If this weird turn of events fazes him, he doesn’t let it show.
“Keep it on you at all times,” I tell Vaughn. “I’ll call you when I have Hailey.”
“Just like that? No demands?”
“Demands?” I scoff. “You think I’ll use her to blackmail you into doing whatever I want? Think again.”
He swallows hard, watching me with a dubious look. “You really love her...”
I don’t know where he’s going with this. It’s not a question, more like he’s stating it for his own benefit, so I don’t answer.
“You wouldn’t want her to lose the only parent she has left, would you?” he asks, after taking the moment I gave him to wrap his head around this.
“I won’t kill you, if that’s what you’re wondering, but you’re not guaranteed a spot in Hailey’s life. Not unless you learn to live with the fact your daughter is mine.”
“You want my fucking blessing?” he snaps, growing defensive. “Fine, but I want something in return. I want to be the first person you call when you find the evidence, Beckett.”
The fucking audacity.
The fuckingnerveofhim. How can he blindly focus on the evidence while his daughter’s life is on the line?
“You’re in no position to issue demands. You put a gun to your own head when you forged that warrant. I won’t use Hailey against you but don’t mistake that for a weakness. I have more than enough ammunition. Keep the phone on you.”
I nod at Michael, who passes the paperwork to Vaughn. He doesn’t even look at it, which—I guess—is why Michael doesn’t bother reciting any of the legal jargon he always has primed. Instead, he opens the door, perfectly confident that we can walk out as if I weren’t accused of murdering a police officer.
I pass Vaughn, his face pale, eyes jumping side to side. He’s scared. Rightly so. His only daughter is held captive and it boils down to one bad decision he made: trusting Alex, the piece of shit who infiltrated my father, took my sister’s innocence, and hurt Hailey.
For one fleeting moment, I consider stopping, patting his back or squeezing his shoulder and spewing a few words of reassurance. I’ll find her, get her back, and keep her safe.
But I don’t do or say any of that. I have too many reasons to hate this guy with everything in me.
Fuck him.
Shouldering past him, my entire focus goes into mental preparation. Once Ryder confirms Hailey’s with Blaze, it’s full steam ahead. Noretto’s no rookie. He’s a vengeful fucker with an army of equally vengeful men ready to die for the cause.
9
HAILEY
TWO DAYS EARLIER
The sound of the door opening behind me stops me in my tracks. I can’t judge how far I’ve crawled, but it can’t be more than ten meters. Every inch brings me closer to Darius. Closer to rape, but despite the pain of whips and belts lashing at me relentlessly, I can’t bring myself to crawl faster.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” a voice, dripping with authority, vibrates the air.
Darius sounds menacing, but this man, whoever he is, takes the crown. The room falls silent save for choked-back sobs. Even the grunting stops and, along with it, their attack on me.
“I see you’re breaking in our newest shipment.”
“As always,” Darius replies, less venom layering his tone. He’s not as menacing as when he yelled at me a moment ago. “How can we help you, Boss? Would you like to join the fun?”
“You know better than that. I do, however, have a question. See...” The click of elegant shoes moves slowly along the line of the carpet. “I checked on our guest and found her bedroom empty. It doesn’t look like she spent one minute there... You wouldn’t know where she is, would you?”
It’s a seemingly innocent question laced with a threat that—judging by his answer—Darius doesn’t detect.
“Right here. I’ll be breaking this one in myself.”
“Oh, you will, will you? I don’t recall giving you permission to touch my guest.Guests,” he corrects, the word like a vial of poison. “Strike one, Matthews. Strike two, his daughter. You’re running out of strikes fast this evening.”
