Page 23 of Savage Angels

“Any news?” I ask Salvatore, who has been on his cell phone for the past hour, making calls to every contact he can think of.

“Nothing yet,” he replies, frustration evident in his voice. “But we’re not giving up, Dane. We’ll find her.”

I clench my fists at my side, feeling helpless for the first time in my life. “She’s out there somewhere, Sal. And I won’t rest until I bring her home.”

“Come, my friend. Blaze and Gunner are awake. It will do you good to spend time with your children.”

Turning, we walk back inside the house. Sitting at the dining table is Dave, Kat’s manager, and his partner, Luther. They each have one of my children in their arms. Dave is cooing at Blaze and stops when he sees me.

“Hello, Dane. Do you want to hold your son?” asks Dave.

“Yes.”

He stands and passes Blaze to me, and I sit beside Luther so I might stare at both my sons.

Jesse comes in and sits opposite me, grinning at his brothers. “Truth says they look like Mom.”

“They do.”

“Do I?”

“You and your sister are a mix of us both. You have my eyes and your mom’s mouth.”

“Which means I do too,” says Kristen as she climbs onto the chair beside her brother.

“Yep.” I smile at her.

“I miss Mom.” Kristen’s mouth quivers, and my heart breaks for her.

“I swear on my life, we will bring your mom home. We’re a family, and nothing can tear us apart.”

“Family,” Jesse echoes, his voice strong despite the tears that threatened to spill.

“Family,” Kristen agrees as she walks around the table and holds me close.

“Family,” Salvatore affirms, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“Family,” I whisper, gazing at my children with renewed resolve. With every beat of my heart, I vow to find Kat and reunite our family, no matter what it takes.

Chapter Nine

KATARINA SAUNDERS

Lead Guitarist in The Grinders and Dane Reynold’s Wife

Past Event

My toes sink in the warm sand while the sun kisses my skin. It is a perfect day in Hawaii, surrounded by my children and the other members of The Grinders. Laughter fills the air as we splash around in the turquoise water, the salt spray cooling our faces. Tony is annoyed at us for leaving the safe house but we needed a break. The beach is filled with tourists and no one pays as much attention. The only one of us who doesn’t blend in is Tony, he’s constantly scanning the people around us and looking for possible threats.

“Hey, Mom!” my son, Jesse, calls out, tossing a beach ball my way. I catch it effortlessly, grinning at him before sending it back with a gentle push.

“Nice catch, Kat!” Jamie, our drummer, shouts.

We are a family bonded by our love for music and each other.

But even though we need this time to relax, I cannot shake the feeling that danger is lurking just beneath the surface. Our fame has brought us incredible opportunities, but it has also attracted dark forces that threaten to tear it all away. Every stranger could be an enemy, every passerby a potential threat. I know I have to stay vigilant, not just for me but for my family.

“Hey, babe.” Jasmin flops down beside me. “You seem a little tense. Everything okay?”

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