Page 98 of Forged in Secrets

“Katie, it’s gonna be okay,” she said instead. She turned away to return her attention to driving, easing the throttle back until they were bobbing in the water. If Craig was still alive, they’d have to get to land in a hurry, but for themoment, all she wanted was a chance to breathe. “We’re gonna get you home.”

She heard Jade’s bitter laugh behind her.

“Katie probably won’t want to be under her dad’s roof ever again after this.”

Grace felt sick. It was true. Ultimately, it had been Donald’s illegal actions that had led to Katie’s abduction. Whatever his reasons were, his daughter had been the one to bear the consequences. At least until now.

“I’m the one with the gun now, Jade,” Ben said, his deep voice filled with venom.

“And it changes nothing,” Jade countered. “You’re still not gonna shoot me. You’re the good guy, right? The muscle of the family with a heart of gold?”

Ben ignored her, sticking the gun into a holster at his waist.

“I doubt you can walk with that knee anyway,” he said. “I’m sure Katie will let me know if you move.”

Katie was leaning against the wall now. She still looked shaken, but she gave Ben a firm nod. “You can count on it.”

For once, Jade didn’t offer a retort, and Ben crossed the bridge in a couple long strides and placed a hand on Grace’s shoulder.

“Hey,” Ben whispered near her ear, leaning in and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Grace punched a few buttons on the ship's auto navigation system, keeping their position stable. The feeling of his lips and slight stubble against her skin made her stomach leap in the best possible way.

“She’s right, you know,” she said quietly, though she was sure that Jade could still hear them. “You are the good guy.”

His eyes darkened at her words, and he said nothing.

Even after all that they had been through together, were there still secrets he wasn’t ready to bring into the light?

She gave him a small smile and tilted her head back, inviting a kiss. He took it, leaning over her easily until his lips met hers upside down. Even the brief peck was enough to send her already pounding heart racing even faster.

She loved him. And if he loved her back like she thought he did, she trusted that he’d open up to her when he was ready. Right now, they needed to figure out their next move.

She was about to ask Ben whether he wanted her to set their heading or go and find Craig and Asher while he watched Jade, but before she could, she noticed a small boat had appeared in view of her windshield.

It was moving fast.

Was it possible that Craig and Jade’s other associates were coming back to the yacht?

As it got closer, she could see that it was a speedboat with three people on board. It certainly didn’t look anything like a Coast Guard boat, or the Mexican police.

Ben squinted toward it. “Wait, is that–”

She felt a smile spreading across her face as relief flooded her.

Gabe was driving, her father was standing next to him, and her mother was clinging to her seat for dear life, her blonde bob held back with a baseball cap she normally wouldn’t be caught dead in.

Finally, backup had arrived. It was over.

CHAPTER

FORTY-THREE

BEN

Ben rested his forearms on the railing of the yacht and stared out at the water, glad that the sun had begun to lower a little in the sky. He could see the back of the speedboat as it raced toward the coast with Gabe, Katie, and Craig on board.

The man had been badly hurt by Asher’s gunshot, but thanks to his twin’s determination to stay with him and keep him from bleeding out, they were confident he’d survive. Gabe had radioed for help, but in the end, they’d made the call that taking the injured man by speedboat down to Tampico hospital along the southern coast of Mexico would give him the best chance.

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