I’ve been home for almost an hour, and there’s still no word from Jade. I stopped by Falco on the way in to check my messages and to see if she was still there, but security said that she’d been gone for a while. I assumed she’d be here, so when she wasn’t, I checked the parking garage. Her car is gone. I wasn’t overly concerned at that point, thinking she may have run home for some clothes. I used the time to talk with Luc about my meeting with Wrenn and about hiring additional security for our families.

When all that has been taken care of, there still is so sign of her, and she isn’t answering her phone, so I begin to get nervous. Warning bells are sounding in my gut, and that always spells trouble. I have my phone in hand, ready to call Luc again, when it rings. I look and breathe a sigh of relief when I see Jade’s name—well, actually Liza’s on the caller ID. “Hey, where are you?” I ask, feeling instantly better.

“Lee.” Her voice is low and shaky, barely audible. Fuck.

“What’s wrong? Where are you?” I fire off the questions, as I begin pacing. “Are you okay?”

Her line is silent for a long moment before she says, “I-I don’t know. I think Jacey hit me. It’s so dark, and I can’t sit up.” Her voice is rising, and I hear the panic, bordering on hysteria. I want to lose my shit right along with her, but that will accomplish nothing. I need to calm her down and find out what’s going on.

“Jade,” I say soothingly, yet firmly. “Sweetheart, take a deep breath. You must focus so I can help you. Now start at the beginning and tell me what happened.”

I hear her do as I’ve instructed. “Jacey called me to ask me to come get her because her car wouldn’t start. I’m not sure, but someone hit me in the back of my head. Then she said something about being sorry and that’s the last thing I recall. I woke up in the dark and tried to get up. But I can only move a little on either side.”

I’m already racing through the lobby of my building before she finishes talking. My car is still parked at the curb, and I fumble for my keys before unlocking it and jumping inside. But I haven’t a fucking clue which direction to head in. I consider going to Luc’s briefly, but I don’t want to panic Lia, so instead, I go to the man with resources I need. “Okay. Let’s work this out. Can you find the flashlight button on your phone? Then you can flip it on and look around.” I notice there is a roaring noise in the background, but I can’t identify the sound. I hear her fingers touching the keys, then she shrieks.

“Oh my God! Lee, I’m in the trunk of Jacey’s car. Or at least I think it’s still hers. I remember now that she had some boxes she needed me to help her with, and that’s when someone hit me. She must have pushed me inside.” What. The. Fuck? Her sister?

I’m furious. Her fucking sister will never walk if something happens to Jade. Keeping it together is almost impossible right now. “Listen to my voice, baby,” I murmur soothingly. “You’re going to be okay. I’ll find you, I promise. Just stay on the line with me. If you hear the car stop, hide the phone. I’m going to have it traced.” I pull to a stop in front of Tony’s club and leap from my car, not bothering to shut the door. As luck has it, Tony is standing a few feet away smoking a cigarette with the guy I recognize from my first visit here. He gives me a questioning look. “I need your help.” He doesn’t ask questions. He nods once, then tosses his cigarette onto the sidewalk before turning to the entrance of his building and walking inside. I follow him as I tell Jade, “Hang tight, sweetheart. I need to tell my friend what’s happened. Remember what you’re supposed to do if necessary.”

“I got it. Just find me—please.” Her voice is still high and tight with fear, but she’s holding her own. I’m so fucking proud of her. Most people would be freaking the fuck out right now, but she’s hanging tough. That’s my woman.

“I will, baby. I’m working on it now. I-I love you,” I add. I’ve never told anyone that before. Apart from Jade. My voice sounds rusty as I utter the words. Yet as if they were always waiting for her, they’re so right on my tongue. Tony is standing in the center of the club with his hands on his hips as I mute my side of the conversation. I don’t want to cause Jade more panic as we discuss the situation. “Jade’s been taken. She thinks she’s in the trunk of her sister’s car. She has her cell phone, so I need to trace the call before it’s discovered. I haven’t a fucking clue where she’s being taken. I doubt she’ll be at the Wrenn family home.”

“What is Jade’s phone number?” He tosses me a napkin and a pen from the nearby bar, and I quickly jot it down before handing it back. He has his own phone out now, quickly punching buttons before lifting it to his ear. “Marco, get here now. Trace this number,” he says sharply. He relays the digits and ends the call. No other information is given, nor apparently are any questions asked. And I recognize the name of the man who he’s just spoken to. Marco Moretti is no one’s errand boy. He’s a heavy hitter within the organization. Tony studies me for a moment before saying quietly, “This won’t end well for the Wrenns. Jade has immunity because she belongs to you, but the other two are fair game. And you can bet your ass Marco will know the connection between Draco and Hunter.”

