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Chapter 137

Author: Theresa Oliver
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56
Grayson headed toward the on-site apartments on the grounds behind the castle. He was going to check Piers' and Ralph's rooms again to see if they had overlooked anything. There had to be something more... some tangible evidence that linked the murders. As he headed inside, maids curtsied and the male staff bowed, moving aside when they saw him.

Why would Piers kill one of his men?

Inside, he walked to the right, headed for Ralph's room first. Luckily, his room was still vacant, and his things hadn't been cleared out yet, probably because it had been a crime scene. When Grayson walked in, Ralph's blood still stained the carpet in the middle of the living room floor, just like in Dima's apartment. Grayson made a mental note to have the carpet replaced. Then he started pulling out drawers, looking through Ralph's things for something, anything that would explain why Piers had killed him.

He flung open the drawer of the dresser beside his bed and there were several pieces of paper in the
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    "Come in!" King Maxwell's voice bellowed from the other side of the door."Ari's been kidnapped," Grayson blurted out."Close the door!" King Maxwell stage whispered.Xavier hurried to close the door."Now, what happened?" the king asked, his voice stern. "Tell me everything."Grayson and Xavier told him about the kidnapping being an inside job, the men that were involved, and how she was kidnapped."And there's more," Grayson said. "Just before Xavier told me that Ari was taken, I went to Ralph Barker's apartment and found this in a nightstand drawer next to his bed." He reached inside his suit and pulled out the slip of paper. Then he explained what he thought the initials and numbers meant."You mean to tell me that my head of security had your ex-fiancé killed?" the king shouted."Yes, but I don't know why Piers killed Ralph, unless Ralph was getting cold feet and Piers killed him to make sure he didn't talk," Grayson said. "And if Piers is mixed up in all this, I'm sure that Ari's

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    Grayson called Xavier, knowing he couldn't just sit there and wait. At that moment, he would give anything to have Ari back."Yeah," Xavier answered on the first ring. "Find anything?" Grayson asked, pacing the floor in his office. "Yeah, I think you'd better get down here." From the sound of it, Xavier was pacing, too.Grayson sighed, fearing the worst. "I'll be right there." He clicked off and was ready to walk out when the door slowly opened. "Where's Ari?" Celeste asked, slowly walking in, obviously having overheard something. "Do you know where she is?"Grayson sighed, biting his lower lip. "Please, sit down." He knew he had to go, but her mother deserved to know the truth before he left.Celeste said nothing but slowly walked into the room and folded her arms across her chest. "Where is she?"Grayson looked directly into her eyes, pain ripping through his whole body, as if someone had physically shoved their hand into his chest and ripped his heart out."Ari's been kidnapped."

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    Ari ran through the forest as quickly as she could, headed toward who knew where. She remembered that there was a road that lead back to the village, and she had to find it. She couldn't follow the beach; she'd ever get home.Home.A small word that held so much power. As she ran, all she could think of was Grayson and going home, their home together, at the castle. Then she fell, stumbling over a root protruding from the ground, but caught herself with her hands. But she got up and started running again. After a bit, she looked behind her to see if anyone was following... and ran straight into something. When she looked up... it was Piers."No!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her knees buckling under her. But to her surprise, he caught her in his strong arms."Quiet!" Piers said, holding a finger to his lips."Hold it right there." When she looked up and saw Grayson holding a gun, her heart leapt with relief and joy."Grayson!"Piers quickly pulled her in front of him. "I want

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  • Bought by the Billionaire Prince   Chapter 141

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  • Bought by the Billionaire Prince   Chapter 140

    Grayson called Xavier, knowing he couldn't just sit there and wait. At that moment, he would give anything to have Ari back."Yeah," Xavier answered on the first ring. "Find anything?" Grayson asked, pacing the floor in his office. "Yeah, I think you'd better get down here." From the sound of it, Xavier was pacing, too.Grayson sighed, fearing the worst. "I'll be right there." He clicked off and was ready to walk out when the door slowly opened. "Where's Ari?" Celeste asked, slowly walking in, obviously having overheard something. "Do you know where she is?"Grayson sighed, biting his lower lip. "Please, sit down." He knew he had to go, but her mother deserved to know the truth before he left.Celeste said nothing but slowly walked into the room and folded her arms across her chest. "Where is she?"Grayson looked directly into her eyes, pain ripping through his whole body, as if someone had physically shoved their hand into his chest and ripped his heart out."Ari's been kidnapped."

  • Bought by the Billionaire Prince   Chapter 139

    Ari looked around the warehouse and all eyes were on her. Marcus gritted his teeth as he walked purposefully toward her and slapped her across the face. "How dare you say that about me?" He raised his hand again, but Piers caught it.Piers shook his head. "You gave your word that she will not be harmed for twenty-four hours."Marcus glared at him for a moment, and then ripped his hand out of his grasp. Then he turned his attention to Ari. "Kill me, will you?"Ari raised her head and glared at him, staring daggers into his eyes looking through her hair covering one eye. "Mark my words. You will never get away with this. You should have taken the deal that King Maxwell offered you. It's as good as you're going to get." She shrugged. "It's more than I would have given you.""Why you—" Marcus made a move toward her again, but Piers stood in his way and shook his head in warning."Not while I'm here," Piers replied. Quicker than Ari would have thought possible, Marcus whipped out a gun an

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