The Temptress

Chapter 10

"She's not coming."

Benjamin looked down at his cellphone and then at his friend who had just received a devastating phone call from Carla. "There are other women. You'll find one within the first hour of arriving."

Denny glared at him. They were still waiting on the others at the airport, so it was just the two of them sitting in the terminal together. Benjamin had already started drinking before they could even board the private jet, and Denny was being forced to suffer the consequences of his unfiltered mouth. "It just doesn't sound like her."

"You said she was nervous."

"So nervous that she bails?"

Benjamin shrugged. "Women are confusing."

"Something's wrong here."

Kourtney appeared in the doorway of the private terminal with Paul following closely. She smiled at them, but it faded when she saw the solemn look on Denny's face. "Who died?"

Benjamin laughed and took a long sip of his scotch.

No one else was amused, so Kourtney asked, "Where's Carla?"

"She's not coming, and Denny can't let it go," Benjamin said before taking another sip. "Maybe she wasn't the one, you know."

"I'm going to call her," Kourtney said, dropping her bags in front of her. "I need to know why she doesn't want to come. She seemed so excited when I was with her." She reached for her phone and looked for Carla's name in her contacts. The line continuously rang, and when Kourtney was taken to voicemail, she hung up and tried calling again. This time, it only rang once before the automated voice advised her to leave a message. "Let's try your phone, Denny."

Denny immediately handed his phone to her. "I hope she picks up."

"Please stop calling me," Carla said once the line connected. "I've already told you I wasn't coming."

"Carla, it's Kourtney," she told her. Her voice was gentle and soothing. "I was checking in. Are you alone?"

There was a short moment of silence before Carla spoke. "I am."

Denny snatched his phone and pressed it to his ear. "Has something happened? Do I need to come to you?"

"I am fine," she assured him.

He knew her too well to know that there was no truth in what she had said. He could hear in her voice that there were no emotions. There was nothing, and Carla Young wasn't someone who was very skilled in hiding her feelings. "Tell me you don't love me. I'll get on this plane and forget about you."

"Denny—"

"Tell me you don't love me."

All he could hear was sniffling as she fought her tears.

"I can't love you, Denny," she finally said after a long pause. "I don't feel safe and secure."

Denny squeezed his eyes shut. She was in trouble, and the fear in her voice was beginning to show. Then he turned to Paul and said, "If there is a way to track her call, do it right now."

Paul nodded and grabbed his laptop from his carryon bag. "Kourtney, give me a hand. I need a phone number or your last messages. Anything linking you to her."

She immediately followed him to the lounge area and sat down with him. "I know for a fact that her location services is turned on. She uses her GPS whenever she's commuting."

"That helps," he said. He smiled proudly at her and turned to his screen. "Let's try the number first."

Benjamin shook his head and set down his glass of scotch. "This is fucking insane. If we aren't leaving, I'm going home."