Page 22 of Before the Fall

I push open the glass doors and walk into the kitchen. I’m greeted by the smell of burning food. Why the hell did Ryker think this person was a talented chef? The first damn thing she cooks for us she ruins. What the fuck?

When I get finished reaming her out, I’m calling him and demanding he call her back to whatever her usual job is for him. Maybe Tia’s right about Ryker liking Ivy for more than her culinary talents. Nah, that’s impossible. He’s madly in love with Kaia, and they have little Maxim now. I’ve never seen him happier.

But whatever he thinks about this Ivy person is completely off the mark.

I hurry over to the stove and turn off the burner, but our meal is ruined. Fucking great. Ivy isn’t anywhere in the kitchen and dining room area, of course. Why would a cook actually stay where the damn food is cooking? Seriously, this woman had one goddamned job.

Smoke fills the room, so I make sure the overhead hood is on to clear the place out. While that does its job, I begin looking for Ivy, who doesn’t seem to be able to do hers.

I can’t find her anywhere, which seems odd. In fact, all of this feels wrong. My gut tells me something is off, but I don’t know what.

As I march around the first floor searching for her, a terrible thought crops up in my mind. Does Ryker know everything there is to know about this woman? Is it possible she’s not who she says she is?

Then an idea comes to me that makes my blood run cold. Is she not a cook at all but someone sent by Victor to do the job he can’t with Tia?

I run back outside to find her sitting like she was when I left a couple minutes ago. She looks at me with confusion since I’m sure she expected to see the food with me.

“What’s going on? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost, Jaxon.”

Taking her by the arm, I hurry her back inside. “Come with me.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

The first step into the kitchen lets Tia know what’s going on. “She burned the French toast? How hard is it to cook pieces of bread? Where is she? Maybe if she didn’t bail on the meal it wouldn’t be ruined.”

I don’t answer any of her questions because I need to find Ivy. Now.

When Tia tries to walk over to the stove, I refuse to let go of her. “No. You stay with me.”

Fear fills her eyes, and she tightens her hold on my hand. “What’s going on, Jaxon? Did something happen?”

“I don’t know. Something is definitely wrong here. We need to find Ivy. I’ve checked all the rooms on this floor, so we’ll go upstairs.”

As we walk toward the stairs, she asks, “Did you check the powder room off the kitchen?”

I look at her and shake my head. “No. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a powder room before.”

Tia stares at me with eyes narrowed to slits and shakes her head. “It’s a bathroom. Just a tiny one. She might be in there sick or something. That would explain everything.”

Glancing around, I don’t see a door that looks like it goes to a bathroom. “Where is it?”

Tia points toward what I thought was a closet at the end of the hallway. “Right there. Knock first, though. She might be dealing with something.”

I have no idea what she’s referring to, and I don’t want to know at this moment. All I want is to find Ivy and send her back to Ryker.

After two raps on the door and no answer, I throw it open and hope I don’t find her sitting on the toilet. The little bathroom is pitch black, so I feel around on the wall next to the doorframe and flick on the light.

There on the floor Ivy lies in a crumpled heap surrounded by blood. A slit across her throat tells me that’s her blood she’s soaking in.

Tia looks around me and screams. “Oh my God! Who did this?”

We don’t have time to ponder that question. Someone got in here and killed Ivy, and they’re going to be coming after us. I clamp my hand over Tia’s mouth and shake my head.

“No more screaming,” I whisper. “I need you to stay right next to me. Keep your eyes open.”

I rush the two of us back to the bedroom to get my gun, and a few seconds later, at least I’m armed. The problem is I don’t know who I’m looking for or even how many of them got in. I’m guessing a single assassin, but I can’t be sure.

Before we leave to go search the second floor, Tia tugs on my hand and quietly asks, “Are we going to be okay?”