Love & Lost

C H A P T E R ❷⁰

☼ Forty's POV ☼

Pacing around my private office, with nothing but the sound of the loud music blasting through the doors, I try to come up with the most realistic scenario as to why Ophelia hasn't responded to any of my texts and calls. She has sent me to voicemail more than 20 times already making me think something is truly wrong. I stayed at the club the whole night, hoping she would come any second when she was late to work I didn't think that much of it but after an hour I tried messaging her and got no answer, which caused me to freak out and talk to William to see if he could help me look for her. Will had called Soul and she had said she hasn't been back since she left for school making me almost have a panic attack. It caused me bad anxiety not knowing where she was and if she was okay or not, I had to know.

William and I went to her school that was located near the 911 memorial and security had told me she had left already. I'm not usually like this, it's never happened with any girl before but I had a bad gut feeling that something horrible had happened.

On the phone, with the cops, they told me she's not technically a missing person until 24 hours she has gone missing and I had to take deep breaths before I said something stupid to them. Before I could reply back the office door opens and I instantly hang up as I see Ophelia walking in slowly, closing the door behind her.

I through my phone on the desk before jogging up to her, wrapping my strong grip around her body, probably suffocating her but I don't care at the moment. I take a step back to give her space and look into those deep brown doe eyes, making my heart swoon.

"Where the hell were you?! I called you and went to your school to ask if you had left yet and they said-" I am cut off by the force of her soft plump lips against my own and I melt into the kiss, pushing the back of her head closer to mine. I love the taste of her lips, I feel my pants tighten as her body curves into my own, fitting perfectly like a puzzle piece. I break away and exhale a breath before scolding her from distracting me.

"I was with Kayden," she admits and bites her lip as if looking nervous. I stared at her wide-eyed and walk back toward my desk sitting on top, running a hand through my wild hair, confused as to why she was with that scumbag. I motion for her to sit on the chair and tell me what happened.

She explains the events that took place last night and this morning and by the end of the story, the thing that surprised me most is that she didn't try to kill the fucker while he was in the same room as her.

I sit there unsure of what to say other than, "he's a dead man." I fist my hands together and look down to see Ophelia walking towards me, unhooking my palms before straddling my lap with her arms wrapped around my neck.

"It's done Forty, I needed to get closure anyway," she sighs in contentment and leans her head on my chest as I rub her back soothingly. I'm glad she got to have the last word but I am not happy with the fact that he basically kidnapped her and brought her to a random hotel he was staying at.

"I don't know what I would do if I lost you tonight Elle," I frown at the thought and groan into her hair. I feel her slightly shiver and decide to continue.

"I love you." Damn, that was easier to say than I had previously thought. I loved how natural the words rolled off my tongue, knowing it was her who the words were directed to, that alone caused me great joy. I'm not afraid of her saying it back because I know how hard it is to open up but it doesn't matter because I know that I do love her with all my heart and soul and that's the only thing that mattered at the moment. What came next shocked the hell out of me.

"I love you, Forty," she looks up searching my face for any doubts and before she could overthink her words I pull her impossibly closer to me, showing her with my lips just how much I do love her.

That day we made insanely sexy and breathtaking love in my office. Where it all began.