Page 56 of Under Pressure

“What do you mean?”

“They can’t seem to figure it out. Bakersfield swears the paperwork was in the envelope when they sent it and the courier swears nothing happened. But when Lily opened it up, nothing was inside. The results were gone. Vanished.”

“Oh my God.” Sienna gripped the side of the changing table. “How is that possible?”

Kendra shook her head in equal disbelief.

“What are we going to do?” Sienna ran her hands up her face, clearly shocked.

“I don’t know”—Kendra exhaled, beginning to feel desperate—“but this can’t stop me. I need to find a way. I need to figure out what’s in his DNA.”

Leo burped, and with a wobbly head, slowly looked up at Kendra to smile.

Kendra kissed her son’s forehead. “I have to do this for Leo. I have to find out if his father is a monster.”

Chapter Twenty-One

“Where the hell have you been?” an angry feminine voice called out from the shadows as Delta ascended the fire ladder, cresting the rooftop of an old red brick building on the edge of the city.

“I’m here. That should be good enough.” His voice shot over the ridge.

He adjusted his hood, making sure it concealed his head fully. Yanking down on the black fabric mask, he confirmed that it covered the skin on his throat. He was known on Willow Avenue, so he had to take all precautions he was able to remain unseen.

“Where the fuck is he?” He strode toward Sky’s voice under the cold light of the full moon.

“I don’t know what was so fucking important—but you left me on the lookout alone. I only have two eyes.”

She pounced out of the shadow and held position, waiting for him. Looking down over the edge of the rooftop at the scientists’ lab, she fidgeted with the steel blade hanging at her waist.

Delta glared around, calculating. “You didn’t see anything?”

“He could have left from the side exit. I don’t know. So, whatever delayed you, it better have been worth it.”

“It was.”

She crossed her arms before Delta, growing silent, staring at him—clearly pissed off. Their relationship had been hanging on a knife’s edge lately, and now her eyes were electrified with wrath. He knew what it had come down to.

His cock twitched as he thought of Kendra and the reason why he’d been so late. He’d been following, watching her like a hawk, ever since she’d left him. He had run out of options. He had to do something. Sky didn’t understand.

Finally, after a staring contest, she ground out, “If a body turns up tomorrow and we missed him…” But she trailed off. She stared over his shoulder with dark eyes, a deadly look crossing her face.

“Shit”—she took a step back—“he’s here. He must have followed you.” Her arms fell from her chest, grasping at her knife.

Delta spun to see a man at the top of the fire ladder on the edge of the rooftop. He flipped back to Sky, pushing her, and growled low and firm, “Get out of here. I’ll handle this.”

“No”—she shoved him back—“I can’t leave you without backup.”

He pushed her again, moving her toward the edge of the roof. “Go…now! You know what will happen if you don’t.”

His warning was ominous and potent. She wasn’t battle-ready and had been left that way by the scientists. Finally, she conceded and jumped over the edge, climbing down the side of the aging building. He turned back around, striding across the roof to greet his enemy.

“Look— It’s LA’s Batman,” Hunter called across the rooftop. “I knew it had to be you.”

Delta didn’t give a fuck. That made it easier.

He reached into the back of his jeans for his pistol, slowly cocking it and carrying it concealed by his side. His gloved hands held the metal, so comforting and familiar. The fresh predatory aggression of his approaching enemy validated everything Delta had believed.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Hunter stopped in the middle of the rooftop, his own pistol in his hand.

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