Page 51 of Vengeful Lies

But there was nothing he could do to change the fact that he was looking down the barrel of a weapon.

Shifting his gaze, he met the eyes of the man holding that weapon. If he was going to die, he was going to do it facing his death head-on. No hiding, no cowering, he’d done that enough the last few years and it wasn't how he wanted to spend his final moments on earth.

I'm sorry, Essie. Never forget that your daddy loves you.

I'm sorry, Gabriella. I should have given you—us—a chance.

September 7th

9:36 A.M.

The waiting was killing her.

Gabriella was going to lose her mind if they didn't hear from Cooper or Cole soon.

This was too much.

The pressure, the anxiety, the gut-curdling fear.

There was no way she could keep going on like this.

How had Cade survived when it was his own child who’d been taken from him?

Well, she supposed he hadn't.

That’s why he was the one currently being held hostage.

The guys had gotten an address from John Gaccione. She had no idea how, nor did she want to know, but she would be forever grateful to them for whatever they’d done in that room that had elicited those blood-chilling screams and got them an address.

Connor had stayed with her and Becca at the Prey building while Cooper and Cole had gone after Cade. She’d wanted to insist that Connor go with them. They weren't sure what they were walking into, and the more of them against John’s men the better. But Becca had clearly needed Connor close by asthe reality of what could have happened to her while she was vulnerable in Cambodia truly sank in.

The three of them were upstairs, sitting in an office she knew was Cade’s because of the photos of Essie on the desk and her artwork hanging on the walls. She wasn't sure if Connor had chosen this room at random since it was the closest office to the lobby, or because he knew she needed to feel close to Cade right now.

While the others sat on the couch in one corner of Cade’s office, she paced about, unable to be still, needing a way to work out the terror-fueled energy buzzing inside her. Fears about how she would tell Essie if the worst happened, and how she would raise the girl on her own at least served the purpose of numbing her pain. She was still a mottled mess of bruises, and the bite mark on her breast hurt just from the feel of the material of her sweater brushing against it.

When Connor’s phone rang, she froze.

Good news or bad?

Was her life about to irrevocably change?

Becca squeezed Connor’s free hand as he answered the call, and they locked their gazes on her.

Reading Connor’s expression was impossible. Was it Cooper or Cole? Had they found Cade? Had they been able to rescue him? Was he dead or alive?

Connor didn't say much and what he did speak was mostly drowned out by the thudding of her pulse echoing in her ears. As much as she needed to know what had happened, Gabriella was also aware that these might be the last few seconds where she had hope.

Once she heard the news there would be no going back.

“Wh-what did they s-say?” she stammered as soon as Connor lowered the phone.

Seconds felt like years as he stood and crossed to stand before her. It was bad news. Had to be. Tremors wracked her body. She wanted to know, but at the same time she didn't.

Then his face broke into a smile. “He’s alive, Gabriella. Cade is alive and safe.”

Relief hit her so hard her knees buckled, and she would have hit the floor if Connor hadn't whipped out an arm and wrapped it around her waist to hold her up.

“He’s a-alive?” she repeated, the words not fully sinking in yet. What if this was just a dream, and she was going to wake up to find that Cade was still missing or worse, dead?

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