Keegan POV:
"We have two men in the third point," I said forcing myself to control the anger in my voice. "I have confirmed them as associates of Blake using the face recognition program you sent me."
"Fuck," Ricki hissed. "What do you want us to do?"
"Find out who else knows I'm here," I replied, sitting back in a chair.
"Done."
"Remember none of this is to be repeated to Clement until they're back. Remind Edwin to keep his mouth shut."
"Will do."
"And add another man on Claire's protection detail at school tomorrow."
After a few moments of silence, he stated, "We already have the men. We'll know more in a while."
"Thank you."
Ricki called me back an hour later. I learned that the men had given up information on your man, including his location and how many men he had in his organization. They could've been lying to save their asses, but Edwin later confirmed it.&nb
Vianne POV:After receiving the call from Ariana, my ex-mother-in-law, I did my best mentally to prepare for what was to come. I knew in all likelihood that what the woman had to say to me might surprise me. Earlier in the morning, she left Benedict, her husband, and Brant’s father, and that had shocked everyone.I also had to take into consideration that it was all a ploy to get me inside the house alone.Agent Pratt and Hampson had been working extra hard for the last forty-eight hours, to make a case against the Smiths based on the information I had inadvertently stumbled on while getting the dirt on my husband. They were pretty close to issuing a warrant on the head of the organization and they could probably do it all without my testimony.That was part of the plan since the beginning, but it was obvious that I had supplied the authorities with the ammunition they needed to put a case together. That was also part of Keegan's pla
Keegan POV:We reached the school in record time but parked a few blocks farther down the road and jogged the rest of the way. We spread out the second we were on school grounds and awaited the signal from our inside man, Gray. Mercifully, Blake’s men hadn't discovered him. Communication had been down for the last hour except for a few precious minutes that Ricki talked to Gray. He had indicated that two men were with Claire, and he was checking for others. Someone was jamming all radio frequencies and cellular signals. Landlines were also down, and the school scrambled to get someone out there to fix it.Since the school was unable to get a call out, Giles members and I stepped in as employees from the telephone company. Where Ricki commandeered a vehicle from the company in less than an hour, I had no idea. I didn't ask questions, I just wanted to get inside.As we walked toward the office, we kept our eyes open for any clues to where Gray wa
Vianne POV:She sighed and took another sip of her tea, setting it aside on an end table. "I know it's probably for the best that Claire remain wherever you have her, but I want her to have her things. I have her most cherished items packed up."I sighed. Claire's notebooks. I nodded, oddly grateful."I'm surprised you managed to meet me alone," she said, her brow furrowing. That was the most concern I had ever seen on her face."I find it hard to talk freely and privately with security on my ass." It had taken almost an hour to outwit the boys at the hotel. That third wig I had insisted on, in red curls, did the trick.Ariana smiled knowingly. After a brief bout of silence, she broke first. "I'll let you in on a little secret."I cocked an eyebrow in question, feeling the hair rise on the back of my neck. Brant was near. I could feel it. She seemed unaware, but then again, Ariana had hidden years of abuse from me. She could probably lie as
Keegan POV:I saw Claire run and hit me hard enough that I stumbled back a step. The force her arms exerted to hold onto me was staggering. "Claire," I whispered hoarsely. My first instinct was to grab hold of her and run. Something was stopping me. My mind was in chaos instead of the focus it needed to be in due to the fear I had kept at bay paralyzing me now.I felt the sob quake through her body, her choked rasp of, "Daddy," tore through me."Oh, baby girl.""I'm here, Keegan," Giles said from behind me, reaching over my shoulder for my weapon. I was so out of it, that I had forgotten I had that thing in my hand, near my pup. I let him take it, and instantly after, I was wrapping my hands around Claire, hauling her up into my arms.Her face pressed against my shoulder as she cried, "I want Mommy.""I know," I said in a soothing and calm voice. I wanted her with us, too.Fucking hell, I was too close to the dark edge of my emotions.
Dennis POV:Tory had beaten herself up pretty badly for messing up earlier. Vianne had gone through the cat and mouse game with Faron and Ronan, and Tory had snuck away to come see me. We were supposed to keep an eye on Brant so that we always knew where he was so that he didn't surprise Vianne.We lost him while I was making out with a fucking teenager. I felt like such a damn asshole for that colossal lapse in judgment. After taking Keegan's call, I dropped off Tory and made my way toward where I knew Vianne would be heading.I had arrived at the Moore Estate against everyone's orders. Clement, Jarred, and Keegan were rightly angry with me. They had called me off my duty after I lost Brant, but I had left immediately for the Congressman's home after I confirmed that Vianne already left her hotel. Brant would eventually show up there, I had no doubt about that.Jarred had wanted to send only Zayne in my place, but I asked Zayne to let me handle it. Zayne
Vianne POV:With my eyes on him, I widened my stance to shoulder-width apart. I wanted to kick off my heels but knew that it would look suspicious on the tapes. It didn't matter much anyway, because they'd eventually fall off in the struggle.Brant watched my every move, licking his lips. His jaw was covered in stubble, a first since I met him. Dark circles rimmed his eyes, and they were bloodshot. He looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks.Good, I hadn't slept well for years until the first time I lay in Keegan's arms. The image of Keegan in my mind strengthened my resolve, my focus."That was a little harsh, baby. Don't you think? But I'm so glad I caught you before you left, Vianne," he said, taking a step toward me.Instinctively, I took one back. The glee in his eyes lifted his dry lips into a wide grin. He loved that he elicited that reaction from me. I cursed at myself internally for doing it. Some habits die hard, I guessed, but damn it, I w
Dennis POV:I shook my head as blood splattered spectacularly from his nose, dripping onto Vianne's cheek and chest. He cried out in pain, holding his nose with one hand as the other tightened into a fist. Vianne dodged the blow, but even through the video feed, I heard the unmistakable sound of bones cracking against the tiled floor.I fist-pumped, nearly toppling the laptop on my thighs off.Brant roared in pain, rolling off her. "Come on, Vianne," I urged as if she could hear me. "Get up."She scrambled on all fours, wincing likely at the cold tile beneath her knees. Why had she chosen to wear a skirt? It was a loose one, but she should be in jeans. Then again, these people expected her to dress up, and she had a part to play, for now.I watched as one of her knees slipped in his blood, slowing her down. Brant appeared to still be gasping for breath, but his hand suddenly shot out and reached for her. Fuck. His hand closed around her naked ankle
Dennis POV:He dropped his hold, forcing her hard enough away to cause her ankle to twist beneath her.She screamed in surprise and pain, but she kept her balance and remained on her feet. Was she faking it? There was no indication on her part if she was. There was pain and fear etched in her features, but something in her eyes said she was still going to do what she had come to do.She took a few steps back, limping, and telling him to get away. Damn it, I couldn't tell if she was really in trouble. She still hadn't signaled for help."Come here, Vianne."She shook her head as he closed the distance between them quickly. He backhanded her, sending her another several step back until she finally fell against a wall. He went to do it again, but her arms shot up to block the blow, forcing him to cry out in pain. It was the same hand he'd likely broken a few knuckles and other bones earlier on the tile floor.Her back was against the wall as he