share the good news that Nadine accepted the necklace.
But as I walk into my home, my mind starts to wander. I can’t shake off the feeling that something is off, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.
I try to relax, telling myself I’m just being paranoid, but my gut feeling persists. I head to the bathroom, hoping to clear my head, but thoughts of Nadine and my son consume me.
I smile as I think about my boy’s face lighting up when he sees me, and how he affectionately calls me “buddy.”
As I stand there, lost in thought, I feel I’ve made progress, and that’s all that matters. I take a deep breath, letting the warm water wash over me, and try to calm my racing mind. But the feeling of unease still lingers.
I need to fire my security team. The fact that Isabelle was in my living room uninvited last time is still fresh in my mind, and now it seems like someone has broken in again.
I quickly get dressed and step outside, scanning the surroundings, but there’s no one in sight. But I can’t shake off the feeling of unease. I head to my security system to check on Nadine’s location, hoping she’s still safe at her mom’s house.
I recall the last incident at her house and how I didn’t fully trust the bodyguards. That’s why I gave her a special necklace with a tracking device. Now, I’m glad I took that precaution. I check the tracking device.
I scan my system, my eyes fixed on Nadine’s location. But what I see makes my heart sink. She’s at the Hudson River waterfront in Piermont, a remote area with rocky shores and dense woods.
My mind raced, “What the hell is she doing there?” And then it hits me – my worst fear has come true. She’s been taken.
I grab my phone and dial the bodyguards assigned to her. “Where the fuck is Nadine?” I thunder, with anger.
“S-sir, we can’t find her,” one of them stammers. “She stepped outside to get groceries and now… we can’t locate her.”
I explode in fury. “You bunch of incompetent fools! How often will you fail in your duties? She’s right under your watch, and still, you can’t find her!” I can feel my control slipping away.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. “Find her,” I growl. “Now. I don’t care what it takes, just find her.”
I hang up the phone and start pacing back and forth, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
I stop pacing and look around the room, my eyes landing on the security monitors. I start scanning the feeds, searching for any sign of Nadine or her captors.
As I scan the feeds, I notice something strange. A black SUV was parked near the waterfront. I zoom in on the plate, and my heart sinks. It’s a familiar plate, one that I know all too well.
“Ethan,” I whisper to myself. “You’re behind this, aren’t you?”
I quickly dial the police chief’s number, my mind racing with urgency. “I need backup, Nadine’s been captured,” trying to keep a calm voice.
“Okay, right on it, Mr. West,” he responds, and I can hear the seriousness in his tone.
I hang up and rush back to my room, swiftly changing into comfortable clothing. I know I need to be prepared for whatever lies ahead. I input the code to my safe and retrieve my gun, knowing it may come in handy.
“Richie, meet me downstairs, right now,” I bark into the phone, not wasting any time.
I hurry downstairs, and thankfully, Richie is already there, waiting for me. “What’s wrong, boss?” he asks.
“Nadine’s been kidnapped, can you believe the bunch of incompetent fools I have as her bodyguards?” I shake my head, disgust and frustration could be detected in my voice.
I bark orders at Richie, “Prepare the car and call the rest of the men for backup, now!” Even though I’ve already alerted the police chief, I want my team ready for action.
We speed out of the driveway, one of my men behind the wheel, weaving through traffic. I don’t care about the rules right now; all I care about is getting to Nadine in one piece.
The drive felt like an eternity, my heart lodged in my throat. For the first time, I’m scared – scared of losing her. The thought of those who want to harm her outnumbering us makes my blood run cold.
I grip the seat, my knuckles white with tension, as we take a sharp turn.
I quickly dial Nadine’s mom’s number, my mind racing with worry. As soon as she answers, she asks, “Hello, have you seen Nadine?”
I sigh in frustration and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Calm down, ma. She’s fine and will be back in one piece,” I try to reassure her.
But she presses on, “Tell me, is everything fine with her?” I know I have to be honest with her.
I hesitate, not wanting to think about the possibility of what if… But I take a deep breath and say quietly, “She’s been taken ma.”
Her gasp echoes through the phone, “My baby, what are you going to do?”
“Calm down, ma. I’m on my way to get her, and I promise she’ll be back before you know it.” I’ve made a promise to her mom, one I must keep by bringing Nadine back safely.
I glance at the system, my eyes scanning the screen for any sign of Nadine’s location. And then, I see it – her signal is still blinking. The necklace, the one thing that could lead me to her, is still with her.
My mind races with possibilities. If Sydney was indeed part of the team that took Nadine, she would have detected the necklace’s signal by now. But the fact that it’s still active tells me that Sydney isn’t there.
Just when I think we still have a lead, the signal on the screen goes dark. My heart sinks, and my worst fear becomes a reality. “Damn it!” I curse, with a tight voice.
I’m scared, and I know I need to act fast. I bark orders at the driver, “Move this fucking car! Now!” And the driver responds instantly, peeling out of our location like a shot.
I’m on edge, my mind racing. What if we’ve lost her? What if we’re too late? I push aside my thoughts and focus on the task at hand. We need to move, and we need to move now.