***
It’s half past six.
There are open pizza boxes spread over the coffee table in the living room.
The twins are bundled up on a massive pile of pillows that they fetched from every single room in the mansion to build a movie-bed. There are so many pillows that I can barely work out which bundles are actually my daughters.
Every now and then, one of them throws a piece of popcorn at the bad guy when he comes on screen. I am guessing it’s Kira. That little one has her mother’s fierceness and confrontational attitude. Kelsey has her father’s inner strength and the fearsome gaze that can bring a person to their knees. My beautiful girls.
I pull my wife closer, cradling her in the curve of my arm. She smiles up at me and grins as she pushes a piece of popcorn into my mouth.
It feels good to let go of the worry and know everyone is safe.
It feels good until the one flaw in my entire plan is revealed.
My phone rings, and I reach over to grab it off the coffee table.
“Hello,” I answer, seeing Isaak’s name across the screen. “What’s up, bro?”
The voice on the other side does not belong to Isaak. It is a distorted voice, tampered with by technology.
“We just wanted to let you know your brother is not going to be available for a little while. Or forever.”
The line goes dead, and my heart breaks in two.
“Hello?” I say again, but there is no one there.
Kayla senses my panic and sits up. “What is it?” she whispers.
“They’ve taken Isaak,” I whisper back. “It’s the one person I didn’t think to add extra security to. The one person I failed to protect,” I murmur, feeling as my spirit is crushed.
“Go, go do whatever you need to do. I’m here with the girls. We’re safe,” she says, letting me get up.
“I’m going to have Alara driven here. I want her with you guys, too. I can’t take any other risks.”
“I’ll get the guest bedroom ready for her. We’re going to find him, Josiah. Isaak is strong. He’s smart and clever, just like you. He’s going to be okay. You'll figure this out!”
There it is again. Her unwavering faith in me.
I have to be the man she thinks I am.
I am the man she thinks I am. I will get my brother back!
I don’t dare leave the house until Alara arrives safely. With all of my girls in one place and three security teams, including Alara’s increased team, taking care of them, I finally feel alright to leave the house and start hunting for my brother.
But I’ll need help with this.
And that means calling in the new alliance.
They made it clear they would be available to me. And with my brother’s life at risk, my ego isn’t even going to step into the picture when it comes to asking for help. I will take every ounce of it that I can get.
Chapter 24 - Kayla
The house is wildly busy.
All four Pakhans from the West Coast are staying with us. Every single one of them came up to help Josiah find his brother, and they did so without the slightest hesitation.
They have been plotting and planning for two days straight while Stella, Alara, and I take it in turns to be with the girls and shield them from all of this.
