My CEO 198
198 Where Is He? (Winona)
| look around the front and try the huge metal door, but it doesn't budge. I'm super nervous in case he surprises
me. He can't be trusted. | know that. | don't know why he wantshere. | just know why | want to be here.
| don't even want to listen to one poison word from his mouth. I'm going to shoot first and ask questions later.
Get rid of him forever and then | can breathe. | can live without fear of him. Walking away from my past forever
will never happen while he's alive.
There's an alleyway down one side and | grip the gun in my hoodle pocket and walk carefully down there. | see a
doorway. A side door. It's ajar, a dark gap in the otherwise solid wall.
| push it open and step inside, the musty smell hittingimmediately.
| stop, it's darker than I'd like. | should've brought a torch. | could use my cell phone, but | don't want to drop it
and | might need both hands for the gun. My eyes adjust to the light level as | move quietly inside. My eyes
scanning, every inch of what | can see.
And what | see is...nothing. No one.
The place is dead quiet as | walk, I'm wearing soft shoes. My hand tightens around the gun still in my pocket. But
there's no sign of Steve. No sign of anyone. What the hell? He wouldn't have left.
Why would he bringhere? He's probably watching me, waiting. Fear hitsand | edge back towards the
door | cin. I'm too vulnerable here. He could have anything set up.
| feel the doorway at my back and stand just inside the open door. I'm not losing my escape route.
"Steve?" | call out, my voice bouncing back at me.
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Nothing.
My heart is hammering. "Steve?" | call again, louder this time.
Still nothing. A cold dread settles over me. This isn't right. Where the hell is he?
| pull out my phone, checking the time. 5:15. He should be here.
| look around the empty warehouse, he isn't here. | can't do what | cto do. | let go of the gun in my pocket
and sigh. | turn to leave and then almost have a heart attack when | see a figure outside. "Winona, what the fuck
are you doing here?" But it's not a surprised question.
"Jayden? | thought you flew out on business?"
"Sorry. | lied."
""How did you know where to find me?"
"Security." He pullsaway from the warehouse door and pulls it shut.
"You're havingfollowed?" | shouldn't be surprised. But it distracts from why I'm here.
1/3
198 Where is He?
+25 BONUS
"Of course."
"Why?"
He looks around and holds his hands out. "I think that's obvious."
"You have no right to havefollowed. You said the security was on our houses, not on my every move."
"Winona, we don't have tto argue over this. Steve is in your neighborhood. Gus tracked him when he turned
up in the city again. He called me."
"What? That bastard tricked me. Mom is halone."
"Why did you chere alone? You know he can't be trusted."
"I cto kill him."
Jayden stares atbecause he knows I'm serious. "Winona, you could go to jail."
"Your mother avoids it just fine, so | can play that gtoo. I'm sick of being shafted because | do the right
thing. I'm bringing him down if it's the last thing I do."
"Is your security system armed?"
"Of course. Mom is sleeping."
"Let's get back there. Just in case. Where's Abby?"
"With Lisa, Cass is at work."
"I don't trust that Steve isn't going after Abby. I'll send someone around to get them." He punches his phone with
his finger as he sends a message.
"God, | left everyone like sitting ducks, didn't I? Mom's alone. Abby's with Lisa alone. Cass is at work. He could
literally pick them off one by one." My blood runs cold. Idiot. He playedlike a fiddle. "Are you okay, you've
gone white as a sheet."
"That's what his message said. That he would take out everyone | loved one by one." My stomach churns with
dread.
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"Don't panic. This might just be mind games."
"Where do you want to go now?"
"Takehome. Gus was with Judy. Do you think she has anything to do with Steven turning up and torturing us
like this?"
"Gus is keeping tabs on her, as far as | can work out. He says Steve has threatened to blow the whistle on
Mother and asked him for a billion dollars. Let's go."
Jayden's phone rings. "Hello." He frowns. "Okay. Good. Okay. Keepposted. We're on the way back to the
townhouse."
""What is it?"
"No sign of Steve near your house."
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198 Where Is He?
"Why can't he just leave us alone."
We get into Jayden's car and his phone buzzes.
"Abby, Lisa and Cass are being taken to my penthouse.
"Thank God. | need to go get Mom. She may not hear anything with her sleeping medication."
"That might be a good thing. But there's been no sign of him near the house."
"For all we know he's leading Gus up the garden path too."
The more | think about Steve Halley, the more | wish he was lying dead in that warehouse now. Today's Bonus
Offer