Beautifully Broken (The Broken Series Book 2) (17 page)

Lexie
sighed. “Not much. He only gave her two minutes to talk to me. I don’t think
you’re going to be able to trace the number because she said she was calling on
something called a burn phone. Whatever the hell that is. She told me she’s
okay. Michael hasn’t hurt her, and he has promised not to hurt you or anyone
else as long as she cooperates and doesn’t try to escape. She said Michael
loves her, he won’t hurt her, and he’s just asking for a second chance. She said
she’ll be gone for a few months, and she doesn’t want you trying to find her.
She’s afraid you’ll be killed if you do.”

Kadyn
stopped pacing. The line went silent as he processed the news.

“Kadyn,
are you still there?”

“Yes.
Just give me a minute.” Kadyn leaned back against his car. He slid down the
side until he was crouched on the ground. He set the phone on the pavement and
clenched both sides of his head as he tried to sift through everything. He sat
there for some time before he picked the phone back up. “Did Kri say where she
was… anything at all that would hint at her location?”

“No.
I got the impression that Michael was standing right there monitoring the
call.”

Kadyn
sighed. “Okay. I want you to text me the phone number that appeared on your
Caller ID when Kri called. I’ll give it to the feds and see what they can do.”

It
was Lexie’s turn to sigh. “Kadyn, there is no number to trace. The phone number
was blocked. What are we going to do?”

“I
don’t know!” he yelled. His jaw clenched as he forced himself to calm down.
“Look, I have some friends digging through all the passenger lists on the
flights that went out that day. The feds are still on the case, so it’s
possible they’ll come up with something that will help us pinpoint where they’re
at.”

“So
you’re going to keep looking for her?” Lexie inquired cautiously.

Kadyn
rose to his feet. “Of course I am.”

“But
Kri said not to. She said it could cost you your life. I think you should let
the feds handle it, Kadyn. Kri would die if anything happened to you.”

Kadyn
chose to ignore the warning. “Do you think she’ll try to escape?”

“Not
if she believes it would lead to your death,” she responded flatly.

“Then
I have to find her. This guy is obsessed with her. I’m not going to sit around
and do nothing while that sick bastard manipulates her into doing something she’s
going to regret.”

Lexie
sighed again. “I was afraid you were going to say that. Look, is it okay if I
tell her parents?”

“I
would prefer to wait on that. I want to keep this out of the news. If it hits
the news, then Michael will make it even more difficult to find her. The more
people who know, the harder that is going to be. Besides, her parents have
already been through enough. I don’t want to worry them any sooner than I have
to. I have Kri’s cell phone. I’ll break the news to them when they start
leaving messages indicating they’re worried.”

“Okay,
Kadyn. I’ll hold off on telling them for now, and I won’t tell anyone else,
besides Nate. He already knows because he was there when I got the call. But I
want you to keep me in the loop.”

“I
will,” Kadyn promised. “Please let me know if you hear from her again.”

“I
will,” Lexie agreed.

Kadyn
disconnected the call as he climbed into his car. He made no attempt to drive
as he sat there. He couldn’t even see the steering wheel. The only thing he
could see was Michael’s hands and mouth on Kri. Then the only thing he could
see was black.

*
* * * * *

It
had been just over three weeks since Lexie’s phone call, and Kadyn still had
nothing… not a single lead. Still, it was the only thing he could think about,
even as he sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial looking out over the Reflecting
Pool. Cenia and Roger sat on one side of him. Mason and Gabi sat on the other.
His friends Troy, Sara, Matt, and Shawn sat two steps below. They were waiting
for the fireworks to begin. Proud to be an American was booming over the loud
speakers that lined the National Mall. People all around them were singing
along with the lyrics, but Kadyn wasn’t in the mood to sing.

