72.0%
Chapter 152
It was clear I was agitating her. But why? I watched her cringe at my words, but stand firm, her back straight and her shoulders erect. I knew I wasn’t going to get anything further from her, so I made my rounds once again throughout the common areas of the resort and by walking the hallways. Anywhere I thought she might be. I couldn’t find any offices near or off the lobby. It didn’t make any sense. I even let my wolf surge close to the surface to heighten our senses in the search.
My hunt left me once again empty–handed. There was absolutely no sign of Elise anywhere and I fought back the bile as it rose into my throat and worry consumed me. The best I could hope for was that the woman behind the counter was telling the truth and she had left with an Uber driver, and maybe it had been longer than the lady had thought and enough time had passed to dissolve her scent in the air. I didn’t really believe that, but it was so much better than the alternative.
Deciding on a new course of action, I headed back to the front desk for what felt like the millionth time. This time I would ask her to describe the Uber car. That way, I could begin the research towards identifying whoever had picked her up and where they went. I would demand to see video footage of the front door to confirm her response, because I knew I could not trust this woman, but also because it would hopefully give me a time and direction to continue my search for her.
With my wolf still so close to the surface, I took a big whiff as I approached, and I smelled her. I smelled Elise. It wasn’t the freshest trail, and it wasn’t leading to the front door, either. I walked around the side of the front desk and pushed past the lady as she attempted to stop me in protest. My heart leapt with joy at the smell of my mate
“You can’t be back here,” she demanded, culling my enthusiasm. “I’m calling security.”
“You do that. I’m sure they’ll be happy to hear how my girlfriend was not picked up by Uber, and that you are lying. Perhaps they will be more helpful in locating her than you are.”
I saw her sway, looking simultaneously furious and scared. The mixed scents she was putting off told me it was a little of both. I continued on the trail I had picked up, ignoring her constant protests at my back.
I heard heavy footsteps ahead as I zeroed in on a room to my left, down a long, dark hallway. It was cracked open and I nudged it the rest of the way as security reached me, but not before I saw Elise’s bag sitting in the room.
“Elise!” I yelled, as two hands grabbed each arm and pulled me back. “Elise!” I yelled again, but she didn’t respond.
15:16
Billionaire Alpha’s 99 Deadly Games
72.2%
Chapter 152
I shook off the security officers.
“Sir, you can’t be here. This is an employee–only area.”
I stopped and turned towards the two men more calmly than I felt.
“That’s my girlfriend’s bag,” I said, pointing into the abandoned room. “The same girlfriend she assured me took an Uber this morning.” I pointed to the woman who had continually lied to me all morning. “Look, I don’t want to cause any trouble here. I just want to know where my girlfriend is, and why she’s been lying and giving me the run around all morning.”
The security men stopped and eased up on their grips. They turned to the lady and she opened her mouth, then shut it tight. “I don’t know what he’s talking about,” she finally settled on, but I could tell that her response and body language weren’t sitting well with the security guys, either.
“Check that bag,” the heavyset one told the other.
“Shit,” I heard the lady say under her breath.
The short, scrawny officer looked throughout the room. There really wasn’t much to look through, but he found scratch marks on the back of the door, and under the desk in the center of the room they found Elise’s purse. A quick check for identification in the wallet confirmed it was hers. But
where was she?
I turned back to woman. “Where is she?” I demanded.
She paled, but her jaw was clamped tight.
“Come on,” the heavyset one said, letting go of me and grabbing her by the arm instead. I followed them to a room filled with video cameras on the opposite side of the building. I fought the itch to change into my fur–or throw up–as we made the walk there. I wasn’t really sure which was worse, the anger surging irrationally, or the bile burning my
“Take a seat.” The little guy nodded towards me, then an empty chair. I wasn’t sure I could sit, but I somehow forced myself to comply. Showing aggression now was not going to help the situation.
“Viv, you have a lot of explaining to do. What was this girl’s stuff doing back in the office?”
“How should I know?”
I bit my tongue hard, tasting blood, as I struggled to allow them time and space to find the answers
that eluded me.
15.46
