Twin Cupids at Work Daddy Come Home novel Chapter 17

Oliver guided Madeline through the shadows, slipping quietly from corner to corner until they finally reached the garage.

They spotted the car, and Madeline didn’t hesitate. She scooped Oliver up, climbed into the driver’s seat, and started the engine. The second the car roared to life, she pulled out, heart pounding.

Outside, just as she expected, bodyguards stood everywhere. Madeline flicked on the high beams, flooding the driveway with blinding light. The glare hit the guards full in the face. They couldn’t see who was inside, but when they recognized Julian’s car, none of them dared to stop her. They stepped aside and let her pass.

Noah, who’d just come back to the villa, crouched low and slipped upstairs unnoticed, disappearing into his room.

A few minutes later, lights blinked back on throughout the house, making everything look perfectly normal again.

Julian stormed through the hallways, ordering his men to search every inch of the villa, but Madeline was gone. All they found in her room was a laptop. When they opened it, the screen glitched and a robotic voice blasted from the speakers, repeating the same phrase over and over, “Julian is an idiot. An idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot…”

Helene’s face went stiff with embarrassment. “What are you all waiting for? Turn it off!”

Miles fumbled with the computer, but it wouldn’t shut down, no matter what he tried.

Julian’s eyes darkened. Rage simmered just beneath his skin. “How dare she... How did she get out?”

One of the bodyguards stepped up nervously. “About ten minutes ago, someone took your car. We thought it was you, so… we let them through.”

Julian clenched his jaw, his head pounding. He felt like his blood was about to boil over. “I don’t care what it takes. Bring her back.”

“Yes, sir. Right away.”

...

Meanwhile, Madeline and Oliver rushed into their apartment. There was no time for explanations. Madeline balanced her phone between her ear and shoulder, booking a flight with one hand and tossing their essentials into a suitcase with the other.

She called person after person, her voice low and urgent. Oliver stood nearby, watching her move fast but steady, not missing a thing.

He could tell. His mom was getting ready to leave, maybe for good.

Brenda’s gasp was almost a squeal. “What? How did he find you? Are you okay? Is Oliver alright?”

“We’re both fine. It’s a long story and I don’t have time to explain. He doesn’t know about Oliver yet, so I’m taking Oliver to Casey’s. That way, even if Julian tracks me down, he won’t find Oliver.”

Brenda hesitated. “What about you…?”

There was a pause, and then Brenda said softly, “Madeline, maybe you should come back to the capital.”

Madeline froze, suitcase half-zipped.

Back to the capital?

Brenda kept going, “You can’t run from Julian forever. And Scent Trace needs you. You know they owe you too much to count. The capital is where you belong.”