When Day Breaks

Eden’s stomach lurched and the world went even dizzier around her, the drugs rendering her incapable of doing anything but being meekly led to the exit. The maid threw open the door, did a quick survey of the alleyway and then shoved Eden into the backseat of a small Peugeot. She leaned in over Eden and quickly taped her mouth shut and then roughly turned her on her side, jerking her arms behind her and cuffing them together.

It all took but a few seconds, but time had yawned for Eden and everything was moving in slow motion, terror and helplessness filling her as she realized she was being kidnapped. The woman, whoever she was, had already killed at least one person to gain access to the hotel. It was obvious killing meant nothing to her and now she held Eden’s life in her hands.

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as the car eased out of the alleyway and into Paris traffic. She was certain this woman meant her to die. But where was she taking her? And why?

Swanny, her father and her brothers flashed through her hazy consciousness. She’d never see them again. Worse, they’d likely never know what happened to her. Tears slipped from her eyes, hot against her chilled skin. She wept for all she’d lost and for the pain her disappearance would cause Swanny and her family.

And then she prayed that Swanny and his team would somehow, some way, miraculously find a way to rescue her before it was too late. Swanny hadn’t given up when faced with the unthinkable. He’d survived months of torture and degradation and come out the victor, never giving the animals who tried their best to break him the satisfaction of doing so.

She drew on his strength now, the memory of all he’d endured. He deserved someone of the same caliber, the same never-quit attitude and the determination to come out the victor.

She gathered those things to her, holding them tightly, letting them—and Swanny—burn brightly in her mind. Because something in the deepest part of her soul realized that she was going to need to tap reserves she wasn’t sure she possessed. But damn if she was going down without a fight.

CHAPTER 33

SWANNY was waiting impatiently in the lobby with his teammates, checking his watch and muttering under his breath. He didn’t like leaving Eden, no matter that the threat to her had been eliminated. His gut wasn’t quiet. It was going off like a mofo.

Deciding to f**k it and risk her disappointment since she wanted to surprise him, he turned to stride toward the elevator just to ease his screaming gut when Hancock stormed through the entrance to the hotel, his features creased with rage and . . . worry.

It was the worry that stopped Swanny in his tracks, because nothing worried Hancock. The guy was an automaton and he only had one expression. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. When he’d come to Eden’s room, it was as if an alien had temporarily taken over his body because the man had actually shown emotion and tenderness with Eden. There was obvious affection between the two, and Swanny still couldn’t get over the fact that Hancock considered Eden and her family his own family. And he called her cupcake. For the love of God . . .

“Where the f**k is Eden?” Hancock demanded.

Typical no greeting, no pleasantries. That wasn’t Hancock’s way and, well, it wasn’t Swanny’s either. They both got straight to business without meaningless chitchat getting in the way.

“She’s in her room finishing dressing for tonight’s launch party,” Swanny supplied. “She should be down any minute.”

“Son of a bitch!” Hancock swore. “You left her unguarded even for a few minutes? What the hell kind of operation are you running here? I have intel you need immediately.”

At that, Swanny’s entire team came to attention and crowded around, all business, as they waited for Hancock to continue.

“Well, since you obviously eliminated the threat to her, it doesn’t make a hell of a lot of sense that you’re freaking the f**k out,” Joe drawled, staring pointedly at Hancock to let him know that KGI was well aware of who got to Sanchez.

Hancock swore again. “He wasn’t the threat. He never was.”

“What the f**k are you saying?” Swanny demanded. The dread in his gut intensified. Goddamn it, he knew something wasn’t right, and he damn well should have put his foot down and never agreed to give Eden ten minutes to finish dressing alone.

“Short version,” Hancock clipped out. “Eddie had it all wrong. He thought the mother and daughter were killed when their mission went FUBAR. He assumed it was the son seeking revenge after I took out the father after he killed Eden’s mother. But it never made sense to me. If he was seeking revenge, a wife for a wife, then why wouldn’t he have killed Eden then? Wife for wife, daughter for daughter.”

Swanny’s panic level was reaching epic proportions. He didn’t like where this was going a damn bit.

“Let’s get to her room,” Hancock barked. “I’ll give you the rest on the way up. I want to make damn sure she’s safe because the threat to her has not been eliminated.”

At that, Swanny and his entire team broke into a run, Swanny pounding on the elevator call button.

As they piled into the elevator, Hancock continued.

“The daughter survived. It was only thought she was killed in cross fire. It’s not the goddamn son after Eden. It’s the daughter. It explains how inept the attempts on her life have been. This isn’t some hired assassin after Eden. The daughter is coming after Eden herself.”

“Son of a bitch,” Swanny swore. “Goddamn it, Hancock. Haven’t you ever heard of a f**king phone? Why the hell didn’t you let us know immediately instead of waiting until you got here to spill? You talk about us not doing our job, but if Eden means so goddamn much to you then, why the f**k didn’t you immediately get on the horn and warn us?”