SWNOVELS A Debt Repaid: Chapter 1
Charlotte … my fucking princess … was a filthy, cheating thief. Stealing my precious notebook? I have to admit, I never expected her to pull something like this. After everything I did for her to make her life as pleasant as possible, after all the kisses and pleasurable touches, this is how she repays me? By taking a notebook I’d retrieved from her apartment?
Goddamn that woman for getting her hands on the key. I should’ve known she’d distract me. Was it her plan all along to seduce me so she could steal it away from me? No wonder she switched from being silent to a sudden vixen. She already knew she was going to take my key.
Fucking smartass girl, stealing what belongs to me. Doesn’t she know it’s dangerous to play these games with me? Or did she think she could get away with it? Not a fucking chance.
I would’ve found out regardless because I check the notebook daily to help me dig deeper into her interests and passions. And fuck me, I wasn’t even here to see the look on her face when she realized I’d taken it from her apartment.
That notebook belongs to me now, and I will get it back, one way or another. She’ll pay for what she’s done.
“Come home. Now,” I bark to Jill through the phone.
“Um, sorry, sir, but I can’t,” Jill replies with a jittery voice.
“What do you mean you can’t?” I shout.
“Sir …” She pauses. “You might want to sit down for this one.”
Sit down? I can’t fucking sit down. I can’t even stop pacing due to the adrenaline coursing through my veins. “Just tell me what the fuck’s going on.”
“Charlotte has …” She pauses again and sucks in a breath. “Escaped.”
“WHAT?!” The vessels in my eyes almost burst.
My Charlotte … escaped? No, it can’t fucking be true.
“I’m sorry, sir,” Jill rambles. “It wasn’t supposed to happen. I was checking the clothes, and then the cashier talked to her, and somehow—”
“I don’t need a rundown, Jill. Where is she?” I ask bluntly.
“I … can’t find her,” she mutters, crying a little. “I’m so sorry, sir.”
“Stop. You can cry later. Find her. Now.”
“She stabbed the guard accompanying us. She was rabid and so fast. She could be anywhere by now.”
“Then start looking. I don’t want you to call me again until you’ve found her,” I growl, and then I hang up the phone.
Rage makes me grab the nearest books and rip them to pieces, throwing them on the floor.
“Fuck!” I scream, kicking the chair. But nothing can curb the anger circling through my body.
If she’s truly gotten away, she could be anywhere. Hell, if she grabbed a cab, she could be across the border within three hours. And then I’d probably never see her again.
I can’t let that happen.
I have to fucking find her, no matter the cost.
Using one of my other cars, I make my way to the store Jill indicated. She’s standing outside the door, clutching her phone while waiting for me. I barrel toward her and grab her by the coat.
“Did you find her?”
She shakes her head, and my heart sinks into my shoes.
I release Jill and pace around the area to look for Charlotte, but there’s no way I’m gonna find her now. Ten minutes have already passed, if not more. She could’ve gone anywhere.
“Why? Why did you let this happen?” I hiss at Jill.
“I’m sorry, she … slipped out,” she explains, and her eyes tear up.
“That’s no excuse, and you know it,” I say.
“Well, maybe you should’ve been nicer to her,” she blurts out, but then she immediately covers her mouth.
I narrow my eyes. “What did you say?”
“I’m just saying … If you’d treated her nicer, she might’ve actually wanted to stay.” She gulps, and rightfully so. It’s taking everything I have right now not to fire her, but this is Jill we’re talking about. She’s been with me from day one. The only one who believed in me when I told her I was going to grow my business into an empire. She’s been my assistant for as long as I can remember.
Grinding my teeth, I turn away for a moment so I can think.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” she mutters under her breath.
“No, you’re right,” I say, sighing out loud. “I thought she was finally warming up to me and getting used to the idea of being my wife, but apparently, it was all in my head.” My hand forms a fist, and I find it hard to resist the urge to punch the wall. “She only came close so she could steal my key … and the notebook.”
“I’m sorry for letting her escape. I truly am,” Jill mutters. “I know you can’t ever forgive me, and I’m not asking that, but I will make it up to you. I promise.”
“Stop,” I say, holding up my hand. “Stop apologizing.”
The shock on her face turns to a gentle smile. “I … wish I had done better.”
“I know you do,” I say while I rub my forehead. “But it happened, and now we have to deal with it.”
“I already called Nick and told him to send out an alert to all your contacts.”
My pupils dilate. “You didn’t tell them she’s a—”
“Prisoner?” she fills in for me. “Of course not, sir.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Good.”
I couldn’t take people realizing I’m a sadist on top of the fact that Charlotte’s escaped. That’s a little too much to handle right now. I need to focus on one thing and one thing only, and that’s finding her alive, no matter what it takes. I’ll deal with the aftermath later.
“We need to start a search. Call every staff member and every assistant I’ve ever had. I don’t care what they’re doing, offer them more,” I tell Jill, who’s still clutching her phone as if her life depends on it.
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell them to look for a girl clutching a notebook.”
“Why do you keep mentioning that notebook?” Jill frowns. “Is it that important?”
“It’s why she fled, probably.” I lick my lips and grab her shoulders. “Just do what I ask, please.”
The added please makes her nod and smile. “Yes, sir. I’ll do whatever I can to get her back to you, I promise.”
I nod and take a deep breath.
Now’s not the time to fall for the rage coursing through my veins.
Charlotte’s out there … alone and afraid … searching for comfort and a home to come back to. All I need to do is find her.
The hunt is on.