The Contract With Her Father's Billionaire Rival-Chapter 22. Breaking And Entering.

"Tell me you’re joking about going in," Richard said firmly.

But despite the firmness, Alaric could hear the fear beneath his tone.

He couldn’t blame Richard, Ronald did look intimidating.

But Alaric was determined—angry enough to go find Nicolette and even Richard’s concern wouldn’t deter him.

"Well," he said with a smirk, his determination doubling, "you don’t have to come with me. You can stay and guard. You know, like a getaway driver."

Richard didn’t find it funny. His face twisted into a frown. "You don’t even have a fucking plan. What if you get caught? Or worse you get fucking gunned down?"

Alaric’s eyes widened at Richard’s words. Richard rarely cussed.

Still, it didn’t change his mind.

"We’ll never know, Richy," Alaric said, looking away.

Richard groaned, punching the air. He exhaled deeply but his jaw locked. "How do you want to get in?"

Alaric wasn’t surprised by the change of Richard’s tone. He knew his cousin loved him and would do anything for him.

He faced the Voss property, trying to see if he could find the best way to enter the house from the angle the car was parked.

But before he could say anything, a bodyguard tapped Richard’s side of the car.

"Move it!" he ordered, cocking his head to a direction.

Richard raised his hand, a sheepish smile spreading across his face as he started the car.

"Let’s just drive down and find the possible route to get into the house," Richard said as he drove down the road.

Alaric nodded, his eyes darting around. Just as Richard turned the corner leading to the exact spot he had seen Nicolette when she had run, Alaric spotted a newly cemented wall.

He nudged Richard with his elbow. "See."

Richard looked, and then shook his head. "Nope."

Alaric frowned. "Why?"

"It looked fresh, which could only mean they are guarding it extra," Richard said.

Alaric cocked his head. "That is the craziest thing I’ve heard all year. A new wall means they’re guiding it extra? Where the hell did you get that from?"

Richard’s shoulders lifted in defense. "It’s simply logic, and if you don’t understand it, then you don’t."

Alaric wanted to argue with Richard, but he knew it would change nothing. Besides time was running out—the more time he spent arguing, the longer Nicolette was in danger.

"Fine. I’m not arguing with you," Alaric sighed. "But I’ll jump over that fence and you’ll stay here and keep watch. Let me know if anything happens."

Richard leaned on his chair, frowning. "Your plan—or lack of it—sucks."

Alaric’s jaw tightened, but he knew Richard was right. He hated that Richard was finding so many holes in his impromptu plan.

He groaned, stretching his legs. He wasn’t thinking straight, he knew that.

He always described himself as a quick-thinking businessman—that was how he had stayed ahead in the business, that was what made him different.

He wasn’t applying his savvy to this particular moment. But he also knew he couldn’t afford to make plans.

Nicolette’s life was most likely at stake, and thorough planning wasn’t going to do it.

He turned to Richard, patting his cousin’s shoulder. "You’re right, Richy, but I don’t have time to make a grand plan."

Richard’s mouth parted like he was about to argue again, but Alaric raised his hand. "I need her, Richard. You know that. I already made an announcement about the wedding, and we both know I can’t suffer another public disaster."

Richard’s mouth curved into a smile. "Is that the lie you tell yourself? That you need her?"

Alaric frowned. "Why else would I be doing this?"

Richard gave him a look but didn’t say anything. "Whatever makes you sleep at night."

Alaric wanted to question Richard’s look, but he thought against it.

He was doing this for his reputation.

Well, if that was true, why did his stomach knot just thinking about her pain?

Why risk his reputation for this?

Ignoring the flutters in his heart, he said, "Park the car well," and when Richard did, Alaric opened the door. "Wish me luck."

"I hope your legs don’t get chopped off," Richard said and drove off.

Alaric chuckled as he straightened up. He glanced around for cameras and guards, luckily for him, there were none.

Time to do this.

He cracked his neck, gathering courage for his plan—or lack of it. He walked to the wall cautiously as he rolled the sleeves of his shirt.

As he placed his hand on the wall, testing how climbable it was, the small newly cemented part of the wall came crashing down.

The crash was low, subtle, crumbling with a dull thud, yet Alaric was scared he might have been heard.

Quickly, he made his way into the Voss mansion, finding a bushy pathway. He walked through the bushes, the smell of grass filling his nose.

He treaded carefully until he got to the end of the pathway. It led to a huge garden, and Alaric looked around, afraid there might be cameras.

Cameras meant proof, and proof meant evidence; he could be arrested for trespassing, for burglary—for almost anything.

Ronald could build a case against him and win. Afterall, he was the one who trespassed.

Time to make a decision.

The cameras or Nicolette?

He could protect his reputation and go home, or risk it all and save Nicolette.

He knew his answer.

He surged into the garden recklessly, running straight to a small door. His heart pounded as he narrowed his eyes, trying to sharpen his senses.

