A sickening sense of dread swept through me, a shiver running down my spine.

  “No. There’s been nothing out of the ordinary,” Jerry continued. “Are you expecting something to change?”

  I held my breath, fighting the ugly nerves as they continued to claw at my throat.

  “Then I’ll remain in the house. Look, I understand what you’re saying, but what you’re about to do is dangerous on your own. You know that, brother. Is there a chance your sister went somewhere else?”

  The chill turned frigid, freezing every cell and muscle in my body. I began to shake violently, my heart thudding to the point echoes pounded in my ears. Oh, God. Oh, no. No! What was I supposed to do? I had to figure something out. I wasn’t just going to sit here while my son might have been abducted. No.

  Think. Think!

  A thick haze reduced my vision, my mind racing with more horrible thoughts. Grady. Oh, my baby. Mommy has to help you. She has to.

  As the conversation continued, I drifted away, finding myself seconds later in the kitchen. I wrung my hands as I paced back and forth, my mind still a blur. What did that mean his sister was gone? Did she take my baby? I couldn’t stop the tears from falling even though I wiped them away furiously.

  This was a nightmare. I had to help him. I had to get to him no matter what it took. But how? I was stuck here. I had no way of…

  I swung my head toward the counter, eyeing Jerry’s keys. He had the key to the padlock at that damn building. Did he also have the key to whatever vehicle was inside? If I had to venture a guess, I’d say he did. Someone would have to keep whatever cars operational. Then again, if Jerry’s truck was right outside, that would be easier. I could do this. Oh, hell, yes, I could. I walked closer, still unable to catch my breath.

  Then I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed the keys, fleeing toward the front door and rushing outside. Thank God, Jerry’s truck was located directly outside. He’d also left it unlocked. I jumped inside, keeping my eyes on the front door as I shifted through the keys, trying several. Then I dropped the entire bunch.

  “No. Please help me get out of here. I have to get to my baby.”

  At least with taking the entire set of keys, it would take some time before Jerry could get another vehicle to try to follow me. I knew I’d be stopped and dragged back. I couldn’t allow that to happen. When a key finally fit, I said another prayer as I started the engine, gunning it as soon as I threw it into reverse.

  Even though there was dust flying, I was able to see Jerry running out the front door when I glared into the rearview mirror.

  “Mommy’s coming, baby. She’s coming to find you. Don’t you worry. Mommy loves you.” As tears continued to fall, I made a promise to myself as well as to my sweet little man.

  I would find a way to get back to Virginia. I would force myself to remember how to get there.

  And I would save my son.

  So help me God.

  Chapter 13

  Dominik

  Danger.

  I’d lived with the concept my entire life. Up until now, it had rarely bothered me. At this point, the first twinges of fear mixed with the building rage. Getting out of New York City was a bitch, but as soon as I managed to reach the outskirts, I floored it, rolling down the interstate at an excessive speed. Although I made good time initially, I was forced to use my alternative route, the backroads less crowded but more of a pain in the ass.

  I tried Lola’s number several additional times. While it rang, the voicemail always picked up. I even attempted to reach Tom given the man worked outside of the house. When I experienced the same lack of response, my gut told me something tragic had occurred. I twisted my hand on the steering wheel, going over what Viktor had spouted off. If he’d managed to find Lola’s address, even though there’d been no direct connection established, I knew the possibility that the farm had also been compromised was high.

  At least I knew Jerry would do the right thing, taking Hope to the alternative safehouse, the man the only one who knew the location or that it existed. At least they would be safe there until I was able to return.

  Grimacing, I glared into the rearview mirror, calculating the time I had left before reaching Virginia. At this rate, I still had almost five hours to go. I pushed down on the gas pedal, daring to defy the local cops. They would have to catch me at this point. By the time I arrived, it would almost be dark. Fuck. Why the hell had I not seen this coming?

