A small part of me wants to just give up but I can’t. I need to get my sister set free from that monster. He’s had her away from us and has her thinking he’s something he’s not.
He’s not a good man. He’s not a good husband. He’s not a good anything and Cyprian was right about that. He could see right through him.
Well, I pray Cyprian still feels that way and decides to come looking for me. And this time when Cyprian wants to deal with him, I’ll let him.
Is there a chance in hell this could end well…?
Chapter 3
CYPRIAN
“She hasn’t answered her cell in three hours,” I tell the police officer I had come to my office. “I went to her sister’s house, the place she was going when she left here. No one’s there. Cami’s car is parked across the street from the house, it’s locked and I could see her purse and phone were lying on the passenger seat. Something’s wrong.”
“A person has to be missing 24 hours before we’ll make a report and start a search. You said her car is at the residence. Have you tried to contact her sister?”
“Of course, I have. And her brother-in-law.” I know I can’t divulge the fact I threatened Peter and that has me hindered about what all I can say to the officer. So, I weigh my words carefully. “Neither of them are answering their phones. I gave them each a car and those cars are gone. Do you think you can start a search for those cars? They do belong to me.”
“I can do that if you want to report them stolen. But you just told me you gave them the cars, so they aren’t stolen. Look, Mr. Girard, if you’re really worried then maybe you should hire a private investigator. Our hands are tied until tomorrow,” he tells me and puts his little pad of paper and pen away.
Giving him a nod, I get up and escort him out of my office. My mind is a mess. I know something has to be wrong. I know Cami didn’t go with them anywhere. I went all through that house and no one’s there and many of their clothes seem to be missing.
Calling Ashton, I think it’s time to call in some favors, since the police seem to have their hands tied. “Mr. Girard, are you ready to be picked up?”
“Yes, and do you know anyone who specializes in finding missing people?” I ask him as I grab my jacket and head out of my office. “The police can’t do anything about Cami until tomorrow. That’s not good enough for me, so I’m taking things into my own hands and I need more than my one set.”
“I’ll make some calls. Where would you like for people to meet with you?”
“My place. Get all the help you can find, please. I have a feeling Peter is taking his family and leaving the country. I also have a feeling he might be the only one who knows where Cami is.”
“On it, sir.”
I wish I felt relief that I’m soon to get help but I don’t think any relief will come until I have Cami, safe in my arms again.
Hurrying out, I get into the back seat of the BMW and Ashton takes off. He’s on the phone and looks at me through the rearview mirror. “I can have my cousin, Franco, run by the airport to check for the cars you gave them.”
“Do that. Take me out to the house. I want to pick up the spare key for the Lamborghini, so I can check it out better. Did you know of any private investigators who might be able to help?”
“I have my sister, Lola, working on that. She’s going to get back to me. Her ex-husband is a retired cop. There’s a chance he knows someone,” Ashton tells me.
“I feel an urgency moving within me that I’ve never felt before. I know she’s in real danger, I can feel it.” I pull my phone out and try her sister’s number again and find it’s going straight to voicemail now. So, I call her parents’ home.
“Hello?” her mother answers the phone.
“Mrs. Petit, it’s me, Cyprian.”
“Ana, call me Ana, Cyprian. What can I do for you this fine morning?” she asks, sounding chipper and I hate to be the one who will ruin her morning but it seems I’m about to do just that.
“Ana, do you have more than one phone number for Catarina? Cami went to their house this morning and now I can’t find her. Catarina and Peter have left with their children and most of their clothes are gone.”
“Hold on a minute. Let me get Tommy in on this conversation,” she tells me then I hear her yelling for her husband to pick up another phone.
“What’s going on, Cyprian?” he asks as I hear a clattering sound as he picks up the phone.
“Cami’s missing. And to a lesser extent, so is Catarina and the kids. Peter has to have taken them all somewhere. I can’t get a hold of any of them. Cami’s car is still parked across the street from their house but no one’s in it. Their cars are gone and I’m beyond worried.”
“Let me try to call her from my cell,” Tommy says and I wait to see if she’ll answer him. “Catarina, where are you?”
I breathe out a sign of relief that she’s answered him and cross my fingers she knows where I can find Cami. “Thank God.”
“What do you mean, you’re at the airport?” Tommy asks her. “Where is your sister?”
More silence keeps me waiting and holding my body tense. “Please let her be okay.”
“Catarina, Cyprian said he went to your house and her car’s there but she’s not,” Tommy says. “And why are you going back to Cape Town?”
I’m thinking that I need to get to the airport, so I call out to Ashton, “New plan. Take me to the airport. Catarina and Peter are there.”
Making a quick turn, Ashton gets on route to the airport. As I hear Tommy ask, “Why would you follow him then?”
“Tell her that Peter has already married that other woman he told her he was considering and that she is already pregnant. He’s been married for months,” I tell Tommy.
Ana gasps and Tommy says, “Where is Peter right now?”
“Tell her I think Peter’s done something with Cami,” I say and hope we’re getting closer to finding her.