He
was there but not really there. He hadn’t even known Kri last July. They had
only been dating nine months when Garcia took her, and still Kadyn couldn’t
picture his life without her. He finally had to break the news of Kri’s
abduction to her parents. He had left it to their discretion whether to tell
the remaining friends and family back in Montana. He was both surprised and
relieved that the media hadn’t gotten wind of the story. He had stressed the
importance of keeping it out of the news, but he was surprised that her friends
and family were able to keep this part of their lives quiet. Still, he knew fear
could be a powerful motivator.

Cenia
nudged Kadyn’s shoulder. “I miss her too.”

Kadyn
nodded. “We’ll find her. It’s just going to take some time.” He slowly pulled his
eyes from the Reflecting Pool so he could look at Cenia. “Do you think we
should reconsider pulling the media in?”

Roger
was following the conversation. “I’d hold off on that for a little while
longer. The longer Garcia thinks he’s gotten away with this, the sloppier he’s
going to get. He’s probably already questioning whether he needs to keep her hidden.”

Cenia
nodded. “Look, based on what Lexie said, I don’t think he’ll tie her up, starve
her, or beat her like Morris did. He’ll take a different approach. Kri told me he
was an incurable romantic. He was heartbroken when she refused to marry him. He’s
going to use this opportunity to romance her. He wants to win her heart… prove
he’s worthy… since she rejected his proposal outright and refused to see him
again.”

Kadyn
fixed his eyes on the Washington Monument. He couldn’t bring himself to look at
Cenia. “And what if it works? What if she falls for him? Then how do I get her
back?”

Cenia’s
jaw went slack. She hadn’t meant to discourage Kadyn. She had been trying to
reassure him that Garcia wouldn’t hurt Kri. She sighed as she followed Kadyn’s
gaze. The Washington monument was now glowing softly against the night sky.
“You know Kri loves you. If she ends up falling in love with him too, then I
think it’s safe to assume that the man who forces her into a cage won’t be able
to compete with the man who loves her enough to set her free.”

Roger
chimed in again. “Either way, we need to free her.”

Just
then, the first firework soared over the Washington Monument and exploded into
a brilliant shade of blue. The night sky quickly filled with hundreds of other
fireworks in bursts of red, white, and blue. Kadyn didn’t see a single one. The
only thing he could see was the haunted look in Kri’s eyes when he found her
crying in the middle of that dark mountain road. He wondered whether she’d have
that same haunted look when he finally freed her from Michael.

Michael
woke me up to say goodbye. The room was dark. The sun hadn’t even risen yet. Tears
stole down my face as I watched the limousine drive away from one of the
balconies in our room. I couldn’t believe he was leaving. I was alone in Paris,
without my family, my friends, and now Michael. I knew Rafael would be staying
behind with me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something dreadful was
going to happen… that the terrorists Michael worked with would find some way to
hurt me while he was gone. I shuddered as I crawled back into bed. I pulled the
pillow over my head and softly cried myself to sleep.

I
woke to the smell of coffee a few hours later. A tray of food was sitting on
the coffee table, as always, and I hadn’t heard a single soul enter the room. I
stumbled out of bed and picked at the food before taking my coffee to the
bathroom. I thought a soak in the tub might improve my mood. I lifted the tile
over the hidden panel and programmed the water. I abandoned my coffee on the
side of the tub and slipped out of my nightgown. I sprinkled in some bath salts
and swirled my hand through the water, waiting for them to dissolve. I reached
for my coffee as I stepped into the water.

I
couldn’t believe how much I missed Michael, the pain and dread his absence
evoked. As I sank into the bathwater, my thoughts drifted toward all of the
other people I missed… my parents, Kadyn, Cenia, Kimme, Lexie, Charlie… even
little Siobhan. Michael had consumed so many of my waking hours over the past
two months that I had given them very little thought. A pang of guilt tore through
me when I realized just how diverting Paris had been.