  The sound of my phone forced a hiss from my throat. On edge, I yanked it into my hand, praying to God that all I needed to do was give my sister the heads up to get the hell out of the house. Seeing Jerry’s number, I hissed. “What’s wrong?”

  “She’s gone,” Jerry boomed. It was obvious he was driving, the sound of the engine rumbling indicating he was in the Humvee.

  “What do you mean she’s gone?”

  “She managed to grab my keys while we were talking. She must have overheard the conversation. I’m going after her.”

  “Damn it.” I slammed my hand on the steering wheel, taking heaving breaths. “I trusted you.”

  “Jesus Christ, Dominik. I didn’t expect her to steal my goddamn truck.”

  “She’s going to try and make her way back to Virginia. I know her.”

  “Does she even know the way?”

  I laughed. “You don’t understand. Her son means everything to her. She will do everything in her power to take him to safety. At least she doesn’t have any money.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s not true. My wallet is in the glove compartment. If she’s that resourceful, she’s going to check to see what kind of tools or useful equipment she has.”

  I’d been embroiled with rage for days, but to think I had a chance of losing the woman I was falling in love with to another monster was almost too much to bear. I was forced to choose between trying to save my sister’s family as well as the special little boy or to hunt her down, protecting her with my life.

  “There’s something else,” he said, almost in passing.

  “What?” I barked.

  “She found Jake’s picture. She was in your office when I walked in earlier. The picture was on the floor.”

  Fuck. Fuck!

  I fisted my hand, every muscle in my body tensing. Another round of memories rushed into my mind, the horror of what had occurred far too much to bear. I had to think about business and nothing else.

  “You will find her, Jerry. If it’s the last thing on this earth you do, you will find Hope.”

  “I will do what I can, my friend. Just trust me. She will be found.”

  I held the phone to my head after ending the call. Then I tossed it into the seat beside me. It was going to be one hell of a night.

  Jake.

  Removing him from my mind was even more difficult. The fact she’d found his picture wasn’t surprising. Even the fact she’d defied my orders didn’t anger me.

  The entire situation did.

  Concentrate. You have to get through this.

  And I would, just like I had years before.

  The hours were arduous, my anger keeping me on the edge. Jerry’s last call hadn’t provided any good news. It was as if Hope had disappeared. At this point, he was continuing to follow the typical directions toward Virginia in the hopes of catching Hope. I wasn’t certain I hoped if her memories were accurate or not. The closer she came to the possible attack, the more likely someone else would find her.

  By the time I made it close to Waynesboro, I continually glanced into my rearview mirror. While it was still possible that Lola had taken the boy to another location, my instinct was getting stronger than they’d been hurt or worse, the boy taken. When I killed Viktor, there wasn’t a chance that he’d learned about Forrester’s death. At least that might mean there was a possibility the boy was still alive.

  I could barely think straight as I headed toward the cabin, constantly scanning the road. The sun had already set, twilight creating shadows across the asphalt surface. One of my weapons was in the seat beside me, the others in close proximity. I would be prepared for almost anything I should face.

  Almost.

  I bit my fist, finally allowing the reality to set in that Viktor had been responsible for Jake’s death. That had been the worst time in my life, dragging me into a deep depression. Then the rage had won out, pushing me back into working again, knowing that one day I’d find the little boy’s killer. I’d made it my mission in life to hunt down the fucker responsible.

  Exhaling, I heard the extreme rattle in my voice, pushing the engine of the Cougar hard as I shifted around the curves, enjoying the slight squeal of the tires. I no longer gave a shit what happened to me. I’d been able to exact revenge for Jake’s death.

  I would do it again and again if necessary.

  As I pulled down the road leading to their house, I said a prayer for the first time since I was a boy. Hope and Grady had to be all right. I couldn’t lose them.

  Cutting the lights, I pulled into the lot that was located next to theirs. From what little I could see, there was no current activity, but the bastards could be waiting for my arrival. I grabbed a flashlight, slipping it into my jacket pocket along with another clip of ammo. Then I grabbed the AK-15, uncertain of just how much firepower I was going to need.

