I throw a warning look at Myah, which she completely ignores.
“Why didn’t you tell me you have such a nice cousin coming over to visit you,” Reese says in mock anger, then she smiles sweetly at Myah, “are you sure, hun?”
Myah nods and smiles back. I know Reese well enough to know that she has already taken a liking to Myah. The twelve-year-old yells, hurray, like a kid. Then, they both drop all the shopping bags in my living room and leave me.
I close the door behind me and stare at my suddenly empty apartment. My plan tonight was to watch some cheesy romantic comedy with Myah, and now, she’s left me alone with all this food.
The thought of pleasure creeps into my mind, and Owen’s nakedness follows. So, I put all the takeout in the fridge and go to my room to don my mask. And off to Dark Club, I go.
Chapter Ten - Owen
My assistants — Calvin and Andrew — and I have spent the whole afternoon interviewing neighbors and visiting Myah’s usual hangouts. Our search has yielded nothing. Wherever my daughter is now, I fucking have no clue. So what am I doing wrong? Why don’t I even have a working idea to test?
Calvin suggests that we go back to the hotel after circling the neighborhood for the fifth time. I want to disagree, but we all know that staying here is futile. Myah is smart. She will never go back to a place where I can easily find her. That is if she is simply a runaway and is not trapped in a windowless room somewhere in the state.
I want to punch someone.
“General?”
I look at Andrew and draw a deep breath. Thank goodness for these men who are willing to help me. I know that I pay them, but they have been extremely helpful since yesterday. They have compiled all the possible leads and even tried to have Laura, my ex, fly back to New York from her Hawaiian vacation. Although, I don’t blame them that she hasn’t returned. That woman has always been self-centered. She only wanted to have Myah with her to get money from me. When she got married again, that became unnecessary.
Calvin meets my eye from the rearview mirror. He looks as stressed as I am. “Mr. McKenzie and Mr. Smith have emailed an update. They say that they have finished half of the list already, and no one has seen or heard from Myah,” he reports.
Those corporate men work fast. And yet, we’re still on square one.
“How about their finance manager? Has Sloane sent an update?”
Calvin scans his phone and shakes his head. “No update from Miss Keeley.”
Damn that woman. She’s the one who suggested using the company’s resources to help me, and yet she’s of no use. Her kindness is all a show.
We stop in front of the hotel and get out. My detail takes the car to the garage as my assistants follow me to the elevator silently because they know better than to initiate meaningless chatter. I tap my foot impatiently, willing the elevator to go faster. Then, as soon as we reach our floor, I walk to my suite, then slam the door behind me.
I cringe at myself and my childish behavior.
When I’m angry, I don’t often show that to my assistants. I don’t want to direct such negative energy on people I work with because I am that fucking professional. But damn! I am not just mad — I’m furious and frustrated.
I walk across the room to the bar and prepare gin for myself. Calvin and Andrew enter the room looking grim. I try to throw them an apologetic smile, but I can’t even force that on my lips. I can only grimace.
“General.”
“Andrew,” I reply. I have told them before not to use the honorific when it’s only the three of us. They are like brothers to me, and I try treating them as equals when we’re not working.
“Owen,” there is a hint of hesitation in Andrew’s voice. I’ve probably scared them with my foul mood. I nod at him, urging him to continue.
“We think you need a timeout,” Calvin chimes in. “We’ll have Russel drive you to the Dark Club. You can work off your frustration and anger in a more…pleasant way.”
I want to refuse them, but I also know that I need that sort of distraction to release this anger. Otherwise, I will not be able to think clearly and plan better. So, I nod.
I change clothes in my bedroom, then follow them back to the limo. We have a regular car, but Russel jokes that a flashy vehicle is more in tune with my Dark Club persona, whatever that is.
In half an hour, I’m back at the club, nursing a drink. My mind berates me about seeking senseless pleasure when I should have been looking for Myah. Yet, my groin says otherwise. What a sick and bad father I am. However, I don’t linger on self-deprecating thoughts. Another part of my mind displays memories of the masked woman and her nakedness.