Tristan looked around the elegantly decorated ballroom where the well-attended Carmichael New Year’s Eve Charity Ball was being held. Maybe he could go home now. He’d already won one of the items being auctioned for charity—a tennis racquet previously owned by the current World Number One. He didn’t know how the Carmichaels had managed to secure it for tonight’s event, but he was pleased he’d bid the highest for it.

Next on the program was a bachelor and bachelorette auction hosted by Marilyn. He didn’t feel like being around for that. A couple of flirty women had already asked him if he was participating and he’d said no, holding up his left hand to show them his wedding ring. Hadn’t they seen his wedding photos online and in magazines?

Fortunately, people had been buying his excuse that Paige wasn’t around because she wasn’t feeling well. He wasn’t prepared to deal with the inevitable questions or sympathetic reactions if he said he’d split up from his wife. He’d rather keep it simple. It wasn’t anyone’s business anyway.

He hadn’t been able to rest from worrying all the time. Unfortunately, there hadn’t been any new developments from his private detective buddies or their friends at the AFP, and they still hadn’t found the Land Rover.

He leaned towards his mother, sitting on his right-hand side. “I think I’m gonna go, Mum.”

“Already?” Jennie asked in dismay. “Please stay awhile, Tristan.”

“I’m really tired. I haven’t had much sleep lately.”

Jennie sighed. “Okay. But can you have dinner with me and your dad tomorrow night? We just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Sure,” he said with a smile, grabbing his jacket that he’d draped over the backrest of his chair and putting it on. He felt his phone vibrate from the breast pocket and took it out.

He frowned. His phone was giving him a reminder that he’d missed two phone calls from two unknown numbers. He tapped voicemail to check a message that had been left for him.

He stopped breathing when he heard Paige’s voice. And his heart thundered in fear at her message.

No.

He hurried to where Gavin and Carter were sitting. “Listen to this,” he said urgently, replaying Paige’s message and pressing his phone to Carter’s ear.

Carter listened, then he whipped out his own phone and called a number, relaying the names and address Paige had given, and listening intently to the response from the other end. “We have to go,” he said urgently after hanging up.

“Sorry, girls,” Gavin said to Natasha and Cassie. “We have to go with Tristan.”

“Go,” the two women said.

The three of them rushed to the car park.

“I was told by our police friends that Dan Yap is indeed a wanted drug lord and Tony Axel is known as one of his minions,” Carter said. “We have to find Paige.”

Tristan was in complete agreement. All he could think of was the mother of his child out on the streets, trying to run away from dangerous criminals in the pouring rain. He prayed he got to Paige on time, wherever she was.

They all sped towards the address Paige had given, but they didn’t get that far. The crowd heading home from the fireworks was still so thick that it was holding up traffic.

Tristan swerved to park the car at a bus stop and hopped out. They could tow it away for all he cared. He needed to find Paige.

He battled his way through the throng of happy revellers getting soaked in the rain. How the hell would he find her in this chaos?

Tears blurred his vision as he desperately looked around. Paige, please call me again. Please.

He went into pubs and restaurants that were open, raking his hair in frustration. There were too many people!

He went back out in the rain when he felt a vibration against his heart. He hurriedly grabbed his phone, his hand shaking as he answered it. “Hello?”

“Tristan,” Paige said with relief.

He closed his eyes in gratitude. “Paige. Where are you?”

“I’m in a bathroom of a convenience store.” Paige told him which one.

Tristan’s knees almost buckled under him. That wasn’t very far from where she’d escaped from. “Stay there. I’m coming to get you.”

“Please hurry.”

“I’ll be there as fast as I can,” he promised.

He contacted Carter to update him while he ran to Paige’s location.

“Cops are approaching the address Paige has given,” Carter said.

“Okay. Please let me know what happens. I’m taking Paige away from the area once I find her.”

“Will do.”

Tristan was panting hard and dripping wet when he got to the convenience store.

“Hey, man, you’re creating puddles on the floor,” the shop assistant behind the counter complained.

“Sorry. Where’s your bathroom?”

“We don’t have a public bathroom here. You should use the one in the nearest pub.”

“My wife’s in there.”

“In where?”

“Your bathroom.”

The guy snickered. “Our bathroom?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Look. She is there. I need to know where it is.”

A second shop assistant came out of a door.

“Hey,” the man behind the counter said. “This guy claims his wife is in our bathroom.”

The other worker eyed him. “Yeah, you look like Tristan. She showed me a picture of you.”

Tristan grinned his relief.

The helpful assistant motioned for him to go through a door. “Bathroom’s over to your right.”

“Thank you.” He hurried to it, heart hammering in anticipation. “Paige? I’m here.”

He heard a latch being unlocked and the door opened.

His breath hitched at seeing his wife, damp from the rain and eyes red.

Paige flung herself into his arms. “Thank you for coming for me,” she said, sobbing softly.

Tristan’s chest heaved. Paige was safe. And her belly felt bigger against him. He pulled back to look at her face. “Are you okay?”

Paige nodded.

“And Tanner?” He touched her stomach, his throat closing up.

“He’s fine. Tristan, my parents… they’re still with Tony—whoever he really is. I don’t know what they’d done, but Mum said for us to help arrest them.”

