Page 19 of Dirty Little Vow
He stares at the message and his eyes go wide. “Oh, shit. Oh, shit.” He looks between us. “You can’t think I’m in on this.” His attention settles on me. “Tyler, I’m a pain in your ass, but with good intentions. I don’t want you to lose the company.”
“You mean you don’t want to lose your position in the company.”
“Of course, I don’t,” he admits. “And that means you retain your holding. I’m not in a better position with you gone. Why do you think I went to the courthouse today? You finally sealed the deal with Bella, but you’re still so damn certain that your father has a surprise planned, it’s making me nervous.”
“And yet, up to this point you didn’t want to talk about the Allen family,” I point out.
“It’s not that simple, Tyler,” he replies.
“No?” I challenge. “Why not?”
“Let’s go inside and talk,” Dash interjects. “We still have an audience from several directions.”
“I’m fine with that,” Gavin replies. “If Tyler is willing.”
“I’d rather you just spit it out, but yeah,” I say, “I’ll go inside, but know this: if I figure out you had something to do with this, you might not leave the building alive. You still want to go inside?”
“I do,” he says without hesitation, “because everything I did that pissed you off was done because it’s my job to do right by you, even if you’re stubborn enough to hate me for it.”
He speaks every word of that statement while looking me in the eye. Liars don’t look you in the eye. Fuck me. He might not know where she is, and where does that leave us? “Let’s go talk now and quickly.”
“Yes,” Dash agrees. “Quickly.”
I take another step backward, just far enough to allow him to rotate and start walking. “You first,” I say, my lips thinning. “I promise to be right behind you.”
There is a flicker of discomfort in his eyes that tells me nothing. If I had Dash and me breathing down my throat, I wouldn’t be half as submissive as he’s being right now. And Gavin isn’t a guy I’d call submissive. That could mean any number of things, which I’ll figure out inside. He rotates on his heel and starts walking.
I can feel Dash compelling me to look at him, but fuck that shit. I’m waiting for Gavin to start running and show me he’s a little bitch. Then it’s gloves off and screw whoever is watching. I can feel the pump of adrenaline start to flow again. I want him to run. I take a step forward. Dash catches my arm. “He’s not going to run,” he murmurs softly. “I don’t think he’s a part of this, which means we’re wasting time with him. We need to find out fast and move on.”
It’s not what I want to hear, and I’m not nearly as convinced as he is that Gavin is innocent of wrongdoing. Dash might be a former FBI agent, but I’ve known Gavin for years, and as of late, seen how he’s pushed me to act in his self-interest. I jerk my arm from his and start walking. Gavin is in my sights. He’s all we have right now, and I’m not ready to write him off.
Dash curses and falls into step with me, right as Gavin turns the corner. I’m pumped up and ready to take him down when the doors chime as he enters the bakery side of the store. I’m actually disappointed. I want to hit someone, and he is as good as anyone right now. I follow him inside.Adrianna,one of the owners, is behind the counter and waves in my direction.
Gavin pauses and glances back at us as Dash halts by my side and motions to his favorite corner table. “I’m going to find out if they’ve seen Bella,” I say, not bothering to wait for an answer. I stride to the counter, only to be greeted byAdrianna. She’s a pretty woman, with warm mahogany skin and a beautiful smile she offers me now.
“How are you, Tyler?”
“Have you seen Bella today?”
“No. Why? Is she—I mean, why are you even asking that question?”
“Just call me if she shows up. It’s important.”
Her brows furrow. “Everything okay?”
“No. Everything is not okay. Tell the staff, too.”
“Yes. Yes, okay. Do you need anything at your table?”
“Nothing.” I pull out my money clip and stick a hundred-dollar bill in the tip jar. “For taking up your space.” I give her a nod and turn back to the seating area, to where Dash and Gavin are sitting face-to-face, and glance at my watch.
It’s been almost two hours since that text message. What if two hours and ten minutes is when her captor kills her?
Chapter Sixteen
Tyler
I walk back to the table and watch as Dash takes a call, which of course, is about Bella. My pace quickens, urgency driving my steps. Whatever he knows, I need to know. When I arrive at the table, I slide into the seat that places me in the middle of Dash and Gavin. Dash ends the call and flicks me a look. “No word on Bella. Nothing on the cameras my guys can find that Dierk’s did not, but they’ve connected now and they’re sharing resources.” He then glances, oh so casually at Gavin, and asks, “Do you own a burner phone, Gavin?”