My
thoughts slowly returned to Michael. He had changed over the past two months;
either that or I had finally spent enough time with him to see him for who he
really was. I tried to sort through how Michael made me feel. As much as I
wanted to deny it, Michael made me feel happy, cherished, and loved. He managed
to stoke a passion in me that I never knew existed… not just for him but for
sculptures, flowers, and art… for history and architecture… for food and wine…
for
life
.

I
squeezed the bathwater out of the sea sponge and thought about how much my life
had changed. I maintained very little control over my life these days, especially
over my emotions and the way my body responded to Michael. I suddenly realized
there was freedom in that; a freedom that came with letting go.

In
hindsight, I couldn’t help but feel some gratitude toward Michael. Before he
brought me to Paris, I was merely surviving...  surviving my abusive marriage,
surviving my divorce, surviving the move to DC, the fellowship, and Justin. I
wasn’t really
living
my life at all. Michael had shown me how to live
rather than survive life; how to savor and enjoy the world around me.

My
eyes welled with tears. I squeezed them shut as my heart began to ache. Then I bolted
upright. What I felt wasn’t gratitude, it was love. I stared at the water in
disbelief. It had to be true. I no longer knew where he ended and I began. I
needed him as much as the air I breathed. Somewhere, somehow, I had fallen
completely, undeniably, and hopelessly in love
with Michael
.

I
remained dazed by this discovery while going through the motions of getting
dressed. I stood at the windows overlooking the gardens while I tried to
reconcile my feelings for Michael against my feelings for Kadyn. My feelings
for Kadyn hadn’t changed, so how could I love Michael? How could I possibly be
in love with two men at the same time?

Rafael
knocked softly before opening the bedroom door. “
Bonjour,
Madame Stone,
are you ready to leave for the spa?”

I
turned away from the window to respond. “
Bonjour,
Rafael. I’m so sorry.
I’m afraid I forgot we were going to the spa.”

He
offered an encouraging smile. “No worries, Madame. The spa is not far, and I am
certain they will wait for you.”

I
ducked into the closet to grab a pashmina and followed Rafael out the door.

His
knee rested casually on the seat as he sat facing me in the limousine. His
fingers flew over his cell phone briefly before he relaxed into the seat.

I
avoided looking at him, but I could still feel him studying me. I wondered if
he thought I might try to escape with Michael gone. I wondered whether I should
try.
Did I even want to?

The
limousine pulled alongside the curb in front of Le Bristol Hotel. Rafael reached
for my hand as I stepped from the car.

“
Bonjour
,”
the doorman greeted as he ushered us inside the pristine hotel.

“
Bonjour
,”
Rafael and I responded. I tried not to gawk at the elegantly appointed lobby.
Rafael placed his hand on the small of my back as he steered me toward the spa.
I hung back when he approached the receptionist. They spoke in hushed tones.

The
receptionist smiled and nodded at me.

“
Bonjour,
”
I whispered softly. The spa boasted such a tranquil environment, I was hesitant
to speak.

“
Bonjour
,”
she replied in an equally soft tone. She reached for her phone.

Within
seconds, a nice looking man with blond hair and startling blue eyes was in the
lobby greeting me. Rafael quickly jumped between us. I gasped as he shoved the
man in the chest. They argued loudly in French. The blond man looked completely
insulted.

I
was shocked by Rafael’s behavior and clueless as to what the problem might be.
I glanced over at the receptionist. She picked up the phone and made another
call when Rafael and the man continued arguing. At least now they were arguing
in low tones.

A
tall woman with long dark hair quickly joined us. She spoke to her colleague
first. I stepped back to give them some privacy.

The
man glanced at me curiously. He nodded briefly as his eyes returned to the
woman. He glared at Rafael before he walked away.

The
woman addressed Rafael’s concerns in a soothing tone.

Rafael
nodded. The tension eased from his face as he turned toward me. “Madame Stone,
this woman will take you for your massage.” He gently grasped my shoulders. “No
man is to touch you while you are here, do you understand?”