Page 80 of His Red Carnation

She straightened up, her eyes burning with hatred. “As for prison? Let’s just say I have a few friends in high places who owe me a favor or two. Maximum security won’t be much of a problem.”

My heart sank as the weight of her words pressed down on me, heavy and suffocating. But I couldn’t let her see my fear. I forced my voice to stay strong, even though I felt the panic swirling just beneath the surface.

“My dad will find me.Callanwill find me,” I said, meeting her gaze with all the conviction I could muster. “You won’t get away with this, Sarah. I’m sure they’re probably tracking this exact location as we speak.”

I prayed I was right. Every second that passed felt like a race against time, and I needed to believe that help was on its way.

But all Sarah did was laugh, a cold, humorless sound that echoed off the walls. “Oh, honey, do you really think anyone’s going to find you?” She shook her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. “Leo’s been helping me this whole time, right under your father’s nose. Jake didn’t have a clue.”

She stepped closer, her voice laced with mockery. “What makes you think he’s smart enough to find you now? You’re alone, Sloane. No one’s coming.”

Her words cut deep, gnawing at the flicker of hope I was holding onto.

The door creaked open again, and Leo stepped in, holding a bottle of water. His expression was carefully neutral as he walked toward me, his movements slower than before. My hands were still bound behind my back, and the reminder of how helpless I was sent a fresh wave of panic through me.

Sarah eyed him impatiently. “Took you long enough,” she snapped. “Just give her the water.”

Leo didn’t say a word as he crouched beside me, twisting the cap off the bottle. He lifted it toward my lips, his hand steady but…there was something off. There was something in the way he moved, something almost hesitant. I parted my lips and let him pour the water into my mouth, careful not to gulp it down too quickly.

For a moment, his eyes met mine, and I caught something—maybe guilt, maybe regret. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Not too much,” Sarah snapped, her voice sharp. “She doesn’t need to get comfortable. We just need to keep her alive. For now, anyway.”

Leo pulled the bottle away, his expression hardening again as he stood. His jaw was tight, and I noticed the way his fists clenched briefly before he let them go. Sarah didn’t seem to notice, her focus entirely on me.

“You’re not going soft, are you, Leo?” she teased, her tone mocking. “Don’t tell me you’re growing a conscience. You owe me, remember?”

His face remained impassive as he turned toward her. “You don’t need to overdo it. She’s not going anywhere.”

Sarah rolled her eyes, stepping closer to me. “Oh, Leo. Always the protector, even when it’s not your job anymore.”

He didn’t respond. He just glanced down at me one last time before he turned and walked toward the door. His face gave nothing away, but something in the air had shifted. I wasn’t sure what it meant yet, but I could feel it.

Sarah didn’t miss a beat. “I’ll be back soon, princess. Don’t get too comfortable,” she sneered before walking out after him.

The door slammed shut, leaving me alone in the cold, empty warehouse. Silence pressed on, broken only by the pounding of my heart. My wrists throbbed from the zip ties, and my mind raced, replaying the past few minutes.

Leo hadn’t said much and he barely looked at me. But something was there—a hesitation, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to stir something inside me.

Maybe he’s not fully on her side. Maybe there’s still a chance.

The thought settled in, fragile but real. I clung to it, letting that small spark of hope push back the darkness closing in around me.

36

Callan

I sat in a private room at the small-town police station, the closest one to the crash site. Ana had already flown back to D.C. with Julian to meet with the tech team, leaving me here. Jake sat across from me, his expression unreadable, while Secret Service agents swarmed around us, busy with my phone. They were running every possible trace on the call I made, hoping to track down Sarah and Sloane.

As I sat there with the steady hum of activity around me, something felt off.

Leo.

He wasn’t here, and that didn’t sit right with me. He’d been involved in every major situation, and even every minor situation like Jake knocking me the fuck out. But now, in the middle of all this, he was missing.

I glanced at Jake, his face as stoic as ever. “Where’s Leo?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even, though a sense of unease coursed through me.

“He’s following a lead,” Jake replied simply, not breaking his usual calm demeanor.

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