71

Dorian's POV

The pool area was deserted. There was no one in my room or Leonora’s. The kitchen stood empty. In the living room, the television flickered, casting a blue light over the untouched snacks that Vivian had spent the day arranging for the movie. The entire house was empty.

Where the hell are they?

Minnie crept out from under a chair and wound around my legs. I nudged him away just as my phone rang. It was Adrian.

"Tell me something good," I demanded.

"Boris is dead."

I shut my eyes. "We just saw him."

"That’s what got him killed, I think. He was shot in the parking lot about fifteen minutes ago."

"Someone knew he met with us," I growled.

"I watched the place all day. Nothing happened, Dorian. I swear."

"Did you kill him?" I asked, though I didn’t really think Adrian did. After their argument during the meeting, though, I had to consider it.

"I hated that slimy bastard, but I wouldn’t. We needed his intel," he replied. "After the meeting, I saw a car in the lot. It wasn’t there when we arrived, and the windows were tinted. Seemed off, but I didn’t think much of it. Boris walked out, and as soon as he got near the car, someone jumped out, shot him in the head, and sped off. He should have seen it coming, but he wasn’t paying any attention."

"Any clue who did it?"

"No plates on the car, and I couldn’t make out the shooter. But it had to be Sasuke."

My fists clenched at my sides, and in a fit of rage, I flipped the coffee table, sending the snacks flying. Damn it!

"What’s going on?" Adrian asked. "What happened—"

"Leonora and Vivian are gone." Saying it out loud made it real. They weren’t here. And Boris was dead. The two things had to be connected. Leonora and Vivian wouldn’t leave the house on their own.

Adrian cursed under his breath. "I’m texting Manuel. He’s been guarding Leonora for the past few days, but he was off tonight. I didn’t think we’d need him since they planned to stay in."

"I want everyone on this," I barked, pacing through the house. "Every soldier on patrol. We’re storming Sasuke’s compound and killing him for even thinking he could come into my house and touch what’s mine—"

As I passed the counter, a small piece of paper fluttered to the ground. It was barely bigger than the palm of my hand. I hadn’t noticed it before. Bending down, I picked it up.

"Dorian?" Adrian’s voice came through the phone. "Are you still there?"

I read the note once, twice, then again and again until the words were burned into my mind.

Movie night got swapped for dancing. Thanks for letting Leonora go out. She’s thrilled. XO, Vivian

"They went dancing," I growled, crushing the note in my fist. "They left to go dancing… and no one stopped them." For the first time in a long time, I felt the words catching in my throat. "Find them," I finally snarled at Adrian. "I’m calling Manuel."

I ended the call and immediately dialed Manuel as I rushed out the front door and jumped into my car. "If you don’t have a lead, you’re dead," I said the moment he picked up.

"Shit. I was just about to—I’m handling it," he stammered. "I just found out one of the cars from the garage is missing. No one saw them leave. Leonora must’ve used the side gate."

"Someone should’ve been watching it."

"It’s not visible from the main road. Only family knows about it, so we didn’t—" He stopped himself just in time. "We should’ve noticed. But I think I know where they went. A club called Suono. It’s run by—"

"The Fiores," I finished for him. I already knew who owned the club. Leonora should have, too. The one silver lining was that the Fiores weren’t in league with the Shinomiya cartel. Sasuke wouldn’t dare start something there unless he wanted a war on two fronts. That didn’t mean the Fiores were allies, though.

"I’m on my way. Get there," I ordered. "If anything happens to Vivian or my sister, I will kill you."

I hung up and texted the address to Adrian, wanting whoever was closest to arrive first.

Slamming on the gas, I sped down the driveway, hoping I’d get there before anyone else.

It was late, but a long line of people waited outside Suono to get in. Leonora would never have been caught dead there. She’d never deign to wait in line, not when our family name opened doors in every corner of the city. She probably flashed her ID and a smile and got right in, never considering how easy it would be for the Fiores to sell news of her location to any of my enemies.

I clenched my jaw and took a deep breath. It wouldn’t help to save Vivian and Leonora tonight if I ended up killing them myself.

I bypassed the line and charged toward the doors. I didn’t bother with my ID; I didn’t need it. When the bouncer saw me coming, he leaped off his stool and hurried to unhook the velvet rope with shaking hands, so I didn’t even have to break stride as I swept inside.

The dark hallway opened into a madhouse. LEDs pulsed across the entire ceiling, lights strobed off the walls and the packed dance floor, and the music and voices were an indistinguishable roar in my ears.

What in the hell had they been thinking? They hadn’t been thinking at all. That was the only answer. I was trying to destroy Sasuke Shinomiya and keep them safe, and they were running around town in party dresses. A shared cell in the dungeon seemed more likely with each passing day.

But first, I had to find them.