“Research on my stepbrother. Why?” she says sternly. But it’s clear she already knows what I’m up to. She’s read my notes. It’s obvious what I’m working out.
“Blair, he doesn’t deserve to get away with what he did. And look at the reports. He’s a terrible person. He only got worse over time. Someone has to put a stop to it. Hehasto pay for what he did to you! All of them do!” I speak with insistence, trying to get her to understand how important this is. But Blair is shaking her head.
She drops the papers onto my desk and steps away from it, disappointment clouding her eyes.
“Blair, I have to make sure he never hurts you again,” I say, less confident than before.
“You don’t understand, Simon. I walked away from him so long ago. It’s over for me. I don’t want revenge. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I dealt with it by leaving, not by making sure hepaysfor what he did. It’s over. You have to stop this. This isn’t how I do things!”
Her fists are clenched at her side, and her face is red with emotion.
I take a step toward her, reaching for her, but she shakes her head and moves around me, leaving the office. “I need to clear my head,” she huffs, walking away from me.
Alone in the office, I stare at the research and plans I’ve been working on. Why can’t she see what I’m doing? It’s important. Anthony is still hurting people. He will never stop until someone shows him that he isn’t the alpha. Men like him don’t change unless they are forced to.
Sighing, I push my hand through my hair and close my eyes for a moment. I’ll give Blair a few minutes and then find her and take her to dinner.
She needs time to understand why I’m doing this. I’m sure she’ll understand.
An hour passes, and Blair hasn’t come downstairs, so I head up to her room to talk to her. But she’s not there. outside I find one of the guards and ask him if he say her leaving.
“Did you see her?” I ask, narrowing my eyes in worry.
“Yes, sir, she told the guard at the gate that she was going shopping,” he says.
Relief washes over me. Thank goodness. She must have called Talia again. I like the fact that they get on so well.
Heading back inside, I pull my phone from my pocket to message Talia and thank her for being there for Blair.
But the reply I get back makes my blood turn cold.
She’s not with me. I haven’t spoken to her today. Maybe she went with someone else?
Fuck.
Maybe she wentalone!
Grabbing my car keys off the kitchen counter, I bolt out to my car. I have to find her and make sure she’s okay. Why would she go out alone? She knows it’s not safe!