chapter 17

After leaving the house the only thing that was evading my thoughts was Takeru. The way he smelled to his smiles kept creeping into the back of my head throughout the entire Date with Phoenix. Phoenix and I went to dinner at a hotel restaurant that was so extravagant that they might as well put a sign out front that says, "Don't even look over here if you're poor, we charge for smelling the food". From the imported flooring to the handcrafted tables and chairs and crystals hanging from the ceiling everything was perfectly placed. You could tell that whoever owned this place had very deep pockets. Once we arrived Phoenix tossed her coat to the worker who was trying to greet us properly before her coat slapped him in the face. He looked embarrassed and was trying to hold his temper as he adjusted his clothes before he spoke again. 

"Miss? Your coats are collected at the hostess stand. I am not allowed to leave my post" The worker said calmly trying to hand Phoenix her coat back. Phoenix looked back at him with contempt and kept walking waving her hand dismissively. 

"That's something for you to figure out. Now do your job" Phoenix replied flipping her long black hair over her shoulder and walking into the restaurant. I really hate this woman's behavior. It is as if her father never taught her basic manners. How can she treat other people like they are the dirt on her shoes so effortlessly? I calmly walked up to the worker who looked like he was going to explode with anger any minute and held out my hand to receive the coat back.

"I am terribly sorry for her manners. I will be having a talk with her about her disgusting behavior." I said, bowing slightly and apologizing once again as he handed me her coat. 

"It's no problem, sir. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the rest of your night" He said bowing slightly giving me a small smile. I took the coat and walked to the restaurant reluctantly where I met with the hostess. 

"Welcome sir. Would like me to take your coats?" The hostess said kindly. 

"Yes please. Thank you." I replied handing the hostess our coats. I watched as the hostess took our coats and hung them up in a coat closet behind the hostess stand. I waited patiently thinking about how I could comfort Takeru when I get home. Maybe I was too cold to him by completely avoiding him while he was going through something so difficult. He probably believes I abandoned him. My heart aches at the thought of him being hurt by my actions. I should have handled the situation better and went to comfort him regardless of Sebastian's warnings. I could have covered wore a mask and took a suppressant to help keep me sane while being exposed to pheromones. I don't know how I didn't think of a way to go in and comfort him while he was in pain.

"Sir?" The hostess said pulling me from my train of thought. 

"Yes? I'm sorry I was lost in thought. The reservation is under Usaba." I replied sliding my hands into my pockets trying to calm my thoughts. This was going to be a long unpleasant night. 

"oh yes, I just sat your party over in the viewer's section. Please follow me." She said walking around the stand and leading me to the left of the restaurant that had pure white tablecloths and gold candle sticks. The ceiling had hand painted artwork with gold trimmings around it. Phoenix was sitting at the table drinking a glass of wine looking out the large window that looks over the city. If it wasn't for her disgusting personality, I would have thought she was beautiful because right now she looks like something from a movie. 

"Did I keep you waiting long?" I said sitting at the table unbuttoning my suits jacket and looking out the window. It was a beautiful view overlooking the entire downtown strip. It was lit up brightly illuminating everything around it. I wanted to show this Takeru, I believe he would love this so much. 

"What took you so long?" Phoenix said sounding annoyed giving me a look of dismay. 

"I was retrieving your coat and putting it away properly." I replied through gritted teeth trying to hold my tongue. I wanted to put this bitch in her place, but I still needed her father's connections. 

"You didn't have to do that; these lazy employees need to learn to do their job. They can't do that if you're just going to do it. its beneath you Jun Baby" Phoenix said before the waiter came to take our orders. Phoenix began ordering immediately but I checked my phone since it had rung as the waiter came. The text was from Sebastian letting me know the house was quiet and he was going to go check on Takeru since he hadn't eaten yet. I replied "Okay keep me updated" then turned my attention to an angry Phoenix staring at me like I just cheated on her.

"Is everything okay?" I asked putting my phone in my pocket and taking a sip of my wine. 

"you over there paying attention to your phone instead of me. Who is in your phone that thinks they're so important that they believe they can interrupt our date?" She asked, tapping on the table with her long-jeweled nails. 

"It was Sebastian giving me an update about my sister. So please understand you will never be more important to me than Risha." I said sternly, drinking my wine slowly.

"I will be when we get married. So, you need to learn to distance yourself from her." She replied loudly while slamming her glass on the table spilling some on the white tablecloth.

"We will not be getting married Phoenix. Even if we were I would not be abandoning Risha for you" I said angrily. Before Phoenix could even respond Sebastian had called my phone and I answered walking away from the table. 

"I'm sorry to disturb you young master" Sebastian said quickly like he was out of breath.

"Just get to the point Sebastian." I replied getting a little nervous. Was Risha missing? Was Takeru hurt? 

"It's Takeru Young master." Sebastian said through short breaths as if he was still running around.

"What about him? Is he alright?" I yelled, marching towards the exit of the restaurant. 

"There was a bomb in the back yard that went off shortly after you left. After we got it under control, I went to check on him and he wasn't in his room anymore. I've searched the entire house I can't find him anywhere." Sebastian said yelling on the phone to the guys around to hurry up with the fire. 

"I'm on my way! I want every camera check NOW!" I yelled angrily, running out of the restaurant leaving Phoenix behind. 

"Hey! Where the hell are you going?!" Phoenix yelled as she started to follow me out of the restaurant. I jumped into my car slamming my door in a panic trying to hurry home. There's no way he could have made it far off the property since it's basically in the middle of nowhere unlike my college home where I spend the night when practice runs late. I pulled out of the parking lot speeding down the road seething with worry and anger, swerving past every car in my way. I couldn't think straight or keep my calm when Takeru was missing or possibly hurt. I felt like my skin was on fire and it was taking too long to get home even though I was going 80MPH on a 35MPH road. 

 Once I made it to the house, I slammed on the brakes still hitting the curb in front of my house as I flew out of the car without even putting it in park. The damage to the house was minimal but the Guards were still in a panic searching every inch of the property. I ran up the stairs busting through the front door screaming Takeru's name from the top of my lungs and searching every small space and even the secret passageways in the house just in case he discovered one on accident and got stuck or lost. 

"Young master?!" Sebastian yelled from the first floor sounding out of breath with a sincere worried expression spilled on his face. Sebastian has never been an emotional creature so seeing him like this as I ran down the stairs to him was unfamiliar. He was genuinely worried and scared. 

"Sebastian what is wrong?" I asked quickly grabbing on to him while he forced words out through his labored breathing. 

"It's Risha Young master! I find her either! She's just gone." Sebastian stumbled out as tears ran down his cheek. The entire world seemed to have stopped, I couldn't even feel my heart beating anymore. 

"Risha?" I said calmly but feeling numb to all the chaos around me. 

"Young master I am so sorry. I've looked everywhere I even checked where the fire began but there is not trace of her anywhere." Sebastian said as he dried his tears and looked at me waiting for the next orders.

"Who was in charge of guarding Risha before the fire?" I asked as I marched to the backyard where the fire started. All emotions seemed to be on pause inside me. My baby sister, my family, the one person who I can say without doubt that I truly love has been misplaced and I need to know why. 

"Shawn young master" Sebastian said following close behind. 

"Bring him to me now, he has some explaining to do." I said calmly as I punched a hole into a nearby wall. 

"Yes young master" Sebastian said rushing off in a hurry. Everything was messed up and going up in flames. Takeru was missing along with my baby sister, yet I had not a single clue who would take either of them. My heart felt as if it was beating in my ears, and I couldn't think straight. I could only pace across the floor everything around me felt like it was crumbling to dust.