Chapter 319

Findlay tried to call his husband again with the same result. “Daisy, we need to go back right away.”

“Amy, I don’t think you should go with us,” I said. “I don’t know what’s going on at The Association, and it might be safer for you to stay here.”

“Sure. I’ll visit with Dad and have Justin pick me up.” Amy jumped out of the car. “Hey, Why don’t you take Dad’s pickup back to The Association? It might be better if the faction doesn't see you coming.”

“What do you think?” I asked Findlay.

Findlay nodded. “If the faction knows I am a spy, it would help if they didn’t know I was returning for Tony.”

“The keys are under the floor mat,” Amy said. “Good luck, Findlay. I hope Tony is okay.”

“Thanks, Amy,” Findlay replied as he jumped into the passenger seat of Elliot Gray’s old pickup. He was shaking with fear for his mate. “Please hurry, Daisy.”

The truck started easily, and the controls were similar to my car. And it was kind of fun to be behind the wheel of something so high from the ground.

“Buckle up,” I said as I backed the truck from behind the restaurant and took off down the alley. It steered nicely and had a lot of power when I stepped on the gas.

“If they hurt Tony, I’ll never forgive myself,” Findlay declared. “I should have told him what I was doing and had him go to his mother’s.”

“It’s not your fault,” I assured him. “And we don’t know if anything happened to Tony. There could be a glitch with the cell towers this morning.”

“No, he’s in danger,” Findlay insisted. “I can sense it.” I believed him. Fated mates knew these things.

“We will be there in a few minutes, and we’ll find out.” I took out my phone, put it on speaker, and called Victor’s cell.

He didn’t answer.

“What is going on?” I said and pushed the truck to go faster. “Victor isn’t answering either. I wanted to have him check on Tony.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll call Victor’s desk phone,” Findlay said. A moment later, he hung up. “I don’t believe it. Victor’s landline is busy. It’s never busy.”

“Try again,” I said. “He must be in his office.” I was getting scared. I sensed something was very wrong, too.

But before Findlay could redial the number, his phone rang. “It’s Katie,” he said. “She works in my office.”

Findlay answered the call and listened to the coworker for a moment.

“Katie, have you heard from Tony?” he asked before his expression turned more grim. “No, I don’t know why they would be looking for me.”

I was getting close to The Association and could sense Victor was feeling extremely stressed, worried, and angry. It was a relief to know he was still alive, but I had to know if he was going to stay that way.

Findlay hung up and turned to me. He was more frantic than before. “Katie said there is a lot of security at the front entrance, and they aren’t letting anyone inside the building. And all the other outer doors are locked and under guard.”

“We’ve got to get inside,” I said. “I should call Alex. He could have a way to help. Maybe there is a plan in case of a takeover at the complex.”

“Katie told me to stay away,” Findlay had tears in his eyes. “She said a group of security guards were looking for me and you. But I can’t do that. I must find Tony. He has to be alright.”

“Thank the Goddess Amy loaned us her dad’s pickup,” I said. “They won’t know it’s us returning.”

I pulled into the Association parking lot and drove the truck to the front of the main building.

My heart fluttered when I saw the dozens of security guards covering the area. They were armed and had riot shields.

I parked at the farthest edge of the lot and tried to blend in with the other vehicles. They didn’t know we had returned, which was to our advantage.

“We need to get closer, Daisy,” Findlay said. “I have to get inside and find Tony.”

“Hold on. I have an idea that could help Tony and Victor,” I told the worried man. “I’m calling my father. He’ll know what to do. There may be an emergency plan.”

I dialed Alex’s cell and waited for him to pick up. But my call went to voicemail after six rings.

“Alex isn’t answering either,” I said. “It may be nothing. He doesn’t always carry his phone. I’ll call Benson. He will know where Alex is.”

To my relief, Benson answered my call on the second ring. “Good morning, Miss Wilson.”

“Benson, I must speak to Alex,” I said. “He’s not answering his phone. Is he at home?”

“No, Miss,” Benson replied. “He left for The Association an hour after speaking to Mr. Klein. He has his cell phone with him. I saw him slip it into his pocket.”

“I'll try again in a few minutes,” I said. “Thank you, Benson.”

I sounded much calmer than I felt. Something was terribly wrong inside The Association, and my fiancé and father were in there.

Findlay was close to falling apart, so I had to keep it together and think of a plan. There had to be a way to find out what was happening inside those stone walls

Yet, once we were inside, how could we help our loved ones if they were in trouble with the faction?

Findlay had the answer. “If we could get inside, I have several weapons stashed in different spots near my office.”

“I've never handled a gun,” I said.

The thought of shooting someone frightened me. It would haunt me if I killed someone. But if it was to protect Victor or my father, I could probably do it. Victor would fight as fiercely for me.

Victor and I had wonderful plans for our future together. I couldn’t let these criminals and traitor trash take that future from us.

“It’s easy to fire a gun,” Findlay said. “Inside the complex, you wouldn’t be aiming at anything far away. I could show you how to use one of the guns in a minute if we could get to them.”

It was apparent from my expression that I wasn’t convinced. Handling guns safely took training. How could I pick one up and start shooting the bad guys?

“I can’t lose Tony,” Findlay sobbed. “I’ll walk through those guards by myself if I must.” Findley reached for the door handle. “I’m going to try it.”

I grabbed his arm. “Stay in the truck for a moment. They are looking for us, remember? But I know how we can get inside without them seeing us.”

Findlay’s eyes grew hopeful. “How?”

“Do you really have guns near your office?” I didn’t want to use one, but it may be the only way to help Victor and Alex. I would do anything to save them.

I looked at the armed guards blocking the front entrance and pulled out of the parking slot. Discreetly, I joined two other vehicles moving through the lot and made my way to the rear of the complex.

“Where are you going? Don’t leave!” Findlay objected. “We need to get inside.”

“That’s exactly what we are doing,” I told him as I parked near the enormous Azalea behind the complex.

“Daisy, what are you thinking?” Findlay asked. “I don’t understand.” He looked around outside the truck. “Why did you park all the way back here? There are no entrances to the building in the rear of the complex.”

“Yes, there is,” I said and dialed Benson again.

I explained the situation to him and told him what I was going to do. He promised to send help and wished me luck.

Findlay was squirming in the seat next to me. “Daisy, I don’t understand what you’re doing.”

“We are going inside the complex via the secret passageways,” I revealed. “Be quiet and stay close to me. There may be faction members in there, too.”

Findlay followed me behind the Azalea, and I pressed the stone that opened the entrance to the passages in the retaining wall.

“Come on,” I whispered to an amazed Findlay. “Let’s go inside and find our loved ones.”