Page 34 of Vengeful Lies

And even if it was, complaining about what happened to her wouldn't help Cade.

That was what she had to focus on. There was a lot she didn't understand. Why Cade included her in the trade, why he’d been in her room, why he had her doll, why he’d told her to take care of his daughter, what it all meant, and her jumbled brain couldn’t seem to put it all together.

“Go to sleep, Gabriella,” Jake ordered in a voice that reminded her so much of the bossy tone Cade was prone to using that tears trickled down her cheeks.

Knowing they were right, that she badly needed sleep, that she’d have more intel to give them after her brain and body rested a little, she closed her eyes. Surrounded by big, strong, highly trained men didn't make her feel any safer than she’d felt alone in that small room with Essie. The only thing that might make her feel safe was Cade, but he’d traded his life for hers and his daughters, and in doing so he’d left a gaping hole in her heart.

Chapter

Nine

September 5th

8:32 A.M.

Cade was getting bored.

He was ready to do something.

Ready to start working on a way to get some intel that he would hopefully be able to take home to his family so they could end this mess once and for all.

Sitting around in this basement for hours had given him plenty of time to hone the anger that had raged inside him since these men took his daughter from him. Straightening it out so it was no longer a tangled and useless mess, and turning it into something productive, something that would power him through.

Knowing it likely wasn't going to make it through a screening process, his watch, which had a tracking device inside it, had been taken when he’d been hit with the tranquilizer dart and knocked out. So he also had to assume there was a good possibility that the small tracking device he’d had taped to his skin had also been found.

That meant there was virtually zero chance that his brothers were coming for him, but right now, he was way too wired to give that thought a chance to fester. This had always been a risk and one he’d been willing and fully prepared to take.

These men were trained and paid well to do their boss’ bidding. This wasn't the same as just abducting him, he’d made a trade which meant they would know to be careful that he wasn't trying to double cross them.

But double crossing them was what he had every intention of doing as soon as an opportunity presented itself.

When the door at the top of the stairs finally opened, energy surged through his bloodstream.

This was it.

The chance he’d been waiting for.

A chance to actually do something other than just sitting there and conjuring up in his mind all the ways he’d loved to punish the men for abducting his girls and for hurting Gabriella. Thinking about the bruises littering her body added fuel to the fires of his fury, and he had to work to ensure he channeled that fury the right way. It had to be helpful and not a hindrance if he wanted to stand a real shot at getting home to his girls.

“Morning,” he drawled lazily before any of the five men who had entered the basement could say anything.

From the way they faltered slightly, he could tell his nonchalant attitude had gotten to them. They expected him to be afraid and cowering, begging and pleading for his life. It wasn't only the rigorous training he’d gone through to become a pararescueman that had him feeling calm and in control, it was that there was nothing in the world more terrifying than knowing your helpless child and the woman who did things to you that you believed you were no longer capable of feeling were in the hands of psychopaths.

In comparison to that fear, this was nothing.

Each strike he took, any blood he shed, it was all in the place of Essie and Gabriella and that would dull any pain.

“Boss wants some answers,” one of the men informed him as the five of them made their way down the stairs.

Cade studied the man carefully, paying attention to the way he moved, analyzing his body size and shape.

“You're the one who kissed her,” he growled, causing the man to stumble. He would have been sure of it even without the man’s shocked expression. One thing he was good at was paying attention to the details other people didn't take the time to notice.

“How could you know that? We were all wearing masks, could have been any one of us,” the man said with false bravado, but Cade just grinned back, enjoying throwing them off their game.

“Your gait is slightly off, like an old injury shortened one of your legs marginally. And you keep your left shoulder higher than your right. You should work on that if you want to put your hands on women without their permission while you have an audience.” Cade smirked when the man frowned at him.

Another of the men laughed and punched the guy in the shoulder. “Dude, he’s got you.”

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