Empire Part 3: A New Adult and College Billionaire Romance Series (Empire Billionaire Romance) by Bella Love-Wins

of my face and neck.
    I practically run outside to get to my car, and when I’m safely inside, I phone Mandy. Mandy doesn’t lie. She never does. But when she answers, I can’t control my tone of voice.
    “What’s going on, Mandy?” I demand.
    “Jonathan. What’s wrong?”
    “Why did you move the trunk?”
    “What are you talking about? I told you where it is.”
    “Nothing’s in the locker,” I tell her calmly. The calm in my voice is actually pure panic. I’m so panicked I don’t know how to react.
    “That’s not possible,” she tells me. “I put it there two nights ago before you saw me at dinner with Michael.”
    “Was anyone there with you?”
    “No. I was alone.”
    “What about Michael?”
    “No. He was waiting for me at the hotel.”
    “Do you think anyone saw you?”
    “I don’t believe anyone did. Jonathan, are you sure nothing is there?”
    “I can’t believe this is happening,” I tell her. “Mandy, I need you to come clean with me. Please tell me what’s in the trunk. And tell me if there’s anything in there that may be mine.”
    She doesn’t say a word. She’s probably in shock. After a few moments, she says, “Unless you and your father have both been up to no good, you have nothing to worry about. There’s nothing in there I would ever think could be from your hands, Jonathan. I know you, son. You are the gentlest, kindest human being I know. And don’t you ever forget that.”
    The words she’s describing me with don’t even register. I’m too worried about where this trunk is, who could’ve taken it, and what they’re about to do with it. I tell her I have to talk to her later, hang up, and instantly phone my father. He doesn’t answer. I send him a text with the numbers 911. It’s our mutual code for ‘get your ass over to my condo so we can talk’.
    I get home and upstairs, and he’s not there. I try phoning him again. He doesn’t answer. I call his office. His assistant says he’s in a meeting. I tell her to get him out of the meeting and on the phone right now. I tell her it’s urgent, and she’s worked for my dad long enough to know when I’m serious. She puts me on hold and a minute later, my dad is on the phone. I can’t talk to him, or tell him anything. Who knows who’s listening. Instead, I tell him to meet me at the condo immediately. That it’s urgent. Worse than urgent.
    He tells me this meeting is too important. He tells me he has to stay, because it’s to do with Warrior and getting alternative interim funding. He tells me how important it is, in light of Mandy’s demands. He stresses that he has to find the finances somewhere, and the people in that office are the key. I can’t believe this man doesn’t trust my judgment right now. I know when he finds out that trunk is gone, and Mandy doesn’t know where it is, he will flip.
    I don’t know what to do. I’m tempted to drive to his office and burst in, and wrestle him out to somewhere private so we can talk. His office is across town. There’s no way I’ll get there quickly. I have to do something now. I drive to Kara’s office. I know she knows more than anyone else. Definitely more than Rebecca.
    I get upstairs and I don’t even wait for her assistant to tell me it’s okay to go in. I storm into Kara’s office. Rebecca is sitting there. I’m just as shocked to see her as she is to see me.
    “Kara, Rebecca. I’m sorry for barging in like this. Kara, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent and it can’t wait.”
    She looks up at me. She doesn’t look at all surprised to see me, even though I haven’t been to her in her office for years.
    “Rebecca, I need to speak to Kara in private, but do you mind if we have a word in your office for just a minute? Kara do you mind?”
    They both nod, and Rebecca rises from her seat and follows me out to her office. She closes the door, and I pull her in close and hold her in my arms. She looks up at me and kisses me warmly.
    “What’s