The Hunt

Chapter 6

Kyle's POV

“Her name is Luna.” I muttered, my voice Iow and calm. “Auburn hair, hazel eyes and about this tall. Tell me everything you know about her. Now.”

The manager of The Velvet Room who had been on his knees for quite some time gasped for air, his face turning an ugly shade of purple. Three of his co-workers knelt alongside with him.

“Mr Moretti…please…we don't have any Luna. She isn't a regular here by name. I swear on my life.”

I slammed him against the wall, bottles rattled on the shelves. “Then check your cameras, your guest list. Your fucking memory. She was here.”

One of the bartenders whimpered. “Sir, we get hundreds of people every night. We can't–”

“Boss, we ran her description through every feed we pulled. No one is named Luna and the woman you described doesn't exist in our records.” My second-in-command interrupted, trudging forward with a phone in hand.

Rage boiled up so fast my vision tunneled. I released the manager and he slid down the wall, coughing. I turned slowly to face my men.

“Find her.”

“We’re trying, boss. There seems to be no ID scan under Luna.”

I scoffed in response, my fists clenched.

This morning I had woken up alone in my bed when I caught a glimpse of a delicate silver earring and a small stack of hundred dollar bills. Like I was some cheap escort she'd used.

The nerve of that bitch.

I had stared at the bills for a full minute before crushing them in my fist. No one walked away from me. No one treated me like a fucking service.

That was why these idiots were on their knees now.

“Search every camera in a ten block radius and pull favors if you have to. I want her real name, and her fucking address.”

My men nodded. “Yes, boss.”

I released the zip ties on the workers with a flick of my knife. “Get out. If I find out any of you held back even one detail, you'll wish you'd never been born.”

They scrambled away like rats. The manager stayed pressed to the wall, still fighting for his breath.

“Mr Moretti, we didn't know–”

“Shut up.” I straightened my cuffs. “Clean this place. And pray I never come back asking questions again.”

I walked out of the place, my driver waited with the door open. I slid into the backseat of the black Maybach and leaned my head against the leather. A migraine pulsed behind my eyes, matching the storm in my chest.

By the time we reached my private penthouse, the headache had grown worse. I trudged inside, the familiar scent of leather did nothing to calm me.

“Sir,” my butler, Reginald, greeted calmly, giving a low bow. “Mr Alessandro is waiting in the cellar lounge.”

I hummed in response and headed straight for the cellar. The bills I'd been carrying went into the nearest trash with more force than necessary. Reginald picked up my discarded jacket without comment and disappeared.

Alessandro lounged on the couch, eyes fixed to his screen, laughing at whatever the person on the other end was saying.

“Yeah, baby. I'll be there tonight. Wear the red one I like. No panties.”

I covered the distance in the three long strides, snatched the phone from his hand, and ended the call.

“What the fuck, Kyle?” Alessandro sat up, grinning like an idiot. “I was in the middle of something good.”

“What are you doing in my house?” I growled, tossing his phone onto the couch.

He raised an eyebrow. “Last I checked, we're business partners and best friends. I came to check why you disappeared last night. You fucking missed the meeting with the Tanaka group.”

I poured myself a double scotch despite the migraine screaming behind my temples. “Since when do you spy on me?”

Alessandro stood, stretching lazily. “I’m not spying. Rather concerned. You look like shit, by the way.” I shot him a glare and his gaze averted to my collar, a slow smirk spread across his face. “Is that…lipstick? Damn, you got laid.”

I nearly hurled the glass at his head. He dodged with a laugh, the sound grating on every nerve within me.

“That’s what got you in a mood? Finally got some and it was bad?”

“The fucking nerve of her,” I snapped before I could stop myself. “She left money like I was some whore she hired for the night.”

Alessandro's eyes widened, then he threw his head back and laughed harder. “Wait–a woman paid you? The great Kyle Moretti got used and tipped? Holy shit, this is gold.”

“Shut the fuck up.” I slammed the glass down, irritation dripping in my tone. “If you're going to keep laughing, get the hell out of here.”

He raised his hands in a mock surrender, still chuckling. “Alright, alright. But seriously, what happened?”

I poured another drink and gulped it down my throat, savoring the taste. “She lied about her name.”

Alessandro whistled. “Bold. I like her already.”

“You're not helping.” I let out a hiss and walked away, heading toward the master bathroom.

The cold shower did little to wash away the memory of her. I slammed my fist into the tiled wall once, hard enough to bleed my knuckles. I watched as blood mixed with water. One thing I hated more than anything was being lied to or played.

Soon after, I dressed for the office. Moretti Dynamics didn't run itself. We controlled half the private security contracts in Eldoria City with corporate protection, and merging high-end businesses.

Workers greeted me with respectful nods as I entered the towering glass building. A few female employees whispered and glanced my way, the usual drooling I ignored. I sauntered into the private elevator.

Just as the doors began to close, Alessandro slipped in beside me, grinning.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked flatly, pressing on the first button.

“Business partners, remember? We have a merger discussion today. What, you are expecting flowers and an apology?”

Clown.

I shook my head and ignored him as the elevator rose smoothly. My personal assistant, Lila, waited on the top floor with files.

As soon as we stepped out, I nudged at him. “Don't do anything–”

“Oh, Morning, beautiful Lila. That skirt looks hot on you.” The fucker blurted out before I could finish.

Lily blushed. “Good morning, Mr Volkov.”

I walked past them into my office. Alessandro appeared a few seconds later and dropped into the chair across from my desk like he owned it, legs spread wide.

“So,” he drawled, rubbing his temple. “What’s the plan?”

Before I could respond, my phone pinged with a message from my info. I opened it and a clear photo filled the screen.

Real name: Clover Voss.

“Fuck.” I cursed under my breath.

Alessandro stood and snatched the phone, glancing at it. “Damn. She's even hotter in the daylight. Look at that face. No wonder you're twisted up.”

I grabbed the phone back with a scoff. “I’m going to find her.”

“And when you do?” He lifted an eyebrow, smirking.

I stared at the phone one last time and huffed.

“When I find her, I'm going to make her regret ever treating me like I was disposable.”