Jerry’s voice echoed in my ears, the understanding kicking me hard in the gut. I’d fucked up. I’d failed her and I’d failed the little boy sitting behind me.

  “Where?” I managed, my voice no longer sounding human.

  “Right past River’s Bend. I’ve pulled over. I’m going to search the woods until you get here.”

  I had nothing to say but as I tossed my phone once again, I was dragged back to the past, the visions so real I was forced to shake my head violently to try to rid my mind of the cobwebs. That was almost impossible. My heartrate increased, the adrenaline rush exploding in my system again. Finding the assassins would be almost impossible. She could be anywhere at this point. However, there would be no stone unturned, no area of the country where I wouldn’t search.

  And I knew the man who was going to help me find her.

  First, I had to ensure Grady’s safety, placing what was left of my trust in Jerry. I only hoped his skills had remained top notch. I had a feeling he was going to need every one of them.

  Time seemed to tick by unusually slowly. Finally, I noticed the two vehicles along the side of a desolate road. As I pulled over, I realized by looking in the rearview that Grady had fallen asleep once again. This time Jessie’s head was on the boy’s lap. After rolling down the windows, I cut the engine, trying to ease out of the vehicle as quietly as possible.

  Jerry had returned to the scene, leaning against the abandoned truck with his arms folded. He walked toward me as I approached, darting a glance toward the back of the Cougar. At least he’d brought the Humvee.

  “Kid okay?” he asked.

  “As okay as you can be after seeing two people you didn’t know shot by gunmen then fleeing into the dense woods to get lost for several hours. Yeah, he’s fine. So is the dog.”

  “A dog, huh?”

  I nodded as I scanned the perimeter. “Find anything?”

  “Other than what appears to be skid marks, no. She was taken in a vehicle. There’s nothing inside the truck to give any indication of what happened. What are you going to do?”

  “Find her.”

  “How? I know you’re good, Dominik, but you have no idea who these bastards are. Or do you?”

  I thought about his question. As all mercenaries did, we found out about our competition. People talked. Legends were born. At least a portion of the stories were usually true. There were few out there I would consider as good as I’d become, but at least three were the kind of brutal men who would entice Viktor. “I have a fairly good idea. I also have a way of checking up on them.”

  He laughed, although the sound was hollow. “I guess things changed from when I was doing this shit.”

  “I hope not too much, Jerry. I really need your help on this one. And I have to be able to trust you.”

  His eyes opened wide. While he wasn’t insulted, I could tell he was surprised at the fact I questioned his loyalty. “I’ll make certain Grady and the dog are safe if that’s what you’re asking. I have enough firepower to protect them against a freaking army.”

  Exhaling, I gave him a partial smile. “Take the Cougar to the safehouse. Stay there until you hear from me. There is still a possibility that the second assassin hired will show up at the farm.”

  “How? No, just tell me later. Let me grab my bag and I’ll head that way. Wish I could come with you.”

  “A part of me does as well, but it’s imperative that you keep Grady safe. Losing him would destroy Hope’s world.”

  He patted my arm then headed back to the Humvee. I took another deep breath before heading back to the Cougar and opening the door. “Grady, honey. Can you wake up for me?”

  His sleepy little eyes took their time before opening. At least there was some form of recognition in them. “Superman.”

  I laughed as genuinely as possible. “I need your help. I need you to be brave. Do you think you can do that for me?”

  “O-tay. How?”

  “I’m going to introduce you to my friend. His name is Jerry. He’s going to take you to a fun place just for a little while so I can go and get your mom. Do you think you can do that for me?”

  Grady scrunched his nose then wrapped his arm around Jessie’s neck. “What about puppy?”

  “Don’t you worry. Jessie is going with you.”

  He thought about what I was saying, his eyes darting back and forth. “O-tay. Superman never tells lies.”

  “No, honey. He certainly tries not to.”

  After Jerry walked up and I made the introductions, he tossed his bag into the passenger seat while I yanked out my case.

  “I’ll see you soon, Grady. Don’t worry,” I said quietly.

  Grady grinned as he continued to rub Jessie’s neck. Even though I knew Jerry would take good care of him, a darkness had settled into my system. My chances at finding Hope alive were getting slimmer with every passing hour.

  He walked with me back to the Humvee, both of us remaining quiet for a full minute.

  “Are you sure you’re doing this for the right reason?” he asked.

  I glanced up at the dark sky, unable to see any stars. That gave me another ominous set of sensations. “Yes. I am. There isn’t a single doubt in my mind.”

  “Then you will find her, Dominik. I know you better than you think I do.”

  “Let’s just hope so, my friend. If I’m not successful, I’m not certain what’s going to happen to Grady.”

  “I think I know and maybe that will be exactly what you both need. Let me know what’s going on. I’m leaving the truck here for now after sweeping it clean. There’s no record of who it belongs to.”

  At least I could laugh. “I should have known better than to doubt you.”

  “Yeah, you should have. Take care and remove the emotions out of this. At this point it has to be just business.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  I waited until Jerry drove away, a feeling of angst tugging at my insides. The depth of the darkness I’d fallen into was exactly the same as it had been when Jake had been ripped from this world.

  Debilitating.

  I sucked in my breath and climbed into the Humvee, moving onto the road before calling the informant. Angelo had better be in a position to talk or the man would immediately be placed on my list of items to take care of.

  “I thought you’d be calling,” Angelo hissed. “Although you’re taking one goddamn huge chance by doing so.”

  “I suggest you watch your tone with me, Angelo. I find it hard to believe that you don’t know anything concrete about the assassins sent to finish the job I was given.”

  “I told you that Ivanov only provides that kind of information to his main Capos. I ain’t one of them. Now, I can’t go asking questions either. You took care of that. Didn’t you?”

  I snorted before answering. “Let’s just say I made good on a promise I made to the man. Who’s in charge, the worthless son?”

  “Damien is worthless, but he’s trying to assert his power. Things are fucked up right now.”

  I’d spent far too many years in the business, my ability to know when someone wasn’t being forthcoming almost always accurate. Angelo was holding back on me. “I’m going to ask you one last time, Angelo. Who did Ivanov hire to come after me?”

  “I told you, I don’t know.”

  I took another deep breath, finding it more difficult with each passing second to keep my cool. However, it was vital that I did. “I’m not certain you would appreciate me telling Ivanov that Angelo is a double agent. Oh, and by the way, that’s a gorgeous apartment you have. I’m a little surprised you could afford it on the salary you supposedly make.”

  The guttural sound the asshole made meant the man knew he’d been placed in a difficult position. Of course I knew all about him. I never used anyone as an informant without finding out exactly what made them tick.

  “You really are a bastard, Dominik. If you dare do something like that—”

  “Then don’t force me to do something like that,” I interrupted.

  “You said you were a fair man.”

  “Things changed. I suggest you tell me everything you know.”

  When he spoke, his tone indicated the kind of terror he felt. Good. He should be very afraid. “You don’t know what Damien will do to me if he finds out I talked to you.”

  “Then don’t give him a reason to suspect that you did. Talk. I’m running out of patience.”

  “I really don’t know shit. I swear to God, but I did overhear two of the Capos talking.”

  The bastard was going to face a round of punishment for not providing whatever information he had earlier. That would come later, when he least expected it.

  “I think Ivanov hired a couple of assholes from right here in New York. Although maybe one was from Canada. Quebec was mentioned, but I didn’t hear everything. I swear to you, Dominik. That’s about all I know.” Now Angelo was begging.

  I could also tell he’d stopped lying to me. Quebec. That small bit of information was more helpful than he could know. As far as the people I knew from New York, I could rule one out almost immediately. He’d fucked up with Ivanov two years before. I was surprised the man was even alive. “That’s a very good boy, Angelo. You get to live for a little while longer. If you hear anything else, and I do mean anything, you will call me. Is that understood?”

  “Yes. Okay? Yes, I get it.”

  “I certainly hope you do because I’d love to be able to send you and your wife a congratulatory present on bringing a new life into this world.”

  “They won’t stop until they follow through with their assignments. You know that.”

  “Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

  I didn’t need anything else except for some time with my laptop. If the assassin from Quebec had been used, he was the most cunning man I knew. He was also a sadist. If Hope was in his possession, he would use her prior to finalizing his role.

  If the bastard as much as touched her in any way, the kind of pain I would inflict would strip him of his mind before I ended his life.

  Chapter 14

  Hope

  In my mind I could clearly picture creatures crawling from the surface of the earth, blood dripping from their mouths as they clawed their way closer and closer. Even as I tried to back away, my legs refused to move. There was no escaping, no method of fighting them. I could hear their sharp teeth grinding together, the sounds of their ferocious growls the thing nightmares were made of.

  A sudden tug of my consciousness dragged me back to reality, the blackness all around me suffocating.

  Terror.

  The feeling shifted through my entire body, curdling my blood. As I blinked several times, trying to make out anything in the room I’d been shoved into, I fought tears for the third time in only a few hours. I’d been shaking since being driven off the road, the headlights not allowing me to see the person responsible for running me into a ditch. While I’d tried to lock the doors, the bastard who’d attacked me had been far too quick in his actions, yanking open the driver’s door and dragging me outside by my hair.

  I remembered being smacked several times, the ache in my jaw a reminder that I’d fought him with everything I’d had left in my system. I also managed to envision the syringe he’d held in his hand, jamming it into my forearm when I refused to give in. Pain continued to course through my face, my cheek obviously swollen. My attacker had been far too strong for me.

  Whatever drug he’d given me had finally worn off. Sadly, I had no idea where he’d taken me. The darkness in the room was oppressive and there were no sounds, nothing to indicate there was even another presence located nearby. But I knew the monster who’d taken me was here.

  While I tried to stretch, the bindings wrapped around my legs and ankles were so tight I could barely move, the gag in my mouth suffocating. I did everything I could to control my breathing as I tried to get used to the slender amount of moonlight streaming into the room. I blinked again, forcing my tears to retract. I had to keep a clear mind in order to figure a way out of here.

  As if that was even possible.

  I’d been such a fucking fool to leave the farm. A moan managed to escape my lips going nowhere. Why was the asshole keeping me prisoner? What the hell were his intentions? That’s almost all I remembered about the man who’d taken me, the fact he was a strong male. However, I was able to catch a glimpse of his dark, cold eyes, the light from the cab of the truck providing a long enough glance that I would remember them. His eyes were different colors, one brown and one blue.

  That feature was something I would never forget. I’d caught a glimpse of his face, what little I could remember wouldn’t matter for any reason. He was dark haired with an angular face. What the hell did that even matter?

  Every muscle ached yet I did what I could to stretch, realizing almost instantly that the bindings became tighter. My eyes finally adjusted to the dim lighting, enough so I was able to see that I’d been placed on a bed. The majority of the room was nothing but darkness, adding to the fear that kept me on edge. I was sick to my stomach, trying to keep a rational mind pushing my limits.

  There was no way Dominik would ever find me. There was no possibility of seeing my son again. I’d been so close, so very close. How had the fucker known where I was? I took shallow breaths in my effort to control my breathing. The second I heard footsteps, I cowered in the bed.

  When the door was opened, the light from the hallway spilling inside, I concentrated my efforts on observing everything I could. The man standing in the doorway wasn’t as large as I’d remembered, although given the shadows, he continued to be menacing. I was able to see the rise and fall of his chest as he studied me.

  As he took what appeared to be careful steps in my direction, I lifted my head, trying my best to keep my resolve. I was shocked as the bastard sat down on the edge of the bed, his breathing ragged. But the moment he spoke, a series of cold chills shifted down my spine.

  “You are one beautiful woman, Hope Gracen. I hadn’t expected that.”

  I didn’t dare to try to mumble a sound, but when he reached out to touch my face, my involuntary actions were instantaneous. I flinched, hissing behind the gag that had been shoved into my mouth.

  “I suggest you try and cooperate with me. If you don’t, we’re not going to get along.” The man held an accent that I couldn’t recognize, his husky tone creating another wave of fear.

  French, maybe. Yes, French.

  As he stroked the side of my face, I did everything I could not to react again, but there was so much anger inside of me, my pulse rapid.

  “While I realize that you can’t speak, I hope that you’re intelligent to realize you should be dead by now. That was my job to kill you.” He took his time, his breathing ragged. “However, I find you far too delicious to eliminate just yet.”

  The bastard continued stroking the side of my face before brushing his hand down the side of my neck, the fucker daring to touch my breast. I would kill the asshole before he could touch me again.

  He took his time exploring, even rolling his finger around my nipple before sighing. “I have business to attend to for a couple of hours. Then you and I are going to enjoy spending some quality time together.” He moved off the bed, walking toward the door. Before closing it, he laughed, the sound one I would never forget. “And Hope. I hope you like pain.”

  The second he closed the door, clicking the lock into position, I sagged further against the bed. There was no hope in my mind, no possibility that I would be rescued. The bastard was going to defile me before taking my life.

  As I rolled over, all I could think about was my little boy as well as Dominik.

  If only I’d listened to him. If only I’d trusted him.

  If only…

  I was grateful for a pillow at that moment, able to press the side of my face against it. Every part of me ached, my mind spinning at what was going to happen, but that wasn’t as horrible as the thoughts of what had happened to Grady. I could only pray that Dominik had been able to get to him first.

  While I hated myself, I allowed the tears to fall, forced to try to control my breathing given the gag. I’d never felt so despondent in my life, my mind spinning out of control. As I shifted my face toward the ceiling, the burn of the tears streaming down my cheeks allowing me to continue feeling alive, I prayed that if only one good thing happened out of this, it would be that my son survived.

  That was all that mattered.

  After a few minutes, I finally closed my eyes, fighting the urge to sob uncontrollably. There was no chance to survive this. None.

  There was no understanding of how much time had passed, but when I opened my eyes again, a small amount of light had filtered into the room. It was obviously daybreak, a time that I’d loved more than anything. Now I hated it, refusing to shift to the other direction in order to focus on my surroundings. What did that matter any longer?

  A few seconds later, I heard a noise and cringed, shaking to my bones. Then I heard what sounded like breaking glass. That forced me to tense, struggling to roll over. I fought to understand what was happening, my breathing even more ragged than before.

  A shadow appeared just outside the window. When I realized what was happening, I struggled even harder to get to a sitting position. The second additional pieces of glass fell to the floor, I almost hyperventilated. Was it possible my savior had come to rescue me?

  The figure cleaned out the glass from the window before moving inside. There was nothing like the sense of relief as the intruder hunkered down by my side.

  Dominik.

  He’d found me.

  He was my savior.

  Moaning, I fought to try to free myself, the bindings digging into my wrists from every twist and turn of my body.

  “Shhh…” Dominik immediately reached for the gag, tugging it down to my chin. I’d never seen the kind of look on his face as I did at that moment. There was relief, but also the hunger for revenge. He lowered his head, pressing his lips across mine. “The bastard hurt you.”