I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry you felt like you had to do this. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you find your way free. I’m so fucking sorry.

The words echoed in my head and tore open the wounds festering inside me. Ari never loosened her grip, and I lost track of time as I let go.

52

Rhett

The next morning, Ari’s phone woke us both up from a dead sleep. She snatched it up and hit the button to answer.

“Hello?”

Even without it being on speaker, Esme’s voice came through loud and clear. “Security hasn’t been able to find Jan. There’s no sign of her.”

“Shit,” I muttered, my brain roaring to life.

“But that’s not why I’m freaking the fuck out. Erik didn’t show up for our Soul Cycle class. He never misses. He’s not answering his phone either. I’m heading to his apartment right now.”

“Wait, what?” Ari sputtered. “No. If you’re—”

I snatched the phone out of her hand. “Esme?”

“Yeah? Who the hell is this?”

“Hennessy.”

“Oh my God, if I weren’t losing my shit right now, I’d be freaking out over the fact that you’re clearly in bed together.”

“Not important. What’s important is that you stay the fuck away from Erik’s apartment. Is there a manager you can call? Someone who can check on him?”

“I already called and they didn’t answer. I have to go check myself.”

Ari rubbed her eyes, turning them red. “Don’t let her—”

I held up a hand. “Esme, listen to me. If something happened to Erik, what matters most is making sure nothing happens to you.”

“You can’t stop me from going. He’s my best friend, dammit!”

I knew from her determined tone that nothing I could say would change her mind, so I had to secure her safety another way. “If you’re going to his place, don’t go near his door without the manager. Wait for someone to walk up there with you. If there’s any sign of tampering with the lock or door, get back in your car and call the cops. I’ll check on things from my end and call you back.”

“But—”

“Call the manager.”

“Tell her I said she better not go up there by herself,” Ari said, her tone panicked.

“Your boss forbids you to do this by yourself, and she doesn’t care if you have a key.” I was guessing about the last part, but it was a safe assumption.

“Okay. Fine. But I’m going. I’ll call as soon as I get there.”

“Good. We’ll be waiting.”

When I ended the call, Ari clutched the covers to her chest. “Oh my God. Do you think . . .”

Snatching my phone from the nightstand, I dialed Heath. “I don’t know, but your brother better have an update, because this shit ain’t cool.”

Heath answered on the first ring. “What’s happening?”

“Two of Ari’s employees are missing. Where are things at on your end? The Feds bringing Carlos in?”

A moment of heavy silence stretched for too long before he answered. “Not yet. They’re trying to do this smart because they want him to flip, and—”

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me. The Feds really think he’s going to betray his whole family? And for what? Fucking idiots.”

“I can’t make them bring him in. You know that.”

“Yeah, well, if something happens to your sister’s employees, it’s gonna be on them for not getting off their asses.”

“I know it’s frustrating. We’re making progress. The gears just turn slow with all the red tape. You get how it is.”

“Tell them to move faster. They might have more to investigate than just him if they don’t hurry the fuck up.”

“I’ll relay the message. Anything else? Ari okay?”

I met her stare. “She’s safe, and that’s what matters.”

“Good deal, brother. Take care of her.”

“You know I will.”

I hung up and grabbed Ari’s hand. “They haven’t brought him in.”

She cleared her throat. “I gathered that. What are we going to do if something happened to Erik or Jan? I can’t . . .” She trailed off as if the words got caught in her throat.

I reached out to loop an arm around her and pulled her against my chest. “Don’t borrow trouble. We’ll take it as it comes.”

“Okay.” When I finally released her, she rolled to the side of the bed. “I need my computer. I need to dig. I have to feel like I’m doing something instead of just waiting and hoping.”

“You do that, and I’ll call Esme.”

She nodded and left the room. I used her phone to call her employee back.

“Did you find out something?” Esme asked in lieu of a greeting.

“Carlos Herrera is still walking free. You need to be careful.”

“This is my best friend we’re talking about. I would do anything for him.”

“And he would want you to stay safe.”

“I’ll call you back as soon as I get there. Give me five minutes.”

I paced the room while I waited, and finally, the phone rang.

“He’s not here, but his door was unlocked! Erik wouldn’t do that. Ever.”

“Don’t go inside. Call the cops.”

“They won’t take a missing-person report for forty-eight hours. I saw him eighteen hours ago.”

Fuck. I knew that all too well.

“We’ll call in a favor and have someone come check it out. Lock the door, keep your key, and go to the office. Stay there until you hear from me.”

“Okay. But if something happened to Erik . . .”

“I’m going to tell you the same thing I just told your boss—don’t borrow trouble.”

We said good-bye and I hung up. I yanked on jeans and followed the scent of coffee to the kitchen where Ari was standing on one leg, the other foot pressed against her inner thigh like she was attempting a yoga pose, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

“Do I want to ask what you’re doing?”