Panic seized Mia like a vice. A week’s time? Was her father serious? She had to do something. She could not, would not, let this happen. The room spun around her as she stared at her father, her heart pounding a loud, frantic rhythm in her chest.
With her mind reeling from her father’s shocking proclamation, Mia realized she was standing on the precipice of an unimaginable fate. Her first instinct was to run, to escape to Max and seek refuge with him. But she knew that such a move would sever her connection with the FBI, and the chance to bring her father to justice would slip through her fingers. And then she would never be free.
So, for the moment, she schooled her features into an expression of docile acceptance. She nodded slowly, forcing her lips to widen into a weak smile as she glanced at her soon-to-be fiancé’s father, her stomach churning with revulsion.
“That sounds...wonderful, father,” she lied smoothly, meeting his gaze again, her voice not betraying the turmoil roiling within her.
Her father grunted, seemingly satisfied with her response. “Good. You’ll make preparations starting tomorrow.”
She nodded again, her mind already working furiously. A countdown had begun, and she was now under a strict deadline. She needed to gather solid, irrefutable evidence against her father, something strong enough to put him behind bars and dismantle the sinister empire he had built.
The taste of freedom was tantalizingly close, yet the path to it was treacherous. She had to tread carefully, act smartly, and most importantly, she had to act fast. She had to bring her father down before she was forced to tie herself to a man as monstrous as her father, if not more so. Time was of the essence, now more than ever. Mia had a difficult path ahead of her and she had to walk it whether she was ready to or not.
Chapter Eleven
Max
Max navigated his car through the maze of deserted streets, his mind on anything but the road. The dashboard clock read a little past midnight, but he wasn’t tired. His heart thrummed an anxious beat against his ribcage. His thoughts were focused on Mia. He was worried by her silence. He’d half-expected to see her name flash across his phone screen by now, a reassuring ping to tell him she was safe. But there was nothing, just the silence that expanded with every passing moment.
Finally, he arrived at their black ops site, a nondescript warehouse located in the industrial district. Max parked his car and stepped out, the gravel crunching under his shoes as he made his way to the entrance. He knocked on the door and Ezra answered, standing aside to allow Max to enter. Max’s gaze was drawn to the flurry of activity inside.
Carter emerged from the shadows, his usually jovial face replaced with a somber expression. He stood a little taller than Max, and his physique was leaner, but they both carried the same hardened look of men who’d seen too much.
“Max,” Carter greeted him, his voice tight. “The shifters...they’re as stubborn as they come. They’re not saying anything.”
Max took a moment to process the information, feeling his gut tighten. “Nothing at all?” he asked, his stomach falling.
Carter ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration. “Zilch. We tried everything. Not a word.”
A surge of irritation sparked within Max. “We need thatinformation,” he ground out, his tone biting. “Without it, we’re shooting in the dark. The cartel will just send more shifters to accomplish what these ones couldn’t. My mate is in enough danger already.”
“I know, Max,” Carter replied, his voice equally tense. “Believe me, I know. Do you think Mia knows anything about the cartel?”
Max shook his head. “No, I already asked her. Her father has been there, but it’s not as if we can ask him.”
Max set his jaw as he met Carter’s gaze. This was far from the first setback they’d encountered, but with Mia’s life hanging in the balance, it stung more sharply than the rest. Max would take getting mauled again over the impotence he felt at not being able to do anything to protect his mate.
“Do you think they’ll respond to more violence?” he asked, forcing himself to remain focused. He’d never been a fan of enhanced interrogation techniques, but he would do whatever it took to keep Mia out of harm’s way.
“I doubt it,” Carter responded. “We’re dealing with shifters who heal far more quickly than humans. Our pain thresholds are higher. Trust me, we haven’t gone easy on them.”
He grimaced and continued. “Short of causing permanent damage, I don’t think there’s much more we can do. A period of prolonged interrogation might work. There aren’t many men who could hold out under that kind of pain for a very long time, but we have no way of knowing just how long they would last.”
Max huffed out a breath of frustration. He’d never felt more helpless. If they didn’t get that location, the cartel would send a lot more shifters to get the job done. What good would a handful of bodyguards be against an army of cartel soldiers?
“Let me try,” Max said. “I might not be able to get anything out of them either, but I can’t just sit around doing nothing.”
Carter nodded and stepped aside. “Good luck.”
As Max stepped further into the warehouse, he cast one last glance at his silent phone. His worry for Mia remained, but for now, he had to concentrate on the task at hand. He had a cartel headquarters to locate.
Chapter Twelve
Mia
Mia’s hands were trembling as she tapped out the coded message on her secret cell phone. The cold light of the screen reflected off her worried eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest as she hit ‘send’ then tossed the device onto her bed, a silent prayer on her lips. It was risky, reaching out to her FBI contact like this and arranging a meet, but there was no other option.
When the reply came, it was short and succinct. A location and a time. She tucked the phone into her pocket, and with one last glance at the mirror, she forced herself to look calm. Taking a deep breath, she left her room and walked down the hallway before drifting down the sweeping staircase. She headed towards the staff wing, her heels clicking on the marble floor.