“Okay, good. I have something to tell you and I’m afraid you’re going to be shocked. Cyprian just told me that Peter has taken another wife and she’s pregnant. He’s been married for months. He also thinks Peter has done something with Camilla.”
“Tell her, she should get the kids and hide from Peter and his brothers until I get some help to her,” I tell Tommy and hope we can get to her and the kids in time.
“You have to stop crying,” he tells her. “You have to get a hold of yourself. Get the kids and hide from Peter and his brothers. Cyprian is going to get help to you. Now I need you to think very hard. Where could your sister be?”
The sound of fire trucks come from behind us, making Ashton pull over to the side of the road to let them pass. I watch them take the exit off the highway that is the same exit you take to get to the house I rented for Peter and Catarina. “Follow those trucks, Ashton. I have a terrible feeling.”
He does as I say as I hear Tommy say, “Catarina says Camilla has to still be in the house. No one left from the time she saw her there until the time they left. Peter told her that Camilla was going to lock the house up after they left.”
My heart starts to thump harder in my chest as we’re stopped a ways back on the street their house is on. And I can see smoke billowing out of the windows on the first floor of the house I rented for her sister and brother-in-law.
“Tell Catarina that the house is on fire. We just followed firetrucks to it. Tell her to hide herself and her kids and I’m about to be sending the authorities to pick up her husband and his brothers from the airport. Once they’re all secured then I’ll call you, Tommy, so you can tell her where to go. I’ll have someone pick them up. Ask her how many of his brothers are there, so I can make sure they all get picked up.”
“She says three of them and to please hurry. The jet is being fueled up,” Tommy tells me.
“Got it. I’ll call you soon.” I put the phone on the seat next to me and get out of the car.
Ashton jumps out, grabbing my arm. “Where do you think you
’re going? They won’t let you anywhere near that house.”
I didn’t have a plan at all until he said that. “You go tell them about Peter and his brothers. I’m going into that house through the back while you have them occupied.”
“No!” he shouts at me. “No way!”
I shake off his hand and start walking away. “Cami’s in that house. And I searched it all before. Except for one place. I have to go in. Even if I die, I’ll die with her. I can’t live without her, anyway.”
“Cyprian! Don’t!” he shouts as he comes up beside me. “Please!”
“Go tell the authorities about Peter and that he and his brothers orchestrated this and if I find Cami inside then they meant to kill her. They have to be stopped before they get out of the country.”
With no choice, Ashton runs up to the firemen and policemen at the front of the house. I slip into the neighboring house’s backyard and climb over the tall privacy fence. Peeking over the top of it, I see the fire is in the front of the house right now. The back door is ajar and only puffs of smoke are coming out of it.
I must’ve left the door open, I suppose, when I checked it a while ago. I hurry to get over the fence and make my way to the back door. Just as I slip inside, I hear a man yelling, “Hey, you! Stop!”
But I can’t stop…
Chapter 4
CAMILLA
The sound of firetrucks has my heart pounding harder than I believe it ever has before. The smell of smoke is a major concern and I think the loud sound I heard a little while ago was something blowing up.
Everything is muffled up here, in the attic. I can hear men’s voices and the sounds of their radios going off but I can’ make out what anyone is saying. The duct tape they used to cover my mouth is wrapped around my head. It has my ears covered too, making it hard to hear a thing.
I need to get my body up off this floor, somehow. There’s a window at the other end of the attic. If I can get to that, maybe someone will see me and help me. If I don’t manage that, I’m most likely going to die in this place.
Rolling back to the old sofa, I maneuver my body until I’m lying, face-first, on the floor in front of it. My hands are tied behind my back, so I have no use of them. Arching up, I use my hips to move my body closer to the sofa until I can use my chin to help left my body up.
My neck hurts as I put tremendous pressure on it, to leverage my body up as much as I possibly can. I get to my knees and am able to put the top half of my body on the dusty, stinky, old red cloth sofa and get my feet underneath me.
I get up, slowly. My ankles are taped so tightly I can’t move them independently. It’s hard to balance with my body so bound up but I manage and start hopping across the floor toward the one window up here.
With my first jump, I find myself having to regain my balance again. As I breathe heavily with fear and the effort my body is making, I can smell the smoke more. It seems the front of the house is what’s on fire. And that’s where the damn window is.
I make another jump and hear the sound of wood splintering. Another jump has me nearly falling over and the smell of smoke is worse and there is more heat on this side of the attic.
Stopping to regain my balance and my bearings, I look around and see wisps of smoke coming up through some of the cracks that are beginning to form as the fire underneath is spreading to the attic.
Suddenly, I change my entire plan. I need to make it to the attic door. Maybe if I can jump up and down on it, I might get it to fall open. That means I’ll fall to the floor but if I continue on this path, I could fall through the floor and into the fire.
Making it near the wall, I lean on it for support while I rest a moment and try to gain some strength that’s been sapped from me. I close my eyes and picture Cyprian. Just in case I never see him again, I want to remember him just one more time.
His touch, his smell, his smile, his body. I just wish like hell I had listened to him and not come over here alone. He was right and I was wrong and it may have cost me my life.
Tears fall as I shake my head to shake off the feelings of failure. I have yet to try. I have no idea if I’ll succeed or not, until I try.