  I eased out of the car, listening for any sounds. I heard nothing but crickets and other night creatures. After swinging the strap from the rifle over my shoulder, I moved toward the house through the woods, purposely keeping away from the driveway. I immediately froze when I noticed lights on inside the house. That wasn’t a good sign.

  The night remained quiet and after a few seconds, I continued to advance, moving toward one of the side windows. I was able to peer inside, but the room was too dark to see anything. There was no sign of forced entry, and the front door remained locked. I darted a glance inside, able to see certain aspects of the living room through the partially cracked shades. Almost instantly, my blood began to boil.

  I shifted to the front door, kicking it in without hesitation. Oh, my God. Seeing my brother-in-law’s body lying on the floor, an obvious bullet wound close to his heart, I feared the worst. I scanned the room before bending down, pressing two fingers against his pulse. He was still alive, although his breathing was shallow.

  I moved toward the other rooms, finding Lola on the floor in what appeared to be the bedroom they’d given to Grady. The stuffed animal that I’d bought for him was on the bed. My God. What the hell had happened?

  “Oh, Lola.” As soon as I eased onto my knees, gently rolling her over, she moaned. Exhaling, I shifted hair from her eyes, trying to scan her quickly for injuries.

  She moaned again, her eyelids fluttering open. “Dom… i… nik. I’m… sorry.”

  “Oh, honey. You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m going to get you some help. Tom is alive.” The injury she’d endured was located in her abdomen. There was so much damn blood. “Honey, do you know where Grady is?”

  As she tried to swallow, she coughed. Fuck. There was some blood. “Ran away. Jessie is… with him. Couldn’t… Three men. Tried to save him.”

  Three. It was unusual for an assassin to bring extra assistance. Viktor had pulled out all the stops to make this happen.

  “Sshhh… I’m calling an ambulance right now. It’s going to be all right. I’ll find him. Okay? You did good. I’ll be back, baby sis. I promise.” I yanked the phone into my hand, immediately calling 9-1-1 and providing the address. I gave her a last smile before bolting toward the back door. It was easy to tell that the bastards had been gone a long time. It was entirely possible they’d already found Grady, but I refused to give up.

  I yanked out the flashlight, turning on the high beam, swinging it around the yard. While there was no obvious path, I figured a terrified little boy would run straight in his attempt to get away. I took off running.

  After a few minutes, I heard the sound of sirens in the distance. Fuck. I was going to kill the motherfuckers no matter how long it took to find them. I continually flashed the light from one side to the other, finally feeling like I could call out both Grady’s and Jessie’s names.

  “Grady! Jessie! Where are you?” I only hoped Grady would recognize my voice, giving me a chance to find him. I stomped through the thick underbrush, pushing harder and deeper into the forest. Everything was starting to look alike, which would further terrify a little boy. “Come on, guys. Where are you? It’s going to be all right. Jessie. Grady!”

  Another two minutes passed by.

  Three.

  Four.

  It was getting hopeless. I leaned against one of the trees, flashing the light in a complete circle. “Grady! Come on, honey. It’s Superman. I’m here to save you. I’m going to take you back to see Mommy!”

  There was nothing. No barks. No cries for help.

  Then I heard something in the distance and craned my neck. The single bark was all I needed. I shot off, racing through the woods, continuing to call their names as I jumped over fallen limbs. My adrenaline was on high, my blood pressure rising. Jessie continued to bark, the sound getting louder.

  I stopped for a few seconds, making certain I was going in the right direction before heading off again. Barely two minutes later, I finally saw what appeared to be a wagging tail in the beam of light. “Jessie!”

  The dog came running, lunging toward me and into my arms.

  “Oh, Jesus Christ. Okay. Jessie, where is Grady? Can you take me to Grady?”

