King Me (King Me Duet 1)
When we were spent, I held her in my arms, only to wake cold and alone.
“Natalie,” I called out.
Sometimes you just know. I knew she was gone. I cursed, getting out of bed, hoping I was wrong. I wasn’t.
In the kitchen, I found a note written on the back of a pizza receipt I’d left on the counter. Trepidation grew as I read it.
Liam,
I’m sorry. I’ll never forget this. Goodbye.
Natalie
“What the fuck?” I said out loud. I found my phone and called her. No answer. I texted.
Me: We need to talk.
As I waited, I tried the hospital only remembering they wouldn’t give me information about an employee. I told the person who answered, wrong number, and hung up. I’d paced the length of the room when I got a reply.
Natalie: Can’t talk. Working.
That was something. Her note made it sound like she was leaving town for good. The fact that she’d gone to work didn’t explain the note, but it did tell me she hadn’t left.
Just before her shift was over, I drove to the hospital and arrived in time. I parked nearly in the same spot I had the first time we met. Only this time there was a car in front of me.
Texting her my plan might have been an option if I wasn’t keeping my eyes trained on the door. I had no idea if there was a back way out, but I prayed she would come this way as there was a subway station not too far down this street.
I exhaled in relief when she walked out the door. She looked up as if she could feel my eyes on her. For a second, I swore she smiled. But it disappeared. A man stepped in front of her, and a frown blossomed on her face. It wasn’t exactly a frown. I saw fear and despair a second too late. While I was reaching for the handle on the door, she was ushered into the car ahead.
My phone burned in my hand. I had no idea what was going on. But training said if the situation was as bad as it looked, calling her could alert her kidnappers she had a phone if they hadn’t already taken it from her.
Whoever it was would pay if they harmed a hair on her body. That I could promise.
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