Burning with vengeance: The runaway heir

Find my daughter

10. 

"So, what you are saying is the Dragon Empire isn't willing to collaborate with us?" A man seated opposite Richard asked. 

They were in Grand Hotel in the heart of Washington. 

This man, Brutus Bane, was the leader and some heir of the Lion House. They were among the top tier families in DC and they really wanted to join hands together with the Armstrong family especially after Richard came back. 

"Listen, I have explained this so many times but since you seem to be hard of understanding, I will explain it again. 

The Dragon Empire isn't involved in dark business anymore. I want to make sure that we are in the clear and that is why I am doing away with anything that is illegal. 

But you, the Lions, are as dirty as it gets. So, that's why, I, Zeus, can't partner with you," Richard said slowly as if he was educating a child on the basics of the alphabet. 

"Does your father know this?" Brutus asked now losing his patience. 

"Wanna try to see if he does? It's me in charge and five years have taught me to be good. I am not the man of five years ago Brut. So, take what you can get and don't get in my way. 

As long as you steer clear of my path and don't kill anyone or involve yourself in human trafficking, then we are good. 

But if you do, I will personally incapacitate you. Now, if you may excuse me, I have family matters to deal with," Richard said as he rose and buttoned his suit jacket up to show that they were done here. 

"Come on Zeus. This isn't like you. Just..." Brutus began but Richard gave an eye to his guard who walked towards Brutus and his men. 

"Gentlemen, this way please. If you want, you can have drinks and eat. It's on the house," the man said as he showed them the door. 

Richard had already walked towards the window and fished his phone out of his pocket. 

He wanted to call Asher but he didn't need to because once the guard opened the door, Ash was there kneeling. 

"Second young master? What are you doing?" The guard, Cassius whom they called Cash, asked as Ash walked towards his brother on all fours.

"What are you doing and where is Melvin?" Richard asked as he eyed his brother sceptically. 

It had been almost two months since Richard returned and although his daughter had recovered well and she rarely took medicine he still wanted to be near her always. 

The trauma of almost losing her was still fresh in his mind and he didn't want her far. 

That was why, even though nurse Lin had proved to be competent, he rarely left Melvin in her care. 

Melvin too loved to spend time with her father since she was in a new environment but she was adjusting okay. 

Her grandparents had taken well to her and she loved them. 

Many were the times they 'stole' her and spent a whole day with her. 

The old man couldn't help and smile more than Richard had ever seen him do in his whole life. 

"Brother, ahhhhhhh! I'm sorry. Please kill me. She was with me in the room and the next moment she was not there. My friends and I have looked for her everywhere and we couldn't find her. 

Please forgive me. Aaaahhhhhh! I swear I didn't mean to lose my dear niece," Ash cried as he talked and Richard was just standing there looking at him when he heard the last words, my dear niece. 

He threw his brother away severing the grip Ash had on his leg as he squatted to be on face level with Asher. 

"What did you say? Who got what?" Richard asked him in a low voice that carried all the threats Asher could think of. 

"Bother I'm sorry. Please, please..."

"Talk! What happened? Where is my daughter?" This time, Richard couldn't control his anger. 

His heart was threatening to come out through his mouth. 

He almost lost her to a sickness and now he was on the verge of losing her again and all due to his idiotic brother? 

Ash recoiled as he walked backwards away from his brother in all fours. He didn't have the strength of facing Richard after they looked for Melvin everywhere and they couldn't find her. 

"Brother, Mel and I were in the karaoke room with my friends and we were all singing and when I turned to give her some popcorn I realised that she was no longer in the room," he explained timidly. 

By then, Cash had gathered enough and he was on his walkie talkie with the rest of the body guards. 

Almost immediately, the manager and the who was who in the hotel including the head guard were all lined up in Richard's office in the Grand Hotel.

Ash tried crawling towards his brother and holding his leg but Richard kicked him on the shoulder blade and he flew to the wall. 

That made all those standing there recoil because they could literally see smoke coming from his nostrils. 

"If I don't find her or if anything happens to her, I'm killing you myself. Pray to your God that nothing happens," he said as he paced. 

"You all have heard that my daughter is missing?" Richard asked icily. 

He was pacing although his bad leg was making it look awkward. 

But despite his disability, none of them dared speak when he was speaking or even breath loudly. 

They could feel the heavy aura he was emanating. He was like a dragon. 

"Yes, sir," the manager said as she trembled. 

"And what have you done about it? How long has it been?" Richard asked the second question to his brother. 

"About an hour and a half," Ash said as he coiled to the wall because he knew one wrong word or movement and he would have a broken bone. 

Ash knew that if his brother wanted to break his shoulder with the kick he gave him he would have. He also knew that the reason he was still intact was because his brother was showing him mercy. 

"One and a half... God damn it Asher! I swear I will kill you," he shouted and that made Asher cry even louder. 

Richard only called him Asher when he was really pissed and Ash knew that this time, he had crossed the line. 

"I asked, what have you done about it?" Richard looked at the manager and asked. 

"We... Young master, we looked for her all over and we couldn't find her," she said and this time, she almost peed herself because the aura this man was emanating wasn't normal. 

He smelled like murder. 

At that moment, cash came in, "young master, we have rounded up everyone even the one at the gates and they didn't see her walk out nor had any vehicle left. 

Since it's lunch time, all the guests are still inside. If she was taken, then she's still inside the premises," he said respectively and Richard seemed to let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. 

At least that was good news. If she was still inside his territory, it would be easier to get her. 

His heart was fuming and in his mind, he was planning the ways in which he would kill whoever thought that he  could touch his child. 

He would use that one to be an example and a lesson to the rest who thought they could antagonise him. 

He would cut the person in pieces and mail the parts to all the powerful family to remind them that he was still Zeus. The underground lord and nothing and changed. 

"Don't you all have brains? I expected better from you Cash! Check the CCTV cameras. Check for every floor and every room if need be," he said and Cash felt like an idiot and it showed in his stance. 

He couldn't believe that they had forgotten to watch the footage of the last two or so hours. 

"On it sir," Cash said ash he walked out. 

"What are you still doing there? Aren't you a computer genius, go and help them. Make sure you cover all the floors and all parts outside the hotel," Richard told his brother who felt like he had been saved from death. 

"Thank you brother. Thank you. Thank you," he said still kneeling and it was only when Richard turned and gave him a look that told him that he would be thrown out the window if he didn't get out that he rose quickly and followed Cash.

"You all better play that none of you was involved in her disappearance. Wait outside," Richard told the manager and her subordinates and they silently fled out and closed the door behind them. 

Richard was there contemplating. 

Since he came back, he hadn't done anything to offend anyone. All he had done was take care of his daughter and catch up with the affairs of the Dragon Empire. 

He thus couldn't think of anyone who would target him and by taking his daughter at that. 

Even the downfall he was planning for the Parkers and the Williams had been held off.

His plan was to make sure that Melvin was okay and then have that reconstructive surgery on his leg and then pour hell on them. 

The only plausible explanation he could come up with was that whoever took his daughter must have been an old enemy who all along thought that he was dead. 

But for now, the most important thing was finding his baby.