  The dog licked my face several times then pulled away, heading back in the same direction where she’d come from. I had to rely on the pup to bring me good news. She raced further than I expected but when she stopped short, turning around and barking several times, I lunged forward.

  Grady was curled on his side, his eyes closed. I hesitated before bending down, more terrified than ever at what I’d find. “You did good, girl. Very good.” I took a deep breath when I realized Grady was breathing normally. As I gathered him into my arms, he nuzzled against my chest, murmuring in his sleep.

  Jessie continued to bark for a few seconds before flanking my leg.

  “Mommy?”

  The little sound of his voice dragged me back into the past, the sweet sound almost too much to bear. “It’s okay, Grady. I’m going to take you to Mommy.”

  As I backtracked toward the cabin, I realized there was no way I could stay to ensure that Lola and Tom were okay. While it was a difficult decision to make, I couldn’t risk being questioned at this point. My only hope remained by keeping my anonymity as well as my location undetected.

  The trek through the woods was almost cathartic, bringing me back to the night when I’d found Jake. There was ice running though my veins, my muscles remaining tense. The hunter assigned would continue his mission, searching for the boy. I had to get the little man to safety as quickly as possible.

  I was able to see the flashing lights as I moved into the trees surrounding the cabin. I was thankful that Jessie remained quiet, following along behind in her continued effort to keep the boy she’d adopted safe. I marveled at the intelligence as well as bravery of animals. I had a feeling that Jessie would have put herself in harm’s way in order to keep Grady safe.

  When I finally made it to the car, easing the sleeping boy and Golden Retriever inside, I said another prayer. Hell, maybe someone up there would be listening. My sister didn’t deserve what had happened. I would never forgive myself for putting her in harm’s way. I slipped into the driver’s seat, still trying to catch my breath from the anger boiling inside me.

  The additional revenge would be sweet, and it would be painful.

  As I swung out of the driveway, I immediately picked up my phone, dialing Jerry.

  “I haven’t found her yet. I’m maybe two and a half hours out,” Jerry huffed.

  “Keep coming. What road are you on? I need to meet you.”

  “Did you find the boy?”

  I glanced into the rearview mirror, amazed Grady was still asleep. I could see Jessie’s eyes as well as her wagging tongue. She was still watching over the boy. “Yeah, but my sister is in critical condition.”

  “Ah, buddy, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you got Lola involved. Jesus Christ. Do you know what the hell happened?”

  “Oh, yeah. I know. While I’ve taken care of the reason, there are still two assassins out there, one of them using help. I must find Hope before they do.”

  “Okay. I’ll keep watch.”

  After he told me what road he was on, I took a deep breath, driving another short distance before pulling in through a drive-thru and ordering drinks and food, water for the pup. I knew Grady had to be dehydrated. In my determination, the attack had been near an hour before. At least Grady had reacted instantly, the only reason he hadn’t been abducted.

  As I continued driving, I scanned the road. While there was another way of getting here, I had no way of knowing whether she was even in the right state. Why the hell would she be so stupid? Why couldn’t she trust me?

  The answer was clear.

  Because she had no reason to place her trust in a monster.

  I fisted my hand, biting down on my knuckles to keep from making a scary noise. Grady had already been through too much. My thoughts shifted to Lola and Tom. While I was no doctor, my gut told me they would have bled out in less than an hour. All I could do was place my trust in the medical system.

  “Mommy?” Grady half whimpered from the back. “I’m scared.”

  “It’s okay, Grady. Superman is taking you to your mommy. Why don’t you have something to eat and drink? Would you like that?”

  “Yay.”

  The resilience of children never ceased to amaze me. They were stronger than most adults. I handed him the bag, trying to control my breathing.

  Then I concentrated on driving.

  Less than an hour later, Jerry called again. “What did you find?”

  “You’re not going to like it. My truck was run into a ditch. The driver’s door is open and there is evidence of a struggle.”