Jason wants a fight? He just fucking got one.
“We can make things easy, or we can make it hard,” Jason says, his voice smooth as poison. His gun points at Ella, her tiny frame curled up inside the backseat of his car.
My breath shudders in my chest as I spot Emma beside her, her head resting against the window, eyes closed. They’re both sleeping, not hurt. Thank God.
Jason follows my gaze, his smirk widening. “Don’t worry, they’re just resting. I gave them something to help them relax. Long drive, you know how it is.”
My stomach turns. “How did you find us?” I ask, stalling, searching for something—anything—to work with.
Jason tuts, stepping closer, his hand shooting out to grab my arm in a bruising grip. Pain lances up my shoulder as he yanks me toward him.
No, no, don’t panic, don’t react.
“You don’t think I know what you’re trying to do?” he murmurs, leaning in like we’re sharing a secret. His breath reeks of stale coffee and something sharper: adrenaline. “Those men aren’t coming for you. See that deer blind up there?” He jerks his chin toward the barely visible structure in the trees. “That’s one of several. I managed to get a list of properties Mars Security owns in the area, and I’ve had my people watching each one. All I had to do was wait.”
My blood runs cold.
“They’ll find us,” I say, forcing conviction into my voice. “You think you’re smarter than Damon? Than Zane? Asher?”
His laugh is sharp, condescending. “A signal jammer’s blocking all communication,” he sneers. “And I made sure the brains of the operation was called away on business.” His smirk twists into something cruel. “By the time they figure it out...” He shrugs. “Well, let’s just say I’m not worried.”
He yanks me toward the truck, his grip like an iron shackle around my arm.
“Now, let’s get the girls,” he says. His tone is almost pleasant, like he’s asking me to fetch groceries instead of forcing me into a nightmare. Then his voice drops, his fingers tightening until I bite back a cry. Bruises. He wants to leave marks. A warning.
“And Mia?” His eyes gleam with something dark, something that enjoys this. “Try anything stupid, and I’ll make sure they watch what happens next.”
The ground sways beneath me, my heart pounding against my ribs. I can’t let that happen.
Think.
Find a way out.
Ella’s wide, terrified eyes lock onto mine from the backseat, her little hands gripping the seatbelt like it’s the only thing keeping her from vanishing. It’s been a few hours since we’vebeen driving and eventually whatever drugs he gave them has faded. At least they’re awake. My stomach twists.
I ran straight into his trap. And now my daughters are going to pay the price.
A scream rips from my throat, raw and desperate. “ASHER! ZANE!”
Jason curses and moves fast—too fast. His hands slam into my shoulders, shoving me against the truck frame. My skull snaps back, pain bursting through my vision in bright, nauseating stars. My knees buckle, but he doesn’t let me fall.
Of course not. He wants me awake for this.
“Keep it up, sweetheart,” he snarls, yanking open the door. “Scream all you want, no one’s coming.”
No. No, no, no.
I try to push back, to do something, but he’s already shoving me inside. My shoulder slams against the seat, and before I can scramble upright, the door slams shut.
I twist around, heart hammering, but Jason’s already sliding into the driver’s seat, eyes flicking to me in the mirror, his smirk cold and satisfied.
“Buckle up, babe. We’ve got a long drive ahead.”
I barely hear him over Ella’s soft, broken whimper from beside me.
The truck lurches forward, swallowing us into the night.
The road stretches endlessly, a twisting black ribbon cutting through the dense forest. Every bump in the pavement jostles the twins, but they don’t complain. Ella presses against my side, her tiny fingers curled into the fabric of my shirt like she’s afraidI’ll disappear if she lets go. Emma’s on my other side, her head resting on my lap, her breathing shallow and uneven.
