Chapter 388
Three hundred and ninety
Nurned away from the man who had given me the answer, unable to make sense of what I had just heard.
The words refused to fit together. I had spent the night in a rogue’s arms. I had given my body to a rogue, believing the moon had finally decided to stop laughing at me. Now I stood in a resort where people were afraid to even say his name, while my cousin had been taken by his people.
Had it all been a setup?
Had he known exactly who I was before he approached me? Had the entire thing been planned so he could get close to me, use the mate bond to lower my guard, and then humiliate me?
Perhaps he’d recorded me. Taken photographs.
Oh goddess.
I’d walked straight into his trap because I was desperate enough to believe I had finally found someone who wanted me.
My eyes burned.
I had spent years wondering why love always seemed to pass me by. Men noticed my face, my money, my family, my position. They saw the Alpha’s niece, the pack accountant, the assistant head of projects. They saw everything around me and rarely seemed interested in the woman underneath it.
Then one man looked at me and my wolf screamed mate.
How could I have been stupid enough to believe that?
Tears gathered despite my attempt to hold them back. The people around me probably thought I was frightened because Anita was missing. They had no idea what was breaking inside me. I was crying because I had believed, even if only for a night, that someone had finally chosen me without wanting anything attached to my name, and now that man led the very people who had taken Anita.
The moon had a cruel sense of humor.
I wiped my face and forced myself to breathe.
I had to find Anita. My humiliation could wait, and so could the possibility that my mate had deliberately deceived
My hand went to my pendant. I was about to call Dad or Uncle Cameron when something sparked in my head. The rogue had left his number on that note.
I hesitated, torn between calling Dad and trying’every other option first, but I pushed the thought of calling him aside and decided to find some other way if everything else failed.
I would have to explain that I had spent the night with the Rogue Alpha and that his people had taken my cousin.
I could already imagine the questions my parents would ask.
How could you trust him?
What were you thinking?
I turned and hurried back toward the hotel. By the time I reached the suite, housekeeping had already been
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Three hand and noety
+15 Bohus
through the room. The bed had been stripped, the sheets removed, the room cleaned until it looked as though Robody had slept there.
My heart sank. The note was gone.
I searched the bedside table, checked the drawers, looked beneath the furniture, even rushed to the bin.
Nothing.
I went back downstairs and approached the reception desk.
“The man who stayed in this suite. I need his contact information p>
The receptionist shook her head. “We don’t keep personal numbers for guests p>
“Then check the booking p>
“I can’t give out private information p>
My patience snapped. “My cousin has been abducted. I need to find the man she was taken by p>
The receptionist looked toward the security staff. They stared at me as though I’d spoken another language, that same caution from the resort staff creeping back onto their faces.
They knew something.
Before I could press them again, a familiar voice came from behind me.
“I know where some of them go.
I turned. It was the man who had sold us coconuts the day before, the one Anita said had a nice smile. He led me outside to a tricycle parked nearby, a few coconuts rolling around in the back.
“You know where they are p>
He nodded cautiously. “Some of the rogues use an old area beyond the eastern road. They come and go there p>
“Take me p>
His eyes widened.
“Miss, it’s dangerous. You should wait for your family p>
“I know. Just take me there. I know someone p>
He sighed and gestured toward the tricycle.
“Get in p>
I climbed inside, gripping my bag against my stomach as he drove away from the resort. The wind pushed against my face, carrying off the tears I refused to shed. I kept thinking about my mate, about his smile, his hands, the way my body had responded to him, and the note waiting for me when I woke.
I’ll find you.
What kind of man wrote something like that?
The tricycle rattled along the road until the resort disappeared behind us. We passed small houses, roadside stalls, and clusters of palms before the driver turned onto a rougher path.
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Throw hugared and ninety
+15 Bonus
“Where are we going p>
old storage grounds. Some of them smoke there p>
He slowed near a cluster of abandoned buildings surrounded by overgrown grass and broken fencing. Two motorcycles stood near one of the structures.
The driver stopped.
“Miss, please. These men are dangerous p>
“I’ll be careful.” I opened my purse and pulled out some money.
“For taking me here p>
He refused it.
“No. I don’t want it p>
Before I could argue, two men stepped out from behind the building. They wore dark clothes and carried themselves with the careless confidence of men who believed nobody would challenge them.
I got down from the tricycle and walked toward them. They stopped and watched me approach.
“Where’s your boss p>
They exchanged a glance, then burst into loud laughter.
“Who the fuck are you?” one asked.
“I want to see your boss. Your lord. Whatever you call him. He knows me p>
The coconut seller hurried toward me.
“Miss, we need to leave p>
I ignored him.
“Take me to him p>
The men looked at each other again.
“You heard her?” one said, grinning. “She wants to see the Lord p>
“Why do you want to see him?” the second asked.
“Some rogues already took my cousin p>
His face tightened, but I didn’t care. The men exchanged another look, and one of them stepped closer. “You really want to come with us p>
“Yes p>
“Fine p>
The coconut seller scrambled back onto the tricycle and drove off before I could stop him. I watched him disappear down the road, then turned back to the men.
Three more bikes joined them, and their riders jumped off. My heart skipped at the sight of the weapons hanging
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Thran hundred and ninety
+15 Bohus
at their sides, and the casual amusement on their faces made my pulse climb.
mate was their leader, and even though it shamed me to admit it, that fact gave me enough courage to keep my chin up.
“You’re very confident,” one of the first two said.
“I’m asking for my cousin. I’m not asking for anything else p>
“Then let’s go p>
P
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Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.