I hop once, twice. I can see the inset of where the attic door is and it seems to be about three more hops away. So, I go for the next one and find my feet going all the way through the floor.
I am falling…
Chapter 5
CYPRIAN
So the fireman who spotted me can’t find me, I lock the kitchen door behind me. It might be a foolish act but I can’t let him stop me. “Cami!”
Hopefully, Ashton told the other firemen that someone might be in here. Suddenly, I hear the sound of squealing tires and sirens moving away from the house. I hope that means police officers are heading to the airport to get the bastards who did this.
If the authorities don’t take care of them, I will!
The smoke is getting thicker the further I move into the house. The hallway is in the center of the house. The attic door is on the ceiling of the second floor. Although going up the stairs is a stupid thing to do. I have a gut feeling that Cami is in that attic.
“Cami!” I shout again as I get to the top of the stairs and see the attic door. A horrible cracking sound fills my ears and I look behind me and see red and yellow flames, licking at the bottom of the stairs.
“Fuck!” I scream. “Can’t you cut me a break?”
Pulling the attic door open, I find the stairs there and pull them down then climb up. “Cami!”
I pull myself up into the attic and stand up, finding a hole not too far away. Walking over, I see a bed through the hole. That’s all I can see is a bed and I have no idea why this hole is here or how long it’s been here.
Walking a bit further, I want to make sure I cover every inch of this attic. The smell is awful up here. And I can see the glow of the fire beneath me as I walk closer to the front of the house.
Sparks of yellow light fill the air in front of me and a loud crackling sound makes me step back as half of the attic floor gives away. The flames are huge and it’s hot as hell. I step backward, quickly.
Too quickly. I’ve stepped into the damn hole and now I’m falling through the floor into what, I have no clue.
Have I made a terrible mistake…?
Chapter 6
CAMILLA
Lying on the floor of another room, I blink as I regain consciousness. The fall had me hitting something and flying through the air and landing head first, knocking me out. For how long, I don’t know.
I do know it’s hot and smells like fire and brimstone and I hope this isn’t hell. I can hear the sound of more wood cracking and roll over to see what’s happening as I’m face first, down on the floor.
My body hurts like hell and I think something might just be broken. I’m having a hard time breathing. That could be from too much smoke inhalation or a broken rib. Quite possibly both.
As I roll the rest of the way over, I catch the sight of someone falling through the hole in the ceiling I caused. He bounces on the bed and flies through the air.
I roll as fast as I can to get out of the way as I see Cyprian’s face looking frantically at me. “Cami, move!”
It hurts to roll but I do it and manage to get out of his way. Like a cat, he springs up after he lands and picks me up. I groan as it hurts so bad and now I am certain I have broken ribs on my right side.
“Baby, there’s not time to stop and get you out of this fucking duct tape. You’re going to have to hold on, while I throw you over my shoulder and get you out of here,” he tells me as he searches the room.
Pulling off the bedspread and the sheet under that, he runs to the bathroom that’s attached to the bedroom. I watch as he tries the water in the sink but nothing comes out of it. Not waiting a beat, he opens the toilet lid and plunges the things into it to wet them as much as possible.
He comes toward me with the blanket and wraps it around me like a cocoon. I can’t see a thing bu
t know he’s wrapped the wet sheet around himself and then I’m tossed over his wide shoulder.
I cry out with the pain in my ribs but he can’t hear that with this shit covering my mouth. “Just hold on, baby. I love you. I’m going to get you to safety.”
Closing my eyes, I start praying as I know this house in close to being engulfed in flames. And then we’re moving and the pain of me being bobbed around has blackness coming.
I can’t take it…
Chapter 7
CYPRIAN
As I get into the second-floor hallway, I see there’s no way we’re getting out through the stairs. I race to a bedroom at the very back of the house and lay Cami on the bed, so I can open the window.
She lies still, so I pull back the blanket and see she’s passed out. Looking around the room for something to at least cut the tape off her mouth, I find nothing and decide to hurry to get her the hell out of here.
I run to the window and push it open then push the screen out. It falls to the ground but no one’s back here. I see a neighbor in a backyard, two house over and shout, “Hey! Hey!”
He looks up at me and his eyes go wide. “You need to get the hell out of there!”
“No shit, Sherlock! Can you go tell one of the firemen about me? There’s no other way out. I need a ladder and I have a woman here too.”
He nods and hauls ass inside his home. With a bit of time, I go and start to pull at the tape, covering her mouth. I find the end of it and begin to unwrap it. I can see it was ran around her head four times, as I unravel it.
I’m gently tugging it away from her skin and hate finding the red welts it’s leaving on her face. I kiss it all over. “Cami, wake up.”
Her breathing is shallow and she’s not waking up. Finally, I hear voices outside the window. “Wait there! We’re coming up to you.”
I look out the window and see six firemen with a tall ladder and one is climbing up to us. “Thank God!”
I go and pick up Cami, waiting for the man to get to me. As he sees her, he gasps, “Someone wanted to kill her.”
The Alpha's Assistant & The Dom Next Door Page 41