The CEO Above My Desk Chapter 161

***Rowan***

“I’m telling you right now,” Devin snaps, pacing across the loft with his phone still clutched tightly in one hand, “selling the building because you’re angry is the single dumbest thing you’ve said all night.”

I lean back against the conference table and glare at him. “The building exploded, Devin.”

“Yes, thank you, I was there for the fucking explosion.”

Theo snorts quietly from where he’s half sprawled across the couch with another whiskey in his hand.

I point toward Devin sharply. “I am not rebuilding a compromised property in a compromised city filled with compromised officials.”

“You sound dramatic.”

“I am dramatic.”

“You’re being childish.”

I laugh once under my breath. “You’re lucky I value your legal expertise because that word almost got you fired.”

Devin rolls his eyes hard enough I’m surprised they don’t detach from his skull.

“You don’t get to uproot an entire corporation because your control issues are spiraling.”

“My control issues are the only reason this company still exists.”

“That,” Devin says flatly, “was unfortunately true.”

I shove a hand through my hair roughly before turning back toward the windows overlooking the city.

The smoke from earlier has mostly faded now, but I can still feel the damage sitting inside my chest like something alive.

My building. My company. My people.

“I can rebuild somewhere else,” I say finally. “Seattle. Chicago. Fucking Switzerland. I don’t care anymore.”

Theo nearly chokes on his drink. “Switzerland?”

“They have excellent banking.”

“You sound like a Bond villain.”

“I feel like one.”

Devin pinches the bridge of his nose. “You are not abandoning Ashcroft Industries because the city got messy.”

“The city didn’t get messy,” I snap, turning toward him sharply. “The city is rotten.”

Silence slams briefly into the loft.

Because they both know I’m right.

Corrupt politicians.

Dead witnesses.

Explosions.

Police interference.

And now somehow my wife is standing in the middle of all of it.

The thought alone immediately reignites the panic sitting beneath my anger.

Violet.

I glance automatically toward the staircase leading downstairs.

Still no sign of her.

Theo notices immediately.

“She’s probably still with Camille.”

“Probably,” I mutter.

Devin’s phone buzzes again. He glances at the screen before groaning. “The board wants an emergency meeting tomorrow morning.”

“Tell them no.”

“That’s not how boards work.”

“Then tell them yes and cancel it last minute to establish dominance.”

Theo bursts out laughing.

Devin stares at me flatly. “You genuinely need therapy.”

“I need a flamethrower.”

“See?” Devin gestures toward me wildly. “That sentence right there is why I drink.”

Theo suddenly stands from the couch with another sigh. “I’m going downstairs to check on the girls before you two start planning murders.”

“That’s fair,” Devin mutters.

Theo disappears down the stairs while Devin immediately launches back into another argument about rebuilding logistics. “You cannot just walk away from billions of dollars worth of infrastructure contracts.”

“Watch me.”

“Rowan.”

“I’m serious.”

“And I’m serious when I say you’re emotionally overreacting.”

I narrow my eyes. “Careful.”

“No,” Devin fires back immediately. “You don’t get to bulldoze your entire empire because you’re angry.”

“I can bulldoze whatever I want. I own the bulldozers.”

Theo’s voice suddenly cuts sharply through the penthouse below. “Rowan!”

Every muscle in my body locks instantly. Not joking. Not casual. Wrong.

Theo sounds wrong. Both me and Devin move at the same time. We practically hit the stairs running.

By the time we reach the kitchen, Theo is standing near the island staring toward the garage access hallway with a dark expression on his face.

The kitchen is empty. Too empty. The lights are still on. One of the bathroom towels is draped over a chair nearby. A faint trace of steam still lingers in the air.

My stomach drops instantly. “Where are they?” I ask sharply.

Theo looks at me grimly. “Gone.”

The single word detonates inside my chest. “What do you mean gone?”

“They’re not here.” Theo gestures around the penthouse. “I checked every room. Bathrooms. Guest rooms. Balcony. They’re nowhere.”

A cold wave of panic immediately floods my bloodstream. “No.”

Theo lifts his keys slowly from the counter. Or rather... The empty key hook.

“My 4Runner keys are gone.”

I feel something ugly start clawing its way up my spine immediately.

“She wouldn’t leave without telling me.”

Theo gives me a look.

And honestly?

Fair.

Because Violet absolutely would leave without telling me if she was angry enough.

Still... Not tonight. Not after everything.

“She took Camille with her?” Devin asks sharply.

Theo nods once. “Looks like someone showered before they left and my bet it was Camille.”

My pulse pounds harder. “Find her phone.”

“I’m already trying,” Devin mutters, pulling the app on his phone up immediately.

I shove a hand through my hair violently while pacing once toward the windows.

Anger.

Fear.

Protectiveness.

All of it slamming together hard enough to make breathing difficult.

“She knows people are actively targeting us right now,” I snap.

Theo folds his arms tightly. “You think I don’t know that?”

“And you let her leave?”

Theo’s expression darkens instantly. “Don’t start that shit with me.”

“I told both of you to keep an eye on them.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Theo fires back. “I was a little distracted by the explosion and corruption conspiracy.”

Devin suddenly goes completely still behind us. Not subtle stillness. Sharp. Wrong.

Both me and Theo turn immediately. Devin is staring down at the tablet sitting abandoned on the kitchen counter.

And for the first time since I’ve known him... The man actually looks pale. Like genuinely pale.

“What?” I ask sharply.

He doesn’t answer right away. Just slowly picks the tablet up before turning the screen toward us.

And the second I see the photo... Everything inside me goes cold.

Theo freezes beside me. Completely.

Because on the screen is Avery. And Theo. Outside a hotel. Theo kissing her neck while she grips the front of his jacket.

Silence crashes into the kitchen.

“What…” Theo whispers.

Devin scrolls. Another photo. Then another.

My stomach twists violently.

Avery and Devin at dinner.

Avery entering a hotel with Marcus.

Then... Calder. That fucking prick!

Holding Avery by the throat.

Theo actually stumbles back slightly like someone punched him.

“What the fuck is this?”