Page 82 of Cole: Bloodlines
“Plan to.”
“I love you.”
“I know.”
Axel smiled. “Shut up.Sayit—I don’t care who’s there.”
A low chuckle rumbled through the phone.“I love you, brat.”
“That’s better, cowboy. Don’t make me work for it… or else.”
Clint chuckled again.“I like the sound of that.”
Max clung to his last thread of hope—his mind scared and worn out, his faith torn—standing in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at his own reflection. The man looking back was barely recognizable after a sleepless night that was somehow still haunted by nightmares. Dark circles had formed beneath his eyes, and in the hours since his family disappeared, he had seemed to age ten years.
Abel was home, and for that, he was grateful to God. But the kids were still missing. Cole and Gabe were gone, too. Not only was he worried about their welfare, but he was also concerned for Angel and Abel. Both boys had spent their lives protecting their siblings—now they were gone, taken byserial killers.Max couldn’t imagine the horrific scenarios playing through their minds.
Or maybe he could… as the same scenarios had been playing out in his own head all night long.
Gripping the sink, Max hung his head, his eyes closing. His body was weary with stress, exhausted from fear. He just wanted his familyhome—andsafe.
“Please, God,” he whispered through a constricted throat. “Please bring them home safe.” Tears thickened his voice. “Please don’t take them from us. We can’t…” He sniffed, his chin trembling. “… we can’tlivewithout them. We can’t…”
He raised his head and looked at his reflection. A tear rolled down his face. He’d been praying the same prayer all night and wondered why he continued. There was no reason to think this prayer would garner results when none of the others—
A phone rang in the kitchen.Hisphone. The ringtone was still echoing in the air when Horatio answered. Max couldn’t move; his feet rooted to the bathroom tiles. He was terrified of what was at the other end of that call, a power that could end his world in the blink of an eye. When he heard Horatio walking down the hall toward the bathroom moments later, Max grippedthe sink harder, every muscle in his body locking with tension—andterror.
“Max?” Horatio knocked softly on the door. His voice was neutral, and Max couldn’t decipher his tone.
“Yeah?” Max replied with a noticeable rasp.
“Are you okay?”
Max stared at his reflection as tears filled his eyes. “Who… Who called?”
The short pause caused his heart to beat faster with fear. Horatio quietly cleared his throat, his voice thick with emotion when he said, “Dane.”
Max trembled, waiting—prayingharder than ever before.
“The kids…” Horatio’s voice quaked with tears. “They’re… back. They’resafe.”
Max’s paralysis broke in that instant, and he spun around, jerking open the door. “What?” He grabbed onto Horatio, tears spilling over. “They-They’re safe?”
His face wet, Horatio smiled. “They are, babe.” His throat worked. “They’re at the hospital now, with Dane and the others. They’re okay.”
Max hugged him hard, clutching his body as he broke into sobs. Horatio held him tightly, crying with him. Shuddering, Max suddenly drew back. “Cole? Gabe?”
“They’re safe, too.” Horatio sniffed, wiping his eyes.
“What about…” Max cleared his throat. “What about the one who took them?”
“Clint and Cochise are dealing with them.”
Max trembled, nodding slowly. “Good. That’s… good to know.”
Horatio smiled small, relief reflecting in his watery eyes. “Yes, it is.”
When something outside the blissful haze that kept the nightmare at bay tugged at Angel’s mind, he pulled away from it. Where he was, he was floating on what felt like clouds; the terrors quieted, and the pain in his heart softened to a dull throb. He didn’t want to go back there, and he fought the “pull” with all his strength.
