Page 52 of Act of Passion

“Just over four,” replied Brooke through her tears. “She has to be terrified. I have to find her. I have to find themboth!”

“Calm down, Tut,” saidStriker.

Malik shoved Striker. “Don’t tell me to calm down! My mate found a way to have a child with another man! I claimed her. I thought she was human and I claimed her! She’s anything but human. She shouldn’t have been able to have children with anyone but me. I’m going to find the guy who touched her and killhim!”

Boomer helped Brooke to her feet. “Auberi, can you helpher?”

Auberi was suddenly there, holding Brooke to his powerful frame. She flinched as Malik shouted more. He stepped out of the circle of men and pointed at her. “I spent five years hunting for you, and you were what? Shacking up with some guy, popping outbabies?”

Stunned, she jerked and stepped back, out of Auberi’s embrace. It took her a moment to stop crying long enough to speak. When she did, she didn’t bother being nice. “Let’s recap, shall we? I spent a night with you almost five years ago, and you kicked me out of your room and your life. Remember that? That doesn’t give you the right to judge me, and you certainly don’t ownme.”

He snarled and the men all grabbed him, keeping him inplace.

Brooke narrowed her gaze on him. “And to answer your question about how I spent my five years, I spent the first eight months after you chased me away from your room being held in a secret facility owned and operated by The Corporation. Want to know when I found out I was pregnant? Daytwoof being there, Malik. The guy in the cell next to mine said he could smell the change in my body. He told me I wasexpecting.”

Malikstilled.

She kept glaring at him. “Since I’d only been with you, that really narrowed the field on who the baby’s father was. So, to answer your question, I spent the first eight months that I was pregnant withyourdaughter being tested on and tortured—mentally and physically. It was all I could do to keep her safe from them. When we were freed, the fight to protect her didn’t end.” She jabbed herself in the chest with her pointer finger. “I was hunted like a fox by a pack of wild dogs. Edee and I had to stay on the run. I delivered your daughter in a gas station bathroom. And when I held her for the first time, I knew she was worth every bit of the pain and torture I’d gone through. She was worth the heartache and grief I suffered when they told me they’d killed you. She was worth the testing they put methrough.”

The men all lowered their gazes and released their hold onMalik.

He stared at her. “I…? We? You?She’s…?”

Striker lifted his head. “Och, Tut, that may be the worst apology I’ve ever heard, and I’ve botched more than my fairshare.”

Boomer reached for Brooke. “We’ll help find her. We won’t let her or Edee be hurt. If Edee happened to get away, where would she go? We can check therefirst.”

Malik averted his gaze and Brookesnorted.

“You know what,Tut,” she said, her tone mocking and full of rage. “I don’t want or need your help finding Edee andBethany.”

Boomer grabbed her shoulders. “Brooke, ignore him. He’s not a factor in this right now. You can trust me. I want to find them. Tell me where to look. Let me help you. Letushelp.”

“I’ll take you to the set meeting location. What if she’s not there? What if they have her and mydaughter?”

“Then we will move heaven and hell to get them back,” saidBoomer.

Garth stepped forward. “We won’t rest until they’resafe.”

Ruriknodded.

Striker lifted his chin. “And we’ll make the bastards pay for ever thinkin’ they could dare to takethem.”

Nodding, she lost her battle with tears again. “Thankyou.”

Chapter Sixteen

Brooke stayed pressedagainst the door of the large SUV she’d been placed in. Boomer was driving, Striker was in the passenger seat, and Malik was in the second row with her. Auberi, Rurik, and Garth were behind them in another SUV. And Corbin and Duke were supposed to meet them at the safehouse.

Since they’d gotten in the vehicle, Malik hadn’t spoken a word. He’d not even looked ather.

“We’ll find them, Brooke,” said Boomer, glancing up at the rearview mirror to look at her. “I promise youthat.”

“Aye,” said Striker. “No one hurts a child on my watch. Noone.”

“Thank you for your help,” Brooke said softly, her hands shaking. “Does anyone have a phone I canuse?”

Malik withdrew his phone and handed it to her, never saying aword.

---