"What do you mean he's missing?" Aiden asked, his voice tight with frustration as he held the phone to his ear. His free hand clenched into a fist, and he sighed deeply. How had everything spiraled out of control so quickly? Just this morning, he'd had the situation firmly in his grasp. Serena had been cooperating, trusting him completely. He had deftly subdued Owen Thompson's weak attempts at blackmail, and Sidney had arrived just in time for the party as planned. It had all been falling into place, right where he wanted it.
So why, by evening, had it all unraveled? Sidney had come to the party but left before Aiden could introduce him to Serena. Serena herself had turned on him, her distrust growing sharper by the hour, and now Owen—of all people—had apparently fled.
Rubbing a hand across his face, he exhaled harshly. "How could he have gone missing? Wasn't he injured?" His voice carried an edge of disbelief.