I nod. “I could give two fucks what happens to them. They punched their ticket when they dared to take Jade. They should hope Marco is who they face because this is personal.”

“Understood.” I fill him in on my visit to Wrenn’s office, pausing to check on Jade every few minutes. I’ve just finished relaying the last of it when a tall hulk of a man dressed in a black suit walks in. Marco. He and Tony were close growing up, and it’s obvious by the way that they embrace that the connection is still there. “Thanks for coming so quickly, brother.” Tony claps his shoulder.

Marco then turns toward me and extends a hand. “Lee, it’s been a long time.”

“It has indeed,” I say warmly, seeing traces of the boy I knew in the man before me. “I appreciate it,” I add, and he inclines his head.

“You’re family,” he says. And that explains it all. I hear my name and realize Jade is calling me. I moved the phone away from my ear when talking to Marco and hadn’t realized it. I hastily raise it again asking, “What’s wrong, baby? I’m right here.”

“I think the car has stopped,” she whispers. There is no longer any background noise, which unsettles me, too. While they were moving, she was relatively safe.

“All right, honey. Leave the call connected on mute, but put the phone back in your pocket.”

“I’m scared,” she says. “What if I never see you again?”

Her words, as well as the shakiness of her voice, nearly breaks my heart. I strive for confidence that I’m far from feeling. “I’ll find you, piccolo uccello. Just hang on a little longer. Do what they say and try to buy us a little time.”

“Okay,” she says uncertainly. “I love you, Lee.”

“Me too, baby,” I murmur, then swallow hard as she does as instructed and puts the phone away. “We need to trace that call now. They’ve stopped. If we can at least find the general area, we’ll have a starting point. Based on how long she’s been moving, they should still be in the state.”

Tony looks at Marco who is already typing on his phone. “My guy is talking to his contact. We have an approximate grid around the Pisgah Forest, but we’ll be wasting our time without narrowing it down. There are so many subdivisions and wooded areas there that finding a needle in a haystack would be fucking easier.”

Apparently having the same thought, Tony and I head toward the door. “We’ll at least be mobile when we get some more information,” he says. He pulls a set of keys from his pocket and clicks to unlock a black Land Rover a few feet away at the curb. “I’ll drive so you can monitor Jade.” He tosses me his own phone. “Call Lucian. Fill him in. Let’s make certain everyone is on guard until we know what the fuck we’re dealing with.”

“I’ve tightened security and so has he. But too fucking late. I’ll let both he and Pete know.” I quickly fill both Luc and Pete in and am grateful how calm they are under pressure. They both agree to add another layer of protection to our family and ask to be contacted as soon as I have further information. Even though they want to help, I tell them they can do that by taking care of the people we love.

I hand Tony his phone back, then say softly, “Marco needs to know that the person who orchestrated this is mine.”

Tony doesn’t respond for a moment, then he glances my way before turning back to the road. “Family is a funny thing, Lee. Jade may hate her father, but if you’re the one who kills him, she might not be able to get past it. Something like that—even when warranted—has a way of changing the way a person looks at you.”

I run a hand through my hair in frustration. “Don’t you think I know that? But what kind of fucking man would I be if I let this stand?”

“I know you did shit when necessary for my dad and Victor. But at your core, you value human life. I also know that you believe in an eye for an eye,” he adds. I know without him putting it into words that he’s talking about the bastard who hurt Lia. I’ve never told anyone what happened the day I did what needed to be done to ensure the safety of my only child, nor will I. That’s yet another secret I’ll take to the grave. And I’ll never lose a moment’s sleep over it.

“Tony, you and I might not be involved in the daily operations of the Moretti’s, but we’re still men who think differently than most. Sometimes, the long-term potential of a threat must be weighed against the collateral damage that terminating it will bring.”

He nods in agreement. “You may lose Jade to make that happen.”

It’s nothing I haven’t already thought myself. And even though it guts me to think of a life without her, I can’t let any further harm come to her. I’ll gladly sacrifice my own happiness if it means she’s out there in the world living a life without fear. “If it comes to that, then yes.” I put my phone to my ear again, and there is nothing. Complete and utter silence. I pull it away and begin cursing when I see that the call has dropped out. Fucking hell. “We’ve been disconnected,” I say tensely. “I bet they found the damn phone.” The one link I have with her is gone. What if I’m too late?

“Maybe her battery died,” Tony offers, sounding calm and unruffled. I almost want to hit him for that, but rationally, I know he’s trying to keep me from losing it. The sound of his phone ringing is like a gunshot in the car. I jerk involuntarily, before releasing a steading breath. “Marco,” he says by way of greeting before going silent. Finally, he ends the call and once again hands the phone to me. “He’s texting me an address. When you have it, enter it in the GPS.”