The small door led to a long hallway, and Alaric checked both directions to see if he was being followed.

When he was certain he was safe, he moved toward the right, determined to find the entrance to the main house.

He walked as quickly and quietly as he could, but as he was about to turn the corner down the hallway, he heard voices.

"Shit!" he cussed, looking around for a place to hide. There was nowhere to hide; he was out in the open.

"We couldn’t find her," a thick man’s voice said, and Alaric froze.

"Fuck," another male voice said.

"We followed her all through town but couldn’t get her," a third voice added.

Alaric held his breath as if that would make him invisible. On the bright side, he figured that they weren’t coming his way. They seemed to be stationed somewhere, talking.

To be certain, he bent down and peeped at them. And he was right.

Three men sat around, passing a blunt amongst themselves.

His nerves eased up as he straightened back into hiding.

"You know her father will go mad when he hears this," the second voice said.

"Which is why I’m smoking to prepare myself," the first one replied.

They all laughed, and then they went silent.

Alaric’s mind raced. If the men couldn’t find Nicolette, it means she wasn’t in the house, and she was safe.

Yes!

Excitement surged through him, and he did a joyful dance—until he froze.

He lifted his head and saw it! He had been standing in front of a camera the whole time!

Fuck!

Just as he turned to leave, one of the men’s voices hardened. "Who’s there?"

Alaric didn’t wait.

He dashed down the hallway and through the small door.

"Stop right there!" someone called from behind him.

He didn’t stop.

He ran through the garden and down the bushy pathway. A tree branch slapped his face, but that didn’t stop him until he bumped into something—someone.

"Richard?" His voice rose with concern. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Ouch!" Richard yelled, his voice thick with pain.

There was no time for talking.

The men were closing in on him.

Quickly Alaric helped Richard to his feet. "Are you good? Can you walk?"

"Sure," Richard groaned.

Together, they made their way over the broken wall and straight inside Richard’s car. By the time two of the men caught up to them, Richard had already sped down the road.

"What the hell! They saw you?" Richard asked, his hands tightened against the wheel.

Alaric nodded. He had been in control until Richard’s unexpected presence which had made his heart flip.

He leaned on the chair, grateful he hadn’t been caught by Ronald’s men.

There goes all the trespassing, breaking and entering charges down the drain.

He chuckled.

Alaric glanced back, trying to see if they were followed. When he was sure the men didn’t, he turned to Richard, his mouth curling into a frown. "Why did you come? I told you to stay in the car."

"I didn’t know what to do. Your mother called, saying Nicolette arrived at the company looking tattered, I had to inform you."

Relief washed over Alaric. "Oh thank God she’s safe. I found out she wasn’t in there, which was why I left."

"Glad it turned out great," Richard said with a smirk. "Even without a single plan."

"Even without a plan," Alaric repeated with a chuckle.

Richard relaxed as he drove calmly to the office. Alaric settled in the chair, his body now fully relaxed as well.

"What else did my mother say?" he asked.

Richard’s eyes darkened. "You know, same old, same old."

By same old, Richard meant Clara had yelled on the phone. Alaric wasn’t concerned about his mother’s attitude; he was more concerned about Nicolette’s.

From the men’s conversation, there had been a long chase. If she had endured that and avoided the men, the last thing she needed was his mother’s confrontation.

"We’re here," Richard announced.

Alaric stepped out of the car, making his way quickly to his office, only to see Violet and Clara coming out of the elevator, laughing.

They paused when they saw him, and Clara stepped forward. "Where have you been? I have been calling you."

"Alaric, we’ve been waiting for you," Violet said.

He ignored her and faced his mother. "I have been busy. I’ll get back to you when I’m free," he said, tapping the elevator button.

He just hoped his mother hadn’t made Nicolette uncomfortable while she waited for him.

"I do hope it’s not that girl that has gotten you busy, because I already sent her away," Clara said, her voice laced with venom.

Alaric turned to her, just as Richard joined them. "Send who away?"

"That dirty, ugly girl," Violet chimed in, her mouth tugged with disgust. "We couldn’t let her come in here looking like that. The bodyguard had to remove her."

"Remove Nicolette?" Rage boiled inside Alaric as he turned to Louis, the bodyguard Violet pointed to."Is this true?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly cold.

It had better not be.

Louis hesitated, his mouth trembling as he spoke. "Sir, she came... she was in a bad shape. I had..."

Ah damn!

"Don’t blame the young man. He’s just doing what you paid him for," Clara hissed.

"She seemed dangerous," Violet added. "He protected us, Alaric."

His eyes burned, his fists clenched, as he turned to Louis. "Find my wife this instant, or I’ll have your head!"

Louis trembled again, running out of the building.

Alaric turned to his mother, his voice heavy with anger. "You better hope Louis finds her, because even you won’t be able to escape my wrath."