The door banged open just as I was about to be lowered into the glass case.

Jerking my head up, I watched as three of the top people in our security detail burst into the room.

“Boss!” Giana called out, addressing all of us, although her topaz eyes locked on me.

My gut bottomed out and I propelled myself forward, landing six feet below on the stage. Shooting a look at my assistant, Mika, I nodded at her. She came rushing over, keys in hand. I was already working on freeing myself, but she went to work on the buckles and locks of the straitjacket.

Giana leaped up onto the stage and came over, stopping halfway between Mac and me.

“That bastard found Emmy—he got her out of the hotel,” she said flatly.

One of the others said, “We’re so fucking sorry—”

“Don’t waste her time on apologies,” Giana barked before continuing. “Gunnar is already en route, following. He’s right behind them and we’ve got the video feed.”

“How did he get her out of the hotel?” Mac demanded.

“She’d had a couple of drinks,” Giana said. “I’d been keeping an eye on her, but there was a problem in one of the other pits and when I went to settle it…shit, never mind. She’s gone but we’ve got a tail. If you’ll come with us…” Her eyes were on both of us.

“We’ll all go,” LeVan said softly, stepping between us, one hand coming up to rest on our shoulders.

“What do I tell Angel?” Mac asked as we ran through the building.

“She’ll be fine,” I said, my mind focused on Giana’s long, slim back. Her ponytail bounced in time with her strides and it was oddly mesmerizing. If I focused on that, maybe I wouldn’t be too eaten up by the fear—

Fuck it.

The fear was already eating me alive.

“Have the police been called?”

“I’ve got Holsten on that,” Giana shouted over her shoulder. “He saw it all go down, got Gunnar in the car to go after them. He’s holding down the fort for now.”

The fort.

What fucking fort?

If we had a fort, then Emmy would’ve been safe inside.

A car was waiting out in front of the casino, ignoring the laws against parking. Two of the hotel security people were hovering close by, no doubt to run interference if need be.

The three of us hit the car at almost the exact same time. LeVan was the fastest of us but adrenaline had me all but flying across the pavement.

I got through a door already open and waiting for me while the other two were close behind me.

The driver, Bender, took off before the door even slammed shut. “He's at the south end of the strip. Traffic is holding him up.”

“Gunnar has a good eye on him.” Bender met my eyes in the mirror. “He’s not getting away from him, Sir.”

“Where are the cops?” I demanded. Fuck, what a laugh that was, coming from me. Cops, something I hated and now I needed them.

“They haven't hit the hotel yet, Sir.” The driver tapped his earpiece, clearly listening to a conversation we couldn't hear.

“Put that on Bluetooth,” I said. “I want to know what’s going on.”

Bender hit something on the dash and the sound of chaos filled the air. The three of us in the back shared a look and then focused back on Bender who seemed to be able to keep track of the multiple conversations happening.

“Holsten, update,” Bender barked.

I heard a voice. “Gunnar?”

Then it was Gunnar talking. “He's turning off the main drag. I'm right behind them, couple cars back.”

“Don't lose them,” I said, raising my voice.

He heard me just fine. “Don't worry, Boss, I won’t.”

Don't worry. Yeah. Sure. I wouldn't worry.

* * *

He had her at the Golden Bridge Casino and Hotel.

If I've got a bridge in Arizona to sell you, I found myself thinking, half hysterically.

If she was hurt, I was going to buy this moldering old piece of shit hotel and raze it to the ground. I just might do that anyway. I didn't want her seeing any of it and having bad memories.

Gunnar came running toward us as we all piled out of the car.

“He took her in there.” He was panting, his face red.

He was a formidable war dog, but he spent most of his day walking the pit and he was past fifty.

“I think I know about where they are but I didn't want to do anything until I had a better idea what was going on. We need the cops—I already tagged Holsten to let them know where we are, but I don’t know if this ass is armed or what.”

Gunnar was one of our top security people and came from a number of years in law enforcement himself. Under most circumstances, I would defer to his judgment.

But I wasn't waiting for any damn cop. While Mac and LeVan nodded, I took off running.

LeVan shouted my name but I ignored him.

I hit the door with enough force to rattle the hinges and threw them open. Once inside, I stopped and just listened.

Where are you? I thought.

Where are you, baby?