Billionaire's Stripper novel Chapter 61

A short time later Valen came into view.

Vicky stood with her arms folded. "How could you leave him like this? You're his friend!" she cried.

"He made me promise to keep an eye on Lydia. He told me don't come back here. I only came because you called."

"I've never seen my brother look so disheveled. Where is Lydia?"

"She's at her apartment." He glanced at me then pulled Vicky by her arm out of the bathroom.

Her hand flew to her chest as she gasped.

What the fuck was going on? Did something bad happen to Lydia? Leaning my head upward, I let the water pour into my mouth. I don't know when I last had fluids or food.

"Vicky." My voice was raspy.

I could barely speak. Valen saw me signal, pointing to my throat. He took off running, returning with a sports drink. He yanked the shower door open, pouring the contents down my throat.

"You two are made for each other. Do you know that?"

I shook my head, then cracked a smile.

"I should never have let you demand I stay away. I had no idea you would do this to yourself. Don't you worry, Vicky and I are going to nurse you back to health. You have to get Lydia back."

I was weak. The dehydration wiped me out. My sister helped me wash up. She dressed me in clean pajamas. I laid in bed. The doctor kept me on fluids for two days. My sister paced the floor day and night waiting for me to recover. She fed me four meals a day.

She sat bedside feeding me tomato soup. "You need your nourishment. You have to be strong to get your woman back."

I couldn't believe this was the same person who tried to drive Lydia and I apart.

By the third day, I was up walking around. On the fifth day, I was back to my old self.

~

I stood glancing out of my office window. "Valen, I need to know how Lydia is doing?"

"Hayden, you should probably have a seat."

I sat in a chair across from the sofa. "I'm listening."

Valen told me everything. Lydia and I both sank into a dark hole nearly facing the brink of death.

"Listen, I don't know how to tell you this." He rubbed his brow.

"Valen, just say it!"

"Curtis is nursing Lydia back to health."

I clenched my fists. I was beyond pissed. "I remember fucking telling him I would end him if he took things too far." I stood pacing the floor.

"Turns out Curtis's uncle is the manager over Lydia's building. Curtis probably recommended he take the job. He started working there a year ago. I knocked on her apartment door, Curtis answered. He told me Lydia was in good hands. He wouldn't let me in. I picked the lock. I wasn't able to move the obstruction barricading the door. Hayden, this happened earlier today." Valen stared at the floor rubbing his hands together.

"We have to rescue her."

"You're fucking right, Valen."

Stalking across my study, I entered my weapons room. "Valen, suit up!"

Valen and I circled the perimeter of Lydia's building. We blacked out every security camera. After anchoring our grappling hooks to the roof's wall, we released a little slack in our ropes, shimmying down the side of the building until we landed on Lydia's balcony. I picked the lock. Valen and I pulled our gas masks down over our faces, then tossed in a tear gas smoke grenade.

Quickly, Valen ran into the bedroom placing a gas mask over Lydia's face, removing her naked frame from the bed with Curtis, laying her on the floor in the living room. Curtis was choking, stumbling toward the bathroom.

I whispered the address to Sebastian's warehouse in Dukes ear.

"You know what to do."

He smirked staring down at Curtis. "I do."

"Good. Remember I want everything moved out of this apartment by tomorrow afternoon."

He glanced at me through his gas mask. "No problem."

Closing the door behind me, I ran down the stairs exiting out of the back entrance, climbing into the back seat of the Suburban.

"Go."

I pulled Lydia into my arms. Tears streamed down my face. "I got you baby. I will never let you go again." I stroked her tattered blonde hair, cradling her in my arms.

"Hayden."

I sobbed at the sound of my name.

"Don't...let...me...go."

"I won't baby, I promise."

I wanted to go back to Lydia's apartment and put a bullet in his head. What did Curtis do to my Lydia?

HAYDEN

The doctor evaluated Lydia's condition. He ran several blood tests. Curtis did indeed give her Rohypnol. That's why she was loopy. There was no semen inside of her. I was thankful he didn't rape her. His saliva, however, was all over her body. I felt like I let my wife down. I should have never let her go. The nurse remained at our house taking Lydia's vitals daily. I could take care of my own wife. I bathed her, brushed her teeth, dressed her, and fed her. Lydia was healing.