“Did he have any other information?” I ask as I scan his phone for the incoming message.

“They tracked the signal to an area about five miles from here. It’s a more remote section with only two houses in the two-mile radius near the cell tower. He’s also sending the names those homes are deeded to. If we’re lucky, she’s at one of them and not the surrounding area. It’ll make finding her a hell of a lot easier than looking through the dense forest at night.”

His phone chimes, and I click to read the message. “Nicholas Hider is at 1122 Green Pine Way, and April Chester is at 1125 Green Pine Way.” Something niggles in the back of my mind as I enter the first address. Fuck, what am I missing?

Tony does a U-turn and goes in the opposite direction as the route guidance begins. “Do either of those ring a bell?” he asks as he slows to take a sharp curve ahead.

“I’m almost certain I’ve heard of April Chester before. Or fuck, maybe it’s the street name. All I know is that—wait a minute.” I quickly punch in Luc’s number, and when he answers, I don’t bother with a greeting. “April Chester?”

He’s quiet for a long moment before hissing, “Holy fuck. Tell me that bitch isn’t behind this.”

“Who is she?” I demand, then it’s there. I barely hear him as I turn to Tony and say, “Go to the second address. 1125 Green Pine.” He shoots me a questioning looks. “April Chester is Monique Chandler.”

“What in the hell is going on?” Luc demands, sounding about as shell-shocked as I feel.

“We traced Jade’s phone, and there are two houses in the area. One of them is in April Chester’s name. Isn’t she in prison for years to come?” I ask, knowing that Luc would have kept tabs on the deranged woman who had been instrumental in putting his family through hell.

“You’re damn right she is,” he grits out. “I’ll call you back.”

I hit the dashboard in disgust. Tony shakes his head in commiseration. “This is some fucked-up shit. I remember Monique Chandler from all that went down with your daughter.” He pauses a moment before adding, “She’s still in prison, Lee, because I’d have known otherwise.” I glance his way. “Like I said, you’re a Moretti, and that extends to your daughter and granddaughter.” He laughs, but it’s devoid of humor. “That bitch should have been taken out. We should have all known better than to let her live. Thinking of her suffering in that maximum-security prison gave me calm. We both know there are no coincidences where people like that are concerned.”

“No, they’re not,” I agree flatly. “What I don’t see if how this fits together. It’s like trying to push a circle puzzle piece into a square slot.”

“This shit does get weirder and weirder.” Tony sighs. “I need to update Marco so the men aren’t wasting their time looking at other areas.” He quickly places a call and brings the other man up to speed. “I assume you’re packing? If not, there’s a 9mm in the glove box.”

I open my jacket, showing him my shoulder holster also with a 9mm in it. “Got it covered. You?”

“Always. Would you leave a nightclub in the morning hours without protection?” The GPS announces our destination, and Tony turns down a small driveway, surrounded by trees. A few feet ahead are two black Escalade SUVs. Marco steps out of the back of one, when Tony pulls in behind it. He rolls down the window, asking the other man, “Seen anyone?”

Marco shakes his head. “No. Mike did recon, and there’s a house about half a mile further up. It’s deserted other than that. There’s a Mercedes and a BMW in the driveway. But no one outside. I told him to hold the perimeter and let me know if anything changes.”

“Good,” Tony says. He turns to me adding, “I think we should go in on foot from here. No sense alerting them to our presence until necessary. The element of surprise is always a good thing to have.”

I’m already opening my door, having come to the same conclusion. By the time we’ve reached the first SUV, six other men are waiting. I recognize a few of them from years back. He turns to me and asks, “How do you want this to go down? We go in guns blazing and hope they’re not prepared or try to slide in a back window and avoid detection for as long as we can?” Marco has the confidence a man can only acquire when he’s faced his own death numerous times. He has no fear, only a healthy respect in his abilities to defeat anything thrown his way.

“Let’s go low.” My decision isn’t based on trepidation for my own safety. Considering the anger I feel toward the people who abducted Jade, I want to choose the direct approach in this instance. But, my reason is centered solely on Jade. If she is caught in the crossfire of a shootout, I’ll never forgive myself.

Tony nods. “Especially as we don’t know exactly who we’re dealing with. Or where they’re keeping Jade.”

Marco nods. “Mike says there’s a door to what appears to be a basement in the back. I think that’s our best point of entry. I’ll leave a man there and in front to nab anyone attempting to come or go. Eight of us should be more than enough to handle anything from them.”

I motion for Marco to fall back as we start moving out. When I reach his side, I say quietly, “I want to take care of the person responsible for this.”

