He gives me the name of a restaurant. “She took extra security,” Antonio finishes.
Yeah, well, that security isn’t answering. For a moment, a feeling of déjà vu washes through me. If Hampton Kean took another woman from me, I will rip his fucking heart out with my bare hands.
I pull out my phone to call Phoenix. We need to find her before Kean can hurt her. Before he takes someone else I care about.
Before I can dial the number, my phone buzzes and my heart stops when I see Hampton Kean's name on the screen. An image loads…
Hannah's tied to a chair, her head lolling forward. Blood trickles from a cut on her temple, staining her fiery hair darker. The basement of the Kean estate forms the backdrop.
Your wife is quite lovely. Shame if something happened to her like your last woman.
The phone cracks in my grip. This is my fault. I dragged Hannah into this vendetta, used her family's connections, and put her in danger. And now that bastard has her.
I squeeze my eyes shut but can't block out the memories. The smoke, the screams, Meghan's body. Now Hannah's in their clutches because I was too wrapped up in my own guilt and trauma to protect her properly.
"I should have never married her," I growl. But even as I say it, I know it's a lie. These past weeks with Hannah have brought light back into my dark world. Her smile, her determination, the way she throws herself into helping me despite my coldness. Now she could die thinking I never wanted her.
The rage builds inside me. Hampton Kean will pay for touching her.
I hit Phoenix's number on speed dial. "Get everyone. Now. Kean has Hannah."
“What the fuck?”
"I'm going in there now," I growl, making a beeline to my office to grab as many weapons as I can carry.
“Ash, we’ll get her, but you can’t go in there guns blazing. You’ll get yourself killed.”
“I don’t care.”
“If you’re dead, you can’t save her. Besides, your walking into the Kean estate is what he wants.”
"I don't care!" The words explode from me. "I can't lose her like I lost Meghan. I won't survive it again."
There’s a long pause. "You love her."
"I…" The denial dies on my lips. What's the point in fighting it anymore? "Yes. But even if I didn’t, she doesn’t deserve this, Phoenix, and you know it.”
“I do. But we need to be smart about this. We weren’t planning on our final push this soon, but maybe today is the day. We go in together, like we always planned."
I run my hands through my hair in frustration. "She could be hurt. The picture he sent…" The image of Hannah's bloodied face haunts me.
"Hannah's strong," Phoenix reminds me. "And Kean won't kill her yet. He needs her alive as bait."
"That's supposed to make me feel better? He’s a fucking psychopath. He burned our family alive?—”
“Ash!” Phoenix’s voice is harsh, like a slap. “Get your shit together. I’m calling Blaise and Flint. Meet us at O’Donnell’s. He’s not going to back off trying to save his daughter.”
"If anything happens to her…"
"It won't. We'll get her back." Phoenix's voice holds the quiet confidence I need right now. "And then you can tell her how you feel."
I storminto the O'Donnell household, not waiting for their butler to announce me. John O'Donnell rises from his desk, looking as shook as I feel.
“Your brother called. I’m pulling in all my men and have calls out to others.”
“How did this happen?” I don’t know why I’m asking him. She was under my protection.
“The Sullivans.” Phoenix strides in, followed by Flint and Blaise. They all glance at me, probably trying to assess whether my head is about to explode. It is.
