DONOVAN (Gray Wolf Security, #1)(174)

I maneuvered the van off the interstate and headed down the side streets that led to Lucien’s house.

“How long did they date?”

“Two and a half years, I think.”

“Why did he stick it out so long?”

Rachel turned in her seat a little. “I don’t know. He liked her.”

“I dated a guy once who thought he was a god or something. He used to tell me how great he was all the time. It was so annoying. But I stayed with him because it was easier than going back to dating, you know?”

Rachel nodded. “I’ve done that, too. This guy, he was an *. But I had this dance coming up at school and didn’t want to go alone.”

“I guess we’ve all done stupid things when it comes to relationships.”

“At least Lucien’s already gotten it out of his system. Now you don’t have to worry that he might be going through something stupid with you.”

I smiled even as I turned into the short drive that ended in the guard shack outside Lucien’s housing community.

“That is a relief.”

The security guard came to the window and smiled when he saw us.

“Ladies,” he said. “How are you tonight?”

“Is Lucien up at his house?” Rachel asked instead of answering.

“He is,” the security guard said. “Is he expecting you?”

“No,” I said. “But he’s not answering his phone.”

“He was there with his brother about half an hour ago. Mr. Callahan left a few minutes ago.”

I glanced at Rachel. “He’s probably all right then. Maybe we should go on to Katy.”

“What are we going to do there? Your dad’s there. He can deal with it.”

I felt like I should be in Katy. I knew my father could handle whatever happened there, but I felt like I should be there because this was my case. I’d been working on it since the beginning. But a part of me just really wanted to see Lucien.

And wanted to know why Lucien wasn’t in Katy trying to save me from kidnappers. Wasn’t that what the text told him to do? Was there a reason why he wasn’t there?

Something was wrong. I felt it in my bones as I sat there with all these thoughts rushing through my mind. He should be in Katy. He would be in Katy if he could be. There had to be a good reason why he wasn’t there.

“Do you ladies want to go through?” the security guard asked.

Rachel just looked at me, leaving the decision in my hands.

“Yes.”

“No problem.”

He stepped back and reached into the guard house to push the button that released the gate. I drove forward slowly, narrowly missing the gate on one side. The guard was waving when I glanced in the rearview like we were old friends or something. I’d seen him maybe three times in the week or so I’d known Lucien.

A week. It seemed so much longer than that.

Was I overreacting? Was I expecting things from Lucien that it was too early to expect? Was it the conversation Rachel had been having that made me feel this way? Or was it something more? Would Lucien even appreciate us showing up on his front doorstep in the middle of the night?

I wasn’t sure, to be honest. I mean, I had just disappeared from his hotel room. He called my dad, but maybe he thought that was good enough. Maybe he was washing his hands of me now. Maybe he didn’t care if I was rescued, if I came back to him. Maybe…

Was I being stupid?

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Rachel said.

I glanced at her. “Maybe we shouldn’t be invading his privacy.”

“We’re not. I’m bringing you back to him after kidnapping you.”

“Maybe he wasn’t concerned about me.”

“I’m sure he was.”

I pulled to a stop in the driveway and seriously thought about just throwing the transmission into reverse and backing out. Rachel reached over and touched my arm.

“Are you upset because he’s here instead of in Katy?”

I didn’t answer her, but I guess I didn’t have to.

“It doesn’t mean anything. Maybe your father told him to stay home, to let him take care of it. It would be the smart thing to do to protect him from the unknown.”

“Maybe.”

It actually made sense. My father would do something like that.

Rachel took my hand and squeezed it. “Come on. Let’s go inside and see what he has to say for himself.”

“Are you going to tell him what you did?”

Rachel’s eyes filled with tears at just the thought. But she sniffed and nodded. “I am. I owe him that much.”

I squeezed her hand. “He’ll understand.”

“Do you?”

I nodded. “I do.”

“I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t hurt you too badly.”

I reached back and touched the bump at the back of my head. “No. I’m good.”

Rachel took a deep breath and sighed. “Okay. Let’s go inside.”





Chapter 39


Adrienne

Lucien’s car was in the front drive of his big, beautiful house. I touched the hood, not surprised to find it was still a little warm. The security guard had said that he’d only been here about half an hour.