The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 605

605 /607

She drew a steadying breath. "Yes, I'm Harvey's sister. What happened to him?"

It occurred to her that Harvey must have changed the contact himself, a small, protective gesture that tightened her throat. After all, she had once said that he could think of her as a sister; he had clearly taken the invitation to heart.

The caller rushed on, "They dragged Harvey to Orchid Pavilion. He left his phone with me. I was terrified something might happen, so I scrolled through his contacts until I found someone—anyone—I could call."

Orchid Pavilion—Laura knew the name. The club operated on a strict members-only policy in Jexburgh's upper crust, the kind of place most people glimpsed only in gossip columns.

She had stepped into Orchid Pavilion Club only once, escorted by people whose pedigrees opened doors money alone could not. Membership there demanded lineage, connections, an entire tapestry of privilege—luxuries Laura did not possess.

Her grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Why is Harvey taken there?"

"We... We were having a drink at a bar," the caller stuttered. "One of his former... clients showed up, insisted he tag along. Harvey refused, so they dragged him away. I heard them say they were going to Orchid Pavilion."

"Who took him?" Laura's tone dropped to a dangerous calm.

"Zachary Kingston."

Laura felt her heartbeat trip, a cold thud echoing deep in her chest.

The name struck like a blade. In Jexburgh's elite circles, Zachary Kingston was infamous—a predator who cared little for gender, only for the thrill of conquest. If Harvey had been hauled into Kingston's private suite, the night could end in something far worse than a hangover.

She slammed the car into gear and rocketed toward Orchid Pavilion, engine howling against the night.

"But, can you really get him out? You need a membership card to even step inside," the caller fretted.

"I'll get in," she vowed, certainty burning through every syllable.

Even if her name failed at the door, being a friend of the Whitethorn matriarch would swing it wide open. As she sped along, she dialed Quinn, fingers steady despite the red-lining speedometer.

The moment her tires hissed to a stop outside Orchid Pavilion, an impeccably dressed attendant was already striding toward her. He bowed slightly. "Ms. Wentworth? I was informed you're here to reclaim someone from Mr. Kingston. He is in Suite 305. Please, allow me to escort you."

The deference in that single greeting spoke volumes about the Whitethorn family's clout in Jexburgh.

Relief loosened Laura's shoulders for a breath, then she followed the attendant down a hushed corridor. The door to Suite 305 swung inward—and a scene exploded before her eyes, sending her blood surging straight to her skull.