Suddenly His - Jessa Kane Page 0,47

gasp. “You can’t j-just—”

“I can do whatever the fuck I want. If you decide to talk, it’ll be the word of a social-climbing teenager versus the most powerful men in the state. Men who regularly donate to law enforcement and line the pockets of judges.” He gives me a little push off the steps. “Now get that high-priced piece of ass in my car.”

“Jack is going to find me.” I turn toward the house, frantically searching for a member of the staff. “Help!”

That is the last word out of my mouth before a rag soaked in something foul is clapped over my mouth and I vanish into unconsciousness.

14

Jack

I went a little overboard on the diamonds.

The floor of the limousine is a collection of little blue bags tied with white bows. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings. A tiara—couldn’t help it. There’s an engagement ring the size of fucking Montana in my pocket and I’m dying to get home and slip it onto her finger.

She’s mine.

Legitimately. Without being coerced.

I can’t believe it.

This girl I marveled over from afar for months, gut sick over not being worthy enough to touch her…she was already planted in my heart. Forever. But then she found a way to dig into the deepest chamber, expose me, teach me things about myself I never would have known. Redeem me. For so long, I’ve operated under the belief that I’m an unlovable son of a bitch, but if Maisy wants to be with me, I must not be all that bad. And I’m going to get better. I’m going to learn what makes her so good, so forgiving, and apply it to my own actions.

The limousine pulls up into my driveway. I don’t wait for the driver to open my door. I’m already out, instructing one of the maids to have the bags of jewelry brought inside.

As soon as I step into the house, though, my step slows.

It’s so quiet.

Not just sound-wise. It’s the lack of energy. Whenever Maisy is around me, I’m charged, my muscles poised. Anticipation pumps in my veins. But I feel none of that right now.

“Maisy!” I take the stairs two at a time, hurtling into our bedroom. The bed has been made. There’s no one in it. No sound of the shower running. But I stride to the bathroom to double-check, needing to be sure. No one.

Just before I’m about to turn from the room, I see the white test resting on the edge of the waste basket. My breath seizes in my lungs and it takes me a few seconds to approach, to look down and register what I’m seeing.

Pregnant.

Maisy is pregnant with my child.

My first reaction is joy. Undiluted, it spreads in my chest, heat prickling the backs of my eyelids. I’m going to be a father. But where is Maisy? She’s not here. Intuition is already telling me that. Still, I wheel out of the bedroom and bark questions at everyone in my path. Where is she? When is the last time they saw her? None of them have any answers. None of them know where she could be. They left to run errands this morning and assumed she was upstairs once they returned.

Fuck fuck fuck. My head feels like it’s splitting down the middle, sweat beginning to streak down the sides of my face. Did she take the two million dollars and split? Was I delusional to think she’d actually choose me once she had another option?

No.

No, my heart won’t let me believe that.

The way she ran to me in the driveway, her heart in her eyes, couldn’t have been a ruse. She is no a liar, my girl. She’s honest and right—and she told me she loved me.

I believe her. I have to. My sanity is at stake.

“Sir…” I turn to find Charles looking anxious, tablet in hand. “There is something you need to see. Security footage from just over an hour ago.”

Watching the scene play out in black and white, my blood turns to pure ice.

And then I’m ruled by a blistering combination of fear and rage, a violent tremor wracking me, head to toe, my teeth grinding down in the back of my head.

The distress on Maisy’s face shreds any hope for calm or practicality. That is the love of my life. My very heartbeat. The mother of my child. And she was kidnapped. Stolen from me.

I shouldn’t have taken her safety for granted.

This is my fault. If I’d been here, this never would have happened.

God, the pain she