Page 137 of Dust to Dust

“Then God help us all when you become a father.”

“Not happening.”

“As much as you fuck, the statistics are pretty high.”

Dare frowned. “I use protection.”

“Unless you’re abstaining, it isn’t 100% effective.”

For the first time I could remember, fear rippled through Dare’s face. He then shoved Henry at me, causing him to grunt in protest. “He’s happy with you. Go sit down and burp him.”

“Like I know how to fucking do that.”

“Just pat his back, mate. It’s not that hard.”

Seamus and Callum came back into the office then. Callum had slipped out on the pretense of checking on Brooke, but I knew he really wanted to make sure Caterina was okay.

Waving his phone, Seamus said, “The security cameras at the club are fucked. They freeze in intervals that must’ve been when the kidnapper arrived and then when Isla’s car left the parking lot.”

“Fuck. It’s obvious Mikita is tech savvy. Gianni isn’t having any luck hacking them.”

“If anybody can, it’s Gianni,” Seamus replied.

“Quinn.”

Whirling around, my heart dropped into my chest at the sight of Shane in the doorway with an ashen expression. It was the first time he’d ever called me by my first name and not boss. Without a word, Dare and Callum came to flank my left and right side.

“What’s happened?”

“Isla was just found at the back of Alainn–”

“Is she dead?” I demanded.

“She’s alive.”

My knees gave out, and I sank to the floor. I sucked in a ragged breath as I processed that Isla was found. “Was she harmed?”

“Mikey and Niall are enroute to Mass General with her.”

“Was she harmed?” I repeated.

Shane rubbed the back of his neck. “They said there was no apparent physical wounds. As for anything–” his voice choked off.

I winced at the thought of the sexual assault she might’ve faced. “They won’t be able to tell until she’s examined at the hospital,” I murmured.

He nodded. “I don’t know if it will make you feel any better, but they said she still wore the dress she had on when she disappeared. It wasn’t torn or anything like that.”

It did little to dispel my fears.

“Get me to the hospital.”

“Yes, sir,” he replied.

Without another word to the others, I barrelled out of the office and broke into a jog down the hallway. I beat Shane out to the garage, but he hustled to hop into the driver’s seat. He cranked up and threw the SUV into reverse.

We careened out of the driveway and started tearing down Beacon Street. Even though I knew Isla was alive and back with us, the fear constricting my lungs hadn’t waned. Horrible scenarios filled my mind of what they had done to her.

I don’t know how Shane managed to get us through traffic so quickly. I was going to owe him a raise for his quick thinking and maneuvering. He wheeled us up to the entrance of the ER.

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