I was expecting to see just another victim. Another job. Instead, the world stops.
My bear surges forward so violently that my vision blurs. Every muscle in my body locks. My fingers grip the edge of the table, the wood creaking under the pressure.
Mine.
The word rises unbidden, instinctive and dangerous.
No. I shake my head hard. There’s no way to know that from a photo.
Ours. Find her. Protect her.
“You okay there, big guy?” Tripp’s voice sounds distant, muffled. “Do you recognise her?”
Shaking my head, I blink hard. I can’t even answer. Can barely breathe. Can’t do anything except stare at this woman who I’ve never met and fight the urge to shift, to run, to tear apart anyone who’s ever touched her.
My bear growls, furious at the idiot opposite me for putting her in danger.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he whispers. “I know I’m a piece of shit. But my sister has a heart of gold. You have to help her.”
His sister. Not his wife.
“Kozlov needs more muscle after losing two men in a territory dispute last week. He knows what you did to Dad and will assume you’ve fallen out with the rest of the Lennox crew,” Beau says bluntly. “He’ll think you’re desperate for work.”
Beau presses his lips together and watches me with a sympathetic expression on his face, knowing how hard it is to talk about him at all, let alone in front of practical strangers.
“How long has he had her?” My eyes remain fixed on the photo.
“Thirty-six hours, give or take.” Chase glances at his watch. “Kozlov gave Jake a week.”
Who knows where she is? Kozlov isn’t a man of his word. My breathing comes faster. I can see it too clearly, concrete walls, a locked door, her alone in the dark with no idea if anyone’s coming.
She’s done nothing wrong. This world is completely alien to her. She must be so scared.
“He said men would pay for her... company.” Jake’s voice cracks. “I can’t let that happen to her. Not because of me.” He shakes his head, guilt and shame written all over his drawn face. “Then…”
Jake slams his eyes shut, breathing through his nose for a second before he lunges to the side, grabs the trash can off the floor, and retches into it.
“What don’t I know? Is she injured, hurt already?” I ask slowly, my temper rising steadily, the angry bear just below the surface and battling to get free. The pencil in my hand creaks under the pressure.
The room goes quiet.
“He hasn’t touched her.” Chase says it with certainty, but how can he be? Not with men like these.
Van and Tripp stare at the table, mouths set in a grim line.
“How can you know?” There’s something they’re not telling me. Someone else on the inside? A sighting? A ransom video?
“Kozlov has… changed his plans for her,” Chase says diplomatically, taking the laptop in front of Van and turning it to face me. There, on screen, is a smiling picture of Emma, in a sundress, standing at the end of a dock. Below it, a countdown, five days from now.
“What’s this?” A pit of dread opens up inside me. That’s Saturday night, before the money’s even due. So Chase is right. Even if Jake comes up with the funds, Kozlov has other plans.
“We know she’s not hurt because Kozlov’s greedy.” Tripp explains without looking at Jake, who’s still crouched over. “He won’t damage valuable merchandise.”
Merchandise. The word makes my bear snarl.
“Tell me what the fuck I’m dealing with here.” I demand, but nobody can bring themselves to say it.
Eventually, Beau clicks on Emma’s beautiful face, and a description comes up, like a fucking sales page.
