Page 89 of Let Me Love You

Before I can shift into reverse, my phone vibrates with a text from an unknown number. The only other time I received a message from a number I don’t have saved was when Mr. Smith took Harmony. As I click the message thread, my pulse pounds in my ears.

Unknown Number

We have your wife. If you want her back, bring us five million dollars and drop it off at this location.

They have a building in Boston pinned.

I climb back out of my vehicle and pound across the yard over to Elias. He stands next to Harmony, eying me as I near them. He must’ve witnessed the argument, too, but for now, we need a ceasefire.

“Where’s Summer?” I ask, a deep panic setting in.

“She’s with Sully,” Harmony replies.

I run a hand down my face. Thank fuck. “Elias, can you come with me?”

He gives me a strange look but doesn’t question my request.

Harmony follows us, concern pinching her forehead. “Is something wrong?”

Elias and I sit inside the SUV while Harmony pokes her head inside the passenger window. And I fill them in on the text.

Harmony’s face bleaches of all color. I can only imagine the memories it brings back for her. It does for all of us, but she was the one who was kidnapped.

Elias flexes his hands. “Give them the money. You have plenty of it.”

I give him a look. “I can’t just pull five million dollars out of the bank right now.”

Sully runs over and stands beside Harmony. Sully’s copper eyes are on high alert. “What’s going on?”

We fill him in as quickly as possible as Summer bolts over, and his jaw ticks. “I’m going with you.”

Harmony places her hands on her hips. “If you go, who is going to watch Summer?”

“You,” all three of us say in unison.

No way is Harmony going anywhere near danger after last time. But before I can voice my concern, Sully says, “I know you want to go, but if you go, I’ll have to stay, and I want to go bring my daughter back.

I clear my suddenly clogged throat. This man isn’t Serenity’s dad, but he’s just like mine, claiming someone who isn’t biologically his.

Harmony’s hands drop to her sides, and she frowns. “Are you sure I can’t go instead?”

Sully nods once. “Let me do this. For Serenity. For you. For your mother. Please.”

“Fine. I’ll stay here with Summer.” Harmony’s voice shakes as she speaks. “If you need me or have an update, please call me.”

Sully climbs into the back seat of my SUV.

Harmony turns her attention back to Elias, and they press their foreheads together. Elias cups her cheeks as he says something, but I don’t hear it. White noise is deafening me.

I can’t help but wonder if they’re hurting Serenity right now. I slam my fists on the steering wheel. Why did I accuse her of telling my secret? If I hadn’t, she wouldn’t have left, and no one would’ve taken her. Even if she did let it slip, I could’ve handled the situation better. But I had just found out, and I didn’t know what to think.

My phone vibrates. The timing is too close to the threat. Maybe it’s them again. But when I pull my phone out, I find an email from Matt.

Victor,

I’m sorry this took so long, but all of the members had their identities wiped from the database, and they use false names like Buck and Wild Lily. You said Serenity’s last name was Nolan, correct?

I found some of their real names. I’m attaching an image of someone with the same last name as her.