He shoots a questioning look at Tony, who nods once in affirmation. Marco shrugs before saying, “Your woman, your revenge.” Then he adds, “But if it becomes a matter of one of our lives—yours included—safety will supersede that.”

“Of course,” I reply without question. He’s right. The Morettis are not a group led by their emotions. The survival of the family is of paramount importance to them. Especially after several senseless deaths high up in their organization. Draco’s murder was a classic example of what can happen when you let your guard down. Had there been due diligence in his protection detail that day, both he and Victor might still be alive.

As we all prowl through the rapidly darkening forest, I feel a foreboding that makes my blood run cold. For as simple as our plan is, I know that what we face will be anything but. I have no idea exactly how it will happen, but tonight there will be a loss of life. It had been there in Tony’s expression as well before we began walking toward the house. That’s the fucked-up thing about intuition. You may be certain that disaster is just around the corner, but without the specifics surrounding it, there’s no way to predict the outcome. After the smoke clears, Jade better be still alive. Because she is probably the only truly innocent one among us. If I go down, I’ll be taking the fucker with me who put Jade in this position. There’s no way I’ll die and leave her behind to face any more hell. This fucking ends tonight.

JADE

My sister paces the floor while our father and one of his goons talk quietly in another room. “We need to get out of here, Jacey,” I implore her yet again. “Surely, you can see that someone is going to get hurt.”

She snorts before rolling her eyes in my direction. “Tell me something I don’t know. This was a big mistake from the beginning, but you know Daddy dearest. Your boyfriend is the one who created this whole mess. If he hadn’t rattled the old man’s cage, none of this would be happening. But no, he had to drop by and make threats.” She looks almost pleased as she adds, “I’ve never seen our father so freaked out before. Whatever Lee said must have been good.”

My head still throbs, and the feeling has long been gone from my hands that are bound in front of me. “You hit me,” I accuse. “I’m your sister, and you kidnapped me. What in the hell is wrong with you, Jacey? You could go to prison for this. And do you think Father would cross the road to bail you out? No, he’ll make you the bad guy, while he swears he knew nothing about it.”

“First off, I didn’t lay a hand on you.” She rolls her eyes. “That was Daddy’s henchman. I mean really, do you think I could have lifted you on my own and put you in the trunk of my car?” She snorts at the absurdity. “As for him turning on me, I’m smart enough to have a little insurance.” She holds up her phone before lowering her voice. “You’ve got to love these handy recording apps. I never attend a meeting anymore without turning mine on.”

She acts as if she expects praise for her ingenuity, but I simply look at her in disgust. “What made you such a bitter person?”

She ignores my question, then surprises me by tossing her phone in my lap. “That’s my favorite one, check it out.” Is she insane? Wait, what? I squint down, trying to make out the writing on the screen. Then my eyes widen in shock.

I saved your life tonight. Dad wanted to have his goons handle everything, but I volunteered to drive you here after Lenny helped you into the back of my car. You need to play along with whatever I say until I can figure a way out of this. Keep the nastiness going. It’ll seem real since that’s the way you usually talk to me. Oh, I knew you had your phone in your pocket, but I told Lenny I’d thrown it away. I had to take it before anyone found it, though. Hope you made good use of it before then.

I read the words again, barely daring to believe them. Is she on my side? Careful, don’t trust her. My head is screaming for me to exercise caution, but when I look into her eyes, there’s something I haven’t seen in a long time—hell, maybe ever. There’s sorrow and possibly even love. I must have taken a harder hit to the head than I thought. With no other options, I clear my throat and decide to go along with it for now. “Where are we, and what in the fuck is going on?”

Giving me a smile of approval, she reaches out to take her phone and squeezes my hand before pulling away. Then she assumes her usual role of a condescending bitch. “I have no idea and couldn’t care less. I’m sorry it isn’t up to your recent standards. I imagine Lee has a pretty sweet place.” She puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head mockingly. “But he really should learn to keep his mouth shut. You have him to thank for this. Well, if you ever see him again, which is doubtful.”

Our verbal sparring continues for several more minutes. I’m at the point where I no longer know what’s real and what’s pretend. Then I see something out of the corner of my eye that has me jerking to attention. Lee? I have only a split second to wonder if I’m hallucinating before all hell breaks loose. Jacey squeals in alarm and grabs my bound hands, pulling me up and across the room. We crouch down in the corner behind a chair, and she unties my hands as the sounds of shouting fills the air. I hear what I think is someone fighting and then there is silence. Jacey and I look at each other in dread, wondering if we’re about to be saved or if all hope is lost. Dear God, let him be all right.