He gave her a grim smile. “Tony Axel works for Dan Yap. And yes, Dan is a drug lord.”

Paige’s eyes rounded in horror.

“The police are already at the address you gave me. Let’s hope they find your parents safe. But let’s wait for news at my place. You need to get out of those wet clothes.”

“I can’t believe this,” Paige whispered. “But from how Mum acted when she helped me escape, it sounded like they’re there out of fear.”

Tristan merely nodded. He didn’t know the truth, but for Paige’s sake, he hoped she was right in her assumption.

“And Curtis and his parents are involved in this too. I just hope they all take care of each other and stay safe,” Paige said with a sob.

Tristan inhaled sharply at the lancing pain that attacked his heart. Clearly, Paige cared about Curtis.

He looked away, unable to stop his eyes from pooling. Damn it, this wasn’t the time to get emotional!

“We better get out of here,” he said brusquely, escorting her out of the store’s back room.

He grabbed one of the umbrellas being sold in the shop and left a hundred-dollar bill, telling the man who’d kept Paige safe to keep the change.

He led Paige back to his car, glancing around surreptitiously for signs of anyone following them. It was impossible to tell with the crowd, but hopefully, the throng of people also worked in their favour.

“It’s still there,” he said with relief at finding his vehicle still parked at the bus stop. “It didn’t get towed away.”

Paige chuckled. “I’m so glad. I wasn’t looking forward to walking all the way to your place in this rain.”

Tristan locked the doors once they were inside and called Carter for an update.

“They weren’t in the apartment when the cops got there,” Carter said with a sigh.

“Fuck,” Tristan muttered under his breath.

“It’ll be helpful if the police could question Paige for clues. The sooner the better.”

Tristan glanced at Paige, who nodded her head in agreement.

“Okay. But we’re going home first. Paige and I are wet from the rain.”

“I’d advise against that. The first thing the thugs would have thought after finding Paige missing was that she’d contact you. Why don’t you go to our place? I’m on my way home myself, and I can arrange for the police to come and interview Paige there. Cassie still has some maternity clothes that Paige can wear and you should fit in my stuff.”

“Okay, thanks, bro. We’ll do that. See you there.”

Tristan started driving to Carter and Cassie’s.

“Tristan?” Paige said softly.

“Yeah?” He didn’t glance at her. His fear had abated, now that she was safe by his side. But hurt had taken over his heart once again. And looking at her magnified it even more.

“Are you okay?”

“Sure.”

“I know you’re angry at me—”

He cut her off. “Can we not talk about it right now? It’s not the time. But I’m glad you’re safe.”

They drove in silence, with Paige’s soft sobs the only sound either of them made.

Ah, hell. Here he was again wanting to hug and kiss her over and over to stop her tears. But his heart was too fragile for it, because he knew she was crying for another man.

Tristan turned onto Carter’s street and found his friend already waiting for them outside the house.

“They caught them—including your folks, Paige,” Carter said as he led them inside.

“Thank God,” Paige said, sighing with relief. “At least they’re safe.”

“Where were they caught?” Tristan asked.

“Near Redfern station. Someone gave an anonymous tip as to where they were heading. Turns out it was Debbie Shipton. She was also the one who tipped us off about the name Curtis Beam and the Bowral address we shared with the AFP.”

Tristan exhaled a sharp breath.

“I believe the prosecutors are looking into offering Debbie a deal in exchange for further information,” Carter said, glancing at Paige.

“That’s good to know. Can I talk to them?” Paige asked.

“The police will want to follow procedures first. I’m sure they’ll let you know when you can. In the meantime, why don’t you guys have a warm shower and get changed?”

Tristan nodded. “Thanks.”

“Can I please talk to you first, Tristan?” Paige asked.

“Maybe later. You should rest.”

“No.”

He ran a hand on his face. He didn’t have the energy to console her that Curtis was safe.

“I’m so sorry,” Paige said. “I never meant what I said in that text I sent you. I was forced to say them.”

His lips parted as he stared at her in surprise. What was she saying?

“I’ve been lied to and practically kidnapped by my parents, Tristan,” Paige said, suddenly angry. “I’ve been made to believe you’re the criminal, and that police were about to arrest you. I was told that if I didn’t leave you and hide from you, I’d be thrown in jail and give birth there. I couldn’t stomach the thought that I’d have to raise Tanner in jail or have him taken away from me, so I went with them. I’m so angry at my parents, even though I believe they didn’t have a choice but to do what they’ve done, for whatever reason. But please don’t shut me out. I need you right now and,” Paige’s voice cracked. “I missed you so much.”

Tristan’s jaw dropped at Paige’s words. “They told you what?” he asked incredulously.

“I’m sorry I believed them,” Paige said brokenly. “I just never thought my own parents would lie about something like that. And I was scared for Tanner. I’m so, so sorry. Please forgive me.”

Tristan reached for Paige and held her tight as she sobbed her eyes out.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he murmured, kissing her hair. “My heart broke when you made me believe you only used me. And then I thought you and Curtis were together…”

“Curtis?” Paige asked, lifting her head to look at him. “No. Never. I love you, Tristan.”

That was the last piece he needed to know for his broken heart to start to mend. “I love you too,” he whispered.