Read Bound: The Pentagon Group, Book 3 for Free Online Page B

time with anyone. “I’m packing up a few things, and going to her place. Gill is meeting me there to drop off a copy of the key. I want to be there in case she makes it back to her apartment,” I informed. “Gill’s bringing a list of Perla’s contacts so I can call her loved ones. I have to let them know what’s happened.”
    “Do you want me to stay with you while you do? I can meet you there in an hour and we can make the calls together?” I was touched by his offer. It was hard for me to feel such emotion, but I really needed him to be there for me, which he never failed to do.
    “No. Go home to Jenna. If I need you, I’ll call you,” I said.
    He looked at me with a clinical eye, assessing me, much like I’ve done with my patients. I didn’t like what I saw in his face. As much as I had to learn how to read people, I didn’t like that look: sadness; concern; and helplessness. I knew Zipper wanted to help me, but it wasn’t his problem. She was mine to worry about. And I couldn’t get the impression out of my mind that Zipper wished Perla would’ve never come into our lives.
     
    *****
     
    I drove my convertible to Perla’s apartment building. I wanted to clutch my phone the entire time, hoping it would ring and vibrate with good news. My focus had to be on the manual driving, shifting the gears and turning the wheel to get to her . . . to her place until she returned. I needed to be at her place; where her scent and footprint lingered in the apartment. I’d hoped positive thoughts of her reappearance would manifest in her walking through the door, finding me there to greet her, and taking her into my arms.
    This had to be a nightmare, right? Just this morning we woke up with so much hope for our future. We hadn’t discussed what would happen to us since our discovery of her connection to Brady, but we both felt we could proceed as normal. We could finally lead a lengthy and love-filled life. She was my life, and the future would mean nothing without her in in it.
    After I parked in my reserved spot, meant for the apartment once inhabited by Faith, I made my way to the lobby. I gave Faith two days to clear out, leaving the apartment empty of her contents. She informed me she had evacuated within a few hours, having been dismissed and given another assignment. Her role as Perla’s guard was her only duty. Without the live body to guard, Faith was useless to me. The keys were left at the front desk, which I retrieved. I would figure out what to do with the apartment when my mind wasn’t so cluttered with fear over Perla’s life.
    Gill walked through the front door and nodded, “Sir, I’m sorry to have to see you again under these circumstances,” he offered.
    I nodded briskly, and didn’t want to waste time.
    “Do you have the things I need?” I asked gently, forcing some civility.
    “Yes, sir. This is a copy of her key.” Once I took it, Gil opened his messenger bag and pulled out a manila folder. “These are the telephone numbers of her friends, family, and business contacts, which I obtained from her contacts list. These were recently updated, as they were automatically uploaded to the cloud from both her phones, so they’re all current,” Gill explained. I took the list and looked over the short list of personal contacts.
    Like me, Perla was very much a loner. She was busy working all those damned jobs to spend time socializing. While I preferred to be a loner, I had friends and family who wouldn’t let me. I would have preferred if it were just the two of us against the world. When I met her, I wished to spend all my time with her. I placed tight reigns on her. Placement of security was a form of control because if I couldn’t be close to her, then I had to ensure her wellbeing.
    “I’m sure we’ll find her soon, Matt,” Gill said.
    I nodded tersely.
    “I need you to keep your post. If you get any sign of her attempting to contact you, you need to let me or the security staff