Rhys
The ride down to Miller’s car and the subsequent drive across the city felt like a fever dream.
Miller drove as fast as the afternoon traffic allowed, but every red light felt like an eternity.
I sat in the passenger seat, my fingers dug so tightly into my knees that my joints were white, my mind constantly spiraling into horrific scenarios.
"You need to breathe, man," Miller said quietly, glancing at me from behind the wheel. "We’re going to get him back."
"You don’t understand, Miller," I whispered, my voice thick with raw emotion as I stared out the tinted window. "He’s carrying our baby. He was already exhausted from the doctor’s checkup last week... if those bastards put their hands on him, if they scared him... I will never forgive myself for letting him walk out that door today."
"Kayden is tough," Miller replied firmly. "And we’re almost there."
After fifteen agonizing minutes, Miller pulled the car up to the front entrance of the Oak City Luxurious Hotel. Simon was already waiting by the glass sliding doors, holding a tablet in his hand as Miller and I hurried inside.
"Where are they?" I demanded, striding straight toward the grand reception desk.
The hotel manager, seeing my murderous expression and the clear aura of an enraged Alpha, immediately stood up straight, his face turning pale. "S-Sir? How can I help you?"
"A black van pulled into your driveway twenty minutes ago," I said, leaning over the counter with a glare that could melt steel. "My fiancé was brought into this building. Show me the CCTV footage right now, or I’m calling the federal authorities and shutting this place down."
The manager stammered, quickly turning the monitor toward us. He pulled up the driveway footage from fifteen minutes prior.
On the screen, the black van pulled up to the main valet line. The side door slid open, and two tall men in casual clothing stepped out, gently pulling a hooded figure out of the vehicle.
My heart stopped in my throat—even beneath the dark hoodie, I recognized Kayden immediately. But as I watched the screen, expecting to see him bound or unconscious, the footage showed the two men simply guiding him toward the main glass doors... and then the video cut off as they stepped into the private elevator lobby.
"Wait... what?" I frowned, leaning closer to the screen. "Where did they go? Did they check in at the front desk?"
"No, sir," the receptionist squeaked, shaking her head. "They didn’t stop at the front desk. They went straight to the private executive elevators."
"What the hell!" I yelled, grabbing the edge of the marble desk as confusion washed over my panic face. "Where are they now?!"
Everything was being completely weird. It didn’t look like a ransom situation. It didn’t look like a assault. It made zero sense! I grabbed my phone, my fingers flying as I prepared to dial the emergency police hotline right there in the lobby.
"I’m calling the SWAT team," I growled. "I don’t care if—"
Before I could press call, Miller suddenly reached out, grabbing my wrist and forcing my hand down.
"Rhys, stop," Miller said calmly.
"What do you mean ’stop’?!" I yelled, trying to yank my arm away. "My fiancé is somewhere in this hotel with random men!"
"I have a friend staying in the presidential suite upstairs," Miller said smoothly, pulling me toward the private elevator bank. "He told me he saw something strange earlier. Let’s check his floor first before you bring fifty armed cops into a private hotel."
"Miller, if this is a delay—"
"Just trust me," Miller insisted, dragging me into the elevator and hitting the button for the top floor.
The elevator ride up was agonizingly fast. The doors chimed open on the penthouse level, revealing a quiet, carpeted hallway lined with gold sconces.
Miller led me down the hall to the double doors of the Presidential Suite. He reached out and pressed the doorbell.
The moment the bell chimed, the lights inside the suite instantly went pitch black.
My instincts flared instantly. I stepped in front of Miller, my jaw set as the heavy double doors creaked open into total darkness.
"Kayden!" I called out, stepping into the dark foyer.
"SURPRISE!"
A dozen party poppers exploded all at once, showering bright silver confetti and colorful streamers over my head as the entire suite suddenly burst into brilliant, warm light.
I froze in absolute shock, my eyes wide as my brain completely short-circuited.
Standing in the massive, luxurious living room was a crowd of familiar faces, all holding drinks and wearing ridiculous party hats. Jaxson, Theo, Luca, and Philip—my entire hockey team lineup—were cheering loudly. Standing near the bar was Rio, waving at me with a sheepish grin, and beside him was Nico Park, who casually raised a glass of champagne in my direction with a dry smirk.
"Sup, loverboy," Nico called out lazily.
"What... what the actual hell is happening here?!" I gasped, looking around the room in utter bewilderment.
Miller stepped up beside me, patting my shoulder with a loud laugh. "To cut a long story short... this entire thing was planned by Leo. Who, by the way, has your lover safely in his hands right now at his own private party down the hall."
My head snapped toward Miller. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt, my eyes wide with disbelief. "This was a joke! You let me think Kayden was kidnapped!"
"Hey! Don’t look at me, it was leo’s idea!" Miller laughed, holding his hands up defensively. "Leo said you needed a proper bachelor surprise party, and since you were acting like a territorial guard dog all week, he decided to lure you out the dramatic way!"
"I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK, MILLER!" I roared, though the terrifying weight in my chest was rapidly melting into sheer, overwhelming relief. "My heart was literally pounding out of my chest! Do you have any idea what I was thinking for the last hour?!"
"Alright, alright, calm down!" Theo yelled, stepping forward and shoving a ice-cold beer into my hand with a grin. "You’re safe, Kayden is safe, and now we party!"
"I need to speak to Kayden right now," I demanded, pulling out my phone. "I need to hear his voice and make sure he isn’t stressed."
"Nope! Strict rules tonight!" Jaxson chuckled, slinging an arm over my shoulder. "No phones allowed between the two grooms until tomorrow morning!"
"Relax, Rhys," Miller said, pulling out his phone and showing me a fresh picture on his screen.
I looked down at the display. It was a selfie of Leo and Kayden sitting on a plush velvet sofa at their own venue. Kayden was wearing a silly party hat, holding a glass of fruit juice, and laughing bright and clear alongside Soren and Raymond. He looked completely unbothered, completely healthy, and absolutely radiant.
A long, heavy sigh escaped my lips, the last remaining thread of panic finally leaving my body.
I rested my forehead against Miller’s shoulder for a brief second, letting out a breath I felt like I’d been holding for two weeks.
"You guys are absolute lunatics," I muttered, shaking my head as I finally cracked a faint, helpless smile. "All of you are Completely insane."
Nico walked over, taking a slow sip of his champagne. "Honestly, I told Leo his methods were completely absurd—typical behavior for my cousin. But hey, it proved one thing: you really are utterly obsessed with Kayden."
"Shut up, Nico," I grumbled, though I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face as the guys cheered and dragged me further into the room.
Kayden was safe. Our friends were here. And in less than forty-eight hours, he was officially going to be mine forever.
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