Air of Seduction (Elemental Enforcers #3)

Chapter 35

Ronan

I breathe a sigh of relief when we leave the hidden room beneath Temple church, after Lyn has checked that the coast is clear. I need to check on Payton to make sure she’s all right, even if she still doesn’t want to talk to me.

What we just discovered is monumental, but it isn’t enough to distract me from what’s happening with my mate. Or rather not happening.

We get into the car, and I settle into the seat and try to relax. But it’s impossible. My heart rate is faster than it should be, and need is pulsing through my body, telling me in no uncertain terms to find my mate and claim her as mine.

But I won’t do that until she’s ready, and she won’t be ready until we’ve talked. Perhaps not even then.

Pain stabs through my chest, making me shudder. I can’t wait much longer. I’m slowly going insane with the continuous flux of emotions ranging from despair to hope and love.

By the time Aidan pulls into the garage, I’m ready to explode. The vehicle hasn’t even come to a full stop when I open the door and run.

I take the stairs three at a time and race down the corridor to Payton’s suite. I just stop myself in time before I burst through the door without knocking.

Taking a deep breath, I try to find some measure of control. I’ve already hurt Payton by something I did, and coming across as an out-of-control lunatic isn’t going to support my case.

I raise my hand and knock three times. But the seconds tick by, and no one comes to open the door. I try again with the same result.

My whole body is tense with worry while I stare at the door in disbelief. Why aren’t they answering? Where are they? It’s not that late, is it?

Scrubbing a hand over my face, I tell myself that they’ve probably gone to bed, and there’s nothing to be concerned about. But the worry lodged between my shoulder blades is urging me to make sure.

I open the door and step inside. The main room is empty as I anticipated. But as soon as I see the open door to Payton’s bedroom, fear starts twisting in my gut.

I cover the distance in a few long strides. There’s no one there. And after knocking on Olivia’s bedroom door without any response, I open it and confirm that she’s not in her room either.

“Fuck. This can’t be happening.” I pull my phone from my pocket. Noah. I have to talk to Noah. He’s been in the building the whole time. I can’t imagine the two women being able to leave without him noticing or stopping them.

“Are you back? What did you find?” Noah’s tone is somewhere between bored and irritated.

“Later. Where’s Payton and Olivia?”

“What do you mean?” Sounds of hurried footsteps come through the phone. “They’re where they’re supposed to be, in their suite.”

I walk out into the corridor and head for the stairs, my pulse so loud in my ears it’s drowning out almost every other sound.

“No, their suite is empty.” Anger mixes with my growing fear. “I thought you were going to keep an eye on them while we were gone?”

I see Noah as he rushes out of his room and into the corridor ahead of me. “You’re the one who convinced me to go downstairs earlier, instead of standing guard outside their door. And now they’re gone? This is your fucking fault.”

My eyes narrow as I stop at the top of the stairs and shove my phone back into my pocket. I want to get right up into his face and punch him, but somehow I stop myself. “I didn’t tell you not to keep an eye on them. I just didn’t want you to stand directly outside their door and make them feel like they’re prisoners here.”

His hands curl into fists, like he feels the need to punch me too. “Well, at least if I had they wouldn’t be gone.”

“Fuck you.” I run down the stairs. They must have gone back to Olivia’s apartment. Or perhaps to Payton’s. Her apartment is a bit farther away from where the two women were found killed this morning. And despite how much it kills me to admit it, even to myself, Noah is probably right that it’s my fault.

I grind to a halt at the bottom of the stairs and pull my phone back out of my pocket. After finding Payton’s name in my contact list, I place the call. I’m clearly not thinking straight. Calling her should have been the first thing I thought of when I found her suite empty.

Noah comes up next to me while I listen to the ringtone. “Are you calling Payton?” He sounds more worried than angry now.

I nod. “But she’s not picking up. Why isn’t she picking up?” Except I know why. She doesn’t want to talk to me.

The call goes to voicemail. “Payton, please. Just send me a text when you get this and tell me where you are. I just need to know you’re okay. I…need you.”

My shoulders sag when I put my phone away after leaving the message. My mate has run from me, and I doubt she’ll be coming back to talk to me willingly.

Lucas emerges from the corridor to the left and comes toward us. He’s got a smile on his face, but as soon as he sees us, his expression changes into one of concern. “What happened? Didn’t you find anything?” His eyes are on me.

I can’t even pretend to be interested in what he’s asking. “Payton and Olivia are gone.”

He tilts his head to the side and looks at me with confusion. And then he smiles. “No, they’re not. They’re in the dining room, having a quiet dinner with my mate and Ingrid.”

I’m hurrying in the direction of the dining room before he’s finished his sentence. They’re still here. Payton is still here. She hasn’t run from me like I thought.

I don’t slow down until I reach the open doorway. She’s sitting with her back to me and doesn’t see me, and I can’t see her face. But there’s a tension in her shoulders I don’t like.

Something tugs inside my chest, like a fishing hook has been fastened to my heart, and I’m being reeled toward the one person in the world I can’t live without.

Before I know what I’m doing, I pull Payton’s chair back and turn it toward me.