Chapter 4

David's POV

The luxury sedan glided smoothly through the city streets of Manhattan, leaving the airport behind. I loosened my tie and leaned back against the leather seat, watching the familiar skyline come into view.

"Sir, shall I take you directly to the estate, or would you prefer to stop by the office first?" My driver's voice filtered through the intercom.

"The estate," I said, rubbing my temples. The flight from Paris had been long, and jet lag was already setting in.

But it wasn't exhaustion that made my head throb. It was her.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the encrypted messages from my assistant. Eight months of investigation, and still nothing. 

How does a woman simply vanish into thin air?

"Sir, there's a message from your brother," my assistant Marcus said from the front passenger seat, turning slightly. "He's asking if you'll attend the wedding next week. Your nephew Adam is—"

"I know what Adam is doing," I cut him off. "Tell Richard I'll be there."

When my father fell ill, I had hoped I would become the head of the Kastner family. But the family trust stipulated that to inherit the title, one must be married and produce an heir. 

My brother, who was twenty years older than me, was out of the picture since he was removed from the succession list due to his financial crimes. So the eligible heirs were my nephew Adam and me. 

Before I knew it, my greedy brother and his nephew had already planned a wedding with the Fairborn family. I'd been to their announcement party eight months ago.

There was nothing significant in that event, except that one night stand with that girl. 

Eight Months Ago…

The crystal ballroom of Diamond Haze banquet had been packed with the city's elite, all there to celebrate Adam's union to Lily Fairborn. Champagne flowed like water, and the air buzzed with congratulations and business talk.

I'd stood at the edge of the crowd, nursing a whiskey, watching my nephew play the role of devoted fiancé. Adam had always been good at playing roles. It was a Kastner trait.

"Uncle David!" Adam had spotted me and made his way over, already flushed from drinking. "You're not leaving already, are you?"

"Considering it," I'd replied dryly.

"Come on, it's a celebration!" He'd grabbed a bottle of champagne from a passing waiter and refilled my glass despite my protests. "Drink with me. It's not every day a man gets committed to a powerful family.” The cockiness in his voice grated me. 

He was implying that he was closer to securing the title than I was. 

Adam had kept the drinks coming. I normally didn't drink heavily. Control was everything in business, and I never let myself lose it.

But that night the suffocating atmosphere and the possibility of Adam being a step ahead of me made me want to numb myself just a little. 

By midnight, my head had been swimming.

"I need to lie down," I'd told Marcus, my assistant, who'd been hovering nearby like always.

"I'll call the car, sir."

"No." I'd waved him off. "Just... find me a room upstairs. I'll rest for an hour and then leave."

The banquet had dozens of guest rooms. Marcus had secured one on the third floor, away from the noise of the party. I'd loosened my tie as I climbed the stairs, each step requiring more concentration than it should have.

How much had I drunk?

The room had been dimly lit when I entered, just a single lamp casting shadows across the walls. I'd shrugged off my jacket and was reaching for the buttons of my shirt when I heard a soft breath. 

A woman stood near the window, silhouetted against the moonlight streaming through the curtains. She wore a black dress that tightly hugged her curves and her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders.

"Who are you?" I'd asked, my words slightly slurred.

She hadn't answered. Instead, she'd taken a step toward me. 

Her brown eyes were wide and slightly unfocused, as if she'd been drinking too.

"Are you lost?" I'd tried again, but my thoughts were moving like molasses. "This is a private room."

She'd swayed slightly, catching herself on the edge of the dresser. "I... I don't feel well."

Her voice was soft and uncertain. Not like the women who threw themselves at me. 

I should have called Marcus. Should have had her escorted back downstairs. 

But the alcohol had dulled my instincts, and when she'd stumbled forward, I'd caught her automatically.

"Easy," I'd murmured, steadying her.

She'd looked up at me, her red lips parted slightly, and something in her expression had made my pulse quicken. In the dim light, I could see her cleavage as her breasts heaved. 

"You shouldn't be here," I'd whispered, but even as the words left my mouth, my hand had been sliding to her waist. 

"Neither should you," she'd whispered back, her floral scent making my cock erect. 

I leaned in and kissed her. 

The details blurred together, lost in a haze of alcohol and sudden, overwhelming heat. Her lips had been soft, uncertain at first, then bolder. My hands tangled in her hair. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of my shirt.

Every rational thought had evaporated.

I'd backed her toward the bed, my mouth never leaving hers. She'd gasped when I'd lifted her, her legs wrapping around my waist. The dress had come off easily. 

I allowed myself to ravish her, making sure she moaned with each thrust as I fucked her. 

Then I collapsed beside her and fell asleep. 

Present Moment…

I'd woken at dawn to an empty bed and not a trace of her. There wasn’t even a note. 

At first, I'd assumed she was a gift sent by one of my friends at the party. It wouldn't have been the first time. 

Then I'd considered she might be a trap. A competitor's plant meant to compromise me, get photos or record something scandalous. I'd had Marcus investigate immediately, tearing apart every second of that night. 

The security footage from that wing had mysteriously malfunctioned. The hotel staff remembered nothing. No one had seen her enter or leave.

I believed she would return, naming her price like every other woman who had a motive for approaching me. But she vanished for eight months straight. 

I shouldn’t have been obsessing over her. I had plenty of one night stands with actresses, models and socialites. But something about her was…special. 

But who was she? I couldn’t remember her face clearly. 

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the backseat door pulled open by a pregnant woman and as soon as I looked up, her brown eyes met mine.