Page 162 of A Dangerous Proposal

She swallowed. “Where is she?”

Alex’s silvery blue eyes stared down into hers.

“Oh.” Madison breathed.

She didn’t need to ask again. The woman—the one who had taken their son—wouldn’t be answering anyone’s questions ever again.

Madison straightened, locking her knees, and forcing air into her lungs. “Okay, so let’s go get him.”

Alex’s jaw flexed. “You’re not going.”

“The hell I’m not,” she snapped. “Jax is going to be terrified. I need to be there.”

“We don’t know what we’re walking into or how many other people Mary has hired. I can’t protect you and save Jax. You’ll be a distraction.”

Madison tipped her chin up. “I’ll wait in the car. But I’m going. If you don’t take me with you, I’ll just find a way to follow.”

They stared at each other, a silent war waging between them.

Madison folded her arms across her chest.

Alex exhaled sharply, muttering something under his breath. Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“You have two minutes to change.”

Chapter Fifty-One

The gravel crunched beneath the SUV’s tires as Alex eased to a stop at the base of the driveway. The lake house sat in darkness against the moonlit water beyond. No signs of life.

It set Alex’s teeth on edge.

Liev pulled up beside him, rolling down his window. “This doesn’t feel right.”

“She’s here,” Alex said, not bothering to agree. “And she has Jax.”

His son was in that house. He knew it.

Madison was already unbuckling in the passenger seat, her fingers tightening around her gun, but Alex caught her wrist before she could get out.

“Stay. In. The. Car.”

Her blue eyes burned with defiance, but after a tense moment, she nodded and placed the gun in her lap. Alex didn’t believe for a second that she’d actually stay put.

Falling into step with Liev and the other men, Alex moved silently up the driveway, guns drawn, boots barely making a sound on the damp ground next to the driveway.

Liev reached the porch first and tested the handle. “Unlocked,” he mouthed.

They exchanged a look.

No guards. No alarms. No locked doors.

It was either a trap, or Mary was spiraling faster than they thought.

Alex signaled, and Liev pushed the door open, stepping inside. The hardwood floors creaked under their weight as they fanned out. The house smelled like stale perfume and mildew.

Then—voices.

Low, frantic murmurs from deeper inside. A quiet snuffling reached him, and his heart flipped over.

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