Page 