Jax’s PovI stared at the building through the windshield, my fingers tightening around the grip of my gun. The van was silent, except for the occasional squawk from Jay’s comms and the soft creak of Leo adjusting beside me.There were three stories in front of us, with large windows and faded green paint.“She’s in there,” Leo muttered. No doubt in his voice.I nodded once. Jay’s voice crackled in my earpiece. “The perimeter is secure. My guys are positioned on all exits, you’ve got the green light.”My blood was boiling. I hadn’t slept. I hadn’t eaten. All I could see in my head was Riley’s face—tied, bruised, scared.Leo adjusted his vest and looked at me. “You ready?”“Yes” I growled, pushing the van door open. “Oh they’re gonna wish they didn’t dare me.”We moved fast, sticking to the side of the alley. Jay’s guy pointed toward the front door and gave a signal, there were guards inside, one or two.I didn’t care if there were twenty, I raised my boot and slammed it into the door
Riley’s PovThe door creaked open and I froze from the cold air that blew in. One of the guys stomped in, grumbling under his breath and clutching the phone tight against his ear. “Dumbass cousin better be dying,” he muttered, and then louder, he said, “I gotta take a leak. Don’t do nothing.” He pointed a meaty finger at me, like I could do anything even if I tried. Then… he turned back and walked out, closing the door behind him.But u heard no click. He didn’t lock the door. I sat upright immediately. My pulse thudded in my ears. I counted to five, then ten, waiting for him to return but he didn’t. It wasn’t a test on me… right? He has looked like he was genuinely distracted.I waited another five seconds. Then I slid to the floor and began sawing at the rope with the screw I had gotten from under my mattress, this time I was fast and messy with it. My hands trembled from the pressure, but I didn’t stop until the last thread gave way and my wrist slipped free.One down.I worked
Kidnappers PovI flicked on my lighter, letting the flame dance for a second before sparking it to life against the butt of my cigarette. The wind slapped at my coat as I leaned against the rusted railing outside the warehouse. It was cold, colder than usual for this time of year. I took a long drag, exhaling the smoke out slowly.This job was supposed to be easy, all we had to do was just grab the girl, contact the boyfriend and run with the money. We weren’t supposed to still be here, babysitting some B-list celeb’s girlfriend with a camera blinking in the corner and bad Chinese takeout stinking up the place.I squint across the empty lot and for a second, I swear I see something—just a quick zip in the air, like a fly with a motor. But it’s gone before I even blink again.“Shit,” I muttered under my breath.I stubbed the cigarette out on the rail, flicked the butt into the dark, and jogged back inside. The warehouse smelled like mildew and piss. Rico was hunched over that tiny fol
Jaxs PovI was losing my goddamn mind. Riley was out there: scared, alone, and I couldn’t do a damn thing yet. I paced the length of the office, my fists clenching and unclenching with each movement I made. My office door opened and Jay walked in, looking concerned. “We’ve been combing the docks, the warehouses, everywhere they could’ve taken her. South Harbor’s our best bet. We’re picking up signs of activity: some heat fluctuations, power surges at weird hours but we’ve not gotten any precise location, faces or names yet.”I stopped pacing. “That’s not good enough.”“I know,” he said simply, walking over to the table and spreading out a rough map. “But we’re close.”I looked down at the circled areas he’d marked with red pen.“Every minute they have her,” I muttered impatiently, “is another minute they could be hurting her.”Jay’s eyes flicked up. “I’m sure they wouldn’t hurt her. They want a payout, not a dead body. That buys us time; if we’re smart enough.”I hated how calm he s
Camilla’s PovI wasn’t planning to come. Honestly, I thought I was above it, but something about the idea of her—sitting there, scared and helpless, still daring to think she’s special made my blood itch. “Pass the other road. I’m not in a rush.” I told my driver. I wanted the anticipation to build. I want her rotting there a little more in the darkness before I arrived.The warehouse was colder than I the last time I’d been here. The metal door groaned as I pushed it open, my heels clicked against the concrete floor as I walked. One of the idiots I paid to do this was leaning against the wall, eating chips like we were at a damn picnic.I rolled my eyes at him. “Is she awake?”He straightened, wiping his greasy fingers on his jeans. “Yeah. She’s been quiet today. Refused to eat again.”I smiled. “Good. Let her starve, pretty girls always love a diet anyways.”He snorted, moving aside so I could pass. I didn’t bother with gloves or a mask. No need to hide who I was, she already knew.
Riley’s PovMy wrists were in serious pain, the zip ties had dug into my skin so deep, I was sure I’d started bleeding, but I couldn’t see it. The mattress under me was thin, damp in some spots, and smelled like moldy gym socks. My back ached from being hunched for so long, but worse than the pain was the silence in the room.I tried shifting, twisting my wrists again, in slow careful movements that burned me but it didn’t give way, it remained tied and stuck.I didn’t know how long I’d been here. Three or four days now? The lights never changed. There was no window, just the cold concrete walls, the camera in the corner, the air conditioner and the metal door that hadn’t opened since they shoved me in.Until now.I heard the crunchy sound of footsteps, two pairs, moving slow and confident.I sat up straight, every single muscle in me tensed. The door creaked open, and two men stepped in One of them lit a cigarette with a snap of his fingers and took a long, loud drag. The other lea