Ignite (The Disciples #4) - Cassandra Robbins Page 0,66
wife in the head and then himself while she was at rehearsal.”
“Antoinette found them?”
“Yes.”
As I look at the sky, the sun is setting. All the pieces start to fall into place. “Where did she go? Who took her in?”
He clears his voice. “An aunt, the mother’s sister. Danielle Marie Meier lives in Northern California. Divorced and has two kids of her own. She’s a middle school math teacher. They seem to not communicate. Antoinette left as soon as she graduated high school and as far as I can tell, she never went back.
“What about dance, the ballet?” It comes out harsh.
“No more ballet. From what I’m seeing, Antoinette was in debt to her father’s business partners. And the aunt lives paycheck to paycheck.”
“These business partners expected a kid to pay her father’s debt?” Anger goes through me. She has no one. No wonder she likes to feel secure—she’s never had it. I can’t even imagine what she went through.
“No, but the lawyers and partners liquidated all of the properties, the father’s and mother’s life insurance policies, everything. She inherited nothing. The dad had a brother, but it seems he was not close and the family completely distanced themselves. Didn’t want any more of a scandal.”
I get off my bike. “Christ.” I rub the back of my neck. “So, no one is after her? She’s safe?”
“Yes. No one wants her or seems interested in her whereabouts.”
There’s silence. As bad as that sounds, it’s true. Only me. I want her. I’m interested in everything she does. Fuck, I wanted her from the moment I saw her.
“You want me to dig more?”
“Yeah. Find out everything about the dad, his partners, his enemies, everything. And if I need to kill any of them.”
“On it.”
The line goes dead as I make my way toward the diner. I see her platinum blond hair through the window. She’s talking to Cindy and they’re both laughing. I stop and let myself watch her.
Her hair is down as if she knows I’m coming for her and I almost want to rub my heart. Staying away did nothing. All I want to do is storm in and carry her out. Take her home and fuck her all night. Tell her that I have her, want her.
As if she can feel me, she turns and our eyes meet. Her red lips open then shut as she turns back to Cindy who looks around her. So instead of her beautiful violet eyes, I’m now met with angry blue ones.
Whatever, I’m back. And I’m not leaving anytime soon.
Cindy is bitter over Ryder and life in general. Antoinette has every reason to be bitter, broken even. But she’s not. She still has a glow, an innocence, and her vulnerability radiates from inside her.
I grab the door handle and pull it open, knowing full well I’ve been lying to myself.
She means way more than I want to say. And I also know I have no intention of letting her go. She’s mine and only mine.
Untouched.
Smiling, I enter the diner, and all the club shit magically becomes like an annoying drizzle. I’m here for one thing only. She looks at me, her chest rising and falling as if she can barely breathe. It’s all right there on her face. She knows who she belongs to.
Good girl.
ANTOINETTE
Why? Why do I have a connection with this man? It almost makes me want to stomp my foot. None of this can be normal. How is it that I know when he’s near? It’s as though he has special powers or something.
“Just pull yourself together. He’s coming and you look obvious.” Cindy peeks around me.
“What’s he doing here?” I hiss as I take in some air.
“I guess he’s back. See this is what they do—”
“What who does?” Charlie walks out of the kitchen. Her hair is pulled up and looks absolutely gorgeous in that not-even-trying way.
“Shh.” Cindy pinches her.
“Jesus, what is wrong with you? Stop it… Oh hey, Axel.” She shakes her head at Cindy.
“You ready?” He ignores them, his eyes completely on me. He is so freakin’ hot. I’ve never seen any man look like him.
Perfection.
He’s better than any guy in a magazine. Truly the only man who comes close is Rhys Granger. But that’s not fair to Granger because Axel has the bad boy thing going on. Danger seems to be a major turn-on for me.
My heart is racing, and I want to jump up, throw my arms around his neck, and tell him I missed him. Which