Ignite (The Disciples 4)

It takes me thirty minutes to get from the Dolly to Out Takes Diner and my phone has already vibrated. Backing into a spot, I pull out my phone knowing it’s Snipe with the information.

For a second, I wait, letting myself still have that moment of not knowing. I’m completely invading her privacy, and what I find could change everything.

As much as I tell myself she means nothing…

It’s a lie.

I want her and haven’t been able to stop wanting her. I like that she’s mine and mean that in every sense. She wants to be mine and she wants me to take care of her. But I can’t trust her. I’m not that kind of man and don’t live that kind of life.

I take out my cigarettes and light one up. “What you got, man?”

He sighs. Instantly I know it’s bad. The sweat on my neck drips down my back as I wait for her secrets. I take a deep drag, needing it to calm me.

“Let’s hear it.”

“All right, Antoinette Diana Van Doran, born the twenty-ninth of August in 2001 in Manhattan, New York. Her father was Matthew Donald Van Doran and mother Gabriella Diana Van Doran. The father owned several businesses and came from old money. Antoinette was homeschooled with private tutors as she was in dance almost from the age of three and was accepted into the New York City Ballet at age fourteen.”

“So, she’s nineteen?”

“Yes, almost twenty.” He takes a deep breath and exhales. “So, at age sixteen, she found both parents dead from gunshot wounds. The father was bankrupt and was being sued for numerous Ponzi schemes. Apparently he shot his wife in the head and then himself while she was at rehearsal.”

“Antoinette found them?”

“Yes.”

As I look at the sky, the sun is setting. All the pieces start to fall into place. “Where did she go? Who took her in?”

He clears his voice. “An aunt, the mother’s sister. Danielle Marie Meier lives in Northern California. Divorced and has two kids of her own. She’s a middle school math teacher. They seem to not communicate. Antoinette left as soon as she graduated high school and as far as I can tell, she never went back.

“What about dance, the ballet?” It comes out harsh.

“No more ballet. From what I’m seeing, Antoinette was in debt to her father’s business partners. And the aunt lives paycheck to paycheck.”

“These business partners expected a kid to pay her father’s debt?” Anger goes through me. She has no one. No wonder she likes to feel secure—she’s never had it. I can’t even imagine what she went through.

“No, but the lawyers and partners liquidated all of the properties, the father’s and mother’s life insurance policies, everything. She inherited nothing. The dad had a brother, but it seems he was not close and the family completely distanced themselves. Didn’t want any more of a scandal.”

I get off my bike. “Christ.” I rub the back of my neck. “So, no one is after her? She’s safe?”

“Yes. No one wants her or seems interested in her whereabouts.”

There’s silence. As bad as that sounds, it’s true. Only me. I want her. I’m interested in everything she does. Fuck, I wanted her from the moment I saw her.

“You want me to dig more?”

“Yeah. Find out everything about the dad, his partners, his enemies, everything. And if I need to kill any of them.”

“On it.”

The line goes dead as I make my way toward the diner. I see her platinum blond hair through the window. She’s talking to Cindy and they’re both laughing. I stop and let myself watch her.

Her hair is down as if she knows I’m coming for her and I almost want to rub my heart. Staying away did nothing. All I want to do is storm in and carry her out. Take her home and fuck her all night. Tell her that I have her, want her.

As if she can feel me, she turns and our eyes meet. Her red lips open then shut as she turns back to Cindy who looks around her. So instead of her beautiful violet eyes, I’m now met with angry blue ones.

Whatever, I’m back. And I’m not leaving anytime soon.

Cindy is bitter over Ryder and life in general. Antoinette has every reason to be bitter, broken even. But she’s not. She still has a glow, an innocence, and her vulnerability radiates from inside her.

I grab the door handle and pull it open, knowing full well I’ve been lying to myself.

She means way more than I want to say. And I also know I have no intention of letting her go. She’s mine and only mine.

Untouched.

Smiling, I enter the diner, and all the club shit magically becomes like an annoying drizzle. I’m here for one thing only. She looks at me, her chest rising and falling as if she can barely breathe. It’s all right there on her face. She knows who she belongs to.