“That’s enough,” I yell.“Maddox, come with me.”
“You’re kidding,right?” Dane yells again. “You think I’m going to let you go off and discuss this without me? You’ve lost your damn mind.”
“I think you’re going to stay here or go back to your room,” I tell him,inches away from his face. “You’re not helping anything. That may be your sister, but that’s the woman I love and mylittle girl. I will get them back if it kills me, and I’m not going to do it with your ranting, raving, and bitching that solves nothing.”
I leave without another word, Maddox right behind me. Angel and Ryder start to follow. “No,” I tell them. “Just Maddox.”
They both look stunned but stop following.
We get into my room. I lock the door behind us.
“That was him, wasn’t it?” I demand.
“That was him.I wasn’t sure at first, but when he looked at the camera, I knew.”
“Answer me one thing. How is it you thought he was dead? Did no one think to check a pulse?”
“There wasn’t time. It was all hell breaking loose. Bullets flying everywhere. Trying to get all those girls out. Matteo ordered the place burned to the ground. Even if he survivedgetting shot in the chest, he should’ve died in the fire. Only way he would’vegotten out of there in that condition is –.”
“If he had inside help,” I finish.
“That’s not our problem, though. Christian was able to send me a picture of the guy. The one from thefootage at the park was too grainy. He got me his name and some information about him.” The look on his face tells me I am not going to like what he has to say.I lift a brow,telling him to continue while I brace myself. “His name is NikoNovak.He was born in Slovakia. Parents brought him to the U.S. when he was twelve. Hehas been incriminated in quite a few crimes. Serious ones, but they never had evidence togo after him.”
“How does that help us?”
“He hasproperty all over the world. Including, right here in Paris.Odds are he’s still in the city.”
“This isn’t a small place,” I tell him wryly.
“We can narrow it down I’m sure, but there’s something else you need to know.” The tightness in his face tightens my chest.
“Spit it out, Maddox,” I hiss.
“Novak had a sister. She was eight when they moved here.Novak had a different father than her, so they have different last names.”
“Peyton,” I nearly choke.
“Finding Cara was a coincidence. They’ve been after Lyra.”
Ishove my hands in my hair as my knees grow weak. “I brought this bastard back to her,” I say around the lump in my throat.
“No. Peyton did.Don’t know why but this isn’t your fault. The only thing that youcould possibly blame yourself for is taking her in in the first place.”
“Not like I had a choice,” I mutter.
“Didn’t you?”He pops a brow knowingly.
“You know?”
“That you’ve been raising someone else’s kid? I’ve known as long as you have. Did you think, when she appeared on your doorstep, I wouldn’t check into it?Whenyou said the paternity test confirmed you were the father, I knew you were lying but figured you knew what you were doing.”
“Didn’t have a damn clue. Still don’t. But she’s mine, Mads,” I tell him with conviction.
“I know she is.”
“Where do we start looking?”
“I’ve got some contacts checking into that. In the meantime, we have to deal with the press.” I open my mouth to tell him I don’t care about the press, but he holds hishand up to stop me. “If we don’t, then we’re not going to be able to focus on Cara and Lyra. Liam can handle most of it, but we have to say something.Ten minutes, Jake.”
