“Look guys, I know you love Ana and I appreciate the support on this but...” As my eyes flickered back and forth between Drex and Zedd I struggled with my words, more than I thought I would’ve. We were brothers and I’d never met anyone that was as close to their brothers as I am with mine. We worked together, literally seeing each other nearly every day. At that moment, I couldn’t picture what it’d be like not being with them all the time.
“I’ll be branching out on my own from now on. I can’t have anything to do with Finch as long as he’s got issues with Anastasia.”
I never thought a woman would’ve come between me and my brothers but this was a situation of special circumstances. Never in a million years had I pictured myself finding someone, loving them as much as I do Ana and wanting to settle down with them. Hell, she’d had me questioning my involvement in the family business altogether. She was different, and luckily, we could all see it.
That was something we still had yet to discuss. Our future. I just prayed that we’d still have one. She had to know how much she meant to me, how much I would’ve given up just to make her happy. Her happiness was now my happiness.
“Well...I wasn’t expecting that. Fucking hell. The fam’s breaking up,” Zedd said, sighing dramatically.
“Idiot.” Drex rolled his eyes at Zedd’s antics. “Nik, I’m with you. Whichever way you wanna do this, leave or take over. I’m with you.”
“I don’t want to do that. I don’t want you guys choosing sides like kids going through a nasty divorce.” I shook my head at my brother’s undying loyalty but really, I’d not considered taking Finch’s chair.
“Being truthful, I always thought that Finch manipulated you into giving up your position. It’s not right, and I’d be proud to work under you.” His words made me think twice. Drex threw an expectant look at Zedd as if waiting for him to agree. I could’ve almost laughed at Zedd’s dramatic eye roll.
He was such a diva.
“If we’re getting all serious and shit I’m out of here. But fine, I’m with you too Nikolai. But don’t be letting this guy hog all the credit.” He threw a thumb at Drex before turning on him, “I was the one that told you Nikolai should’ve been in charge. We wouldn’t have gotten into half the amount of trouble if Finch’s gigantic ego hadn’t blocked out every drop of reason.”
Well... I supposed we had a lot to discuss when all this was cleared up. As soon as Ana was back, safe and sound, I’d have my fill ravishing her body and showering her with my affections. I’d then have to cuff her to the bed so that she’d never be able to leave me in the middle of the night again. Although, I had the odd feeling that she’d like me to break out the cuffs to use on her again. Definitely something to explore. But before I started to get ahead of myself, and too far down that line of thought, we had to find her...
Soon after, we’d have to have a talk about what she wanted, for us and our future. I wasn’t about to dive in head-first to something that she didn’t want.
But before any of that, we needed to find her.
My security team rushed in and out, busting their asses to continue the area search. I knew it’d be fruitless, but it made me feel better to know we had all of our bases covered. Just in case I was wrong about her plans.
I began devising a plan to split us up and check all the places that I thought would be on Ana’s radar. If nothing turned up then it was time to get serious and take a visit out of town. Either she could be there - although I highly doubted it - or, we could gather their help and resources. Despite Rachel and Kaleb being absent her entire life, I’m sure they’d care about her whereabouts. Especially since she could be in danger.
And on that note, I called Jack to the side to talk privately about locating Finch. The longer I thought about the possibility of Anastasia being in danger, the more I thought that Finch may have had something to do with her disappearance. I sincerely hoped not, I’d hate to think of my own brother acting in such an extreme way.
Regardless, I wasn’t taking any chances. Not what it came to Ana’s safety.
In the early morning light, I tiptoed down the stairs. It had been a long night. After the tedious bus journey, I was exhausted, and I had thought I’d sleep like a log but I had no such luck. I tossed, turned and tossed some more but to no avail. For most of the night, I’d stared at the ceiling listening to the clock tick - echoing amongst the silence. I was waiting. The inevitable would happen, the only question was when. Every noise from the outside had me tense.
Every creak on the stairs filled me with a fresh wave of panic. Was that him? Had he found me?
My own mind had spent the night torturing me, racing for hours, making it impossible to close my eyes for some much-needed rest. Even if my mind had slowed down; my lungs felt like they were filled with rocks, my stomach eating away at itself and my heart... physically hurt.
Was that a real thing? Could I actually be feeling physical heartbreak? It sounded like something you would get in a regency romance. Not something real people experienced.
It had only been twenty-four hours since I had left the King compound and I was a fucking wreck. I didn’t even know how I’d made it this far; it was all a blur. Yesterday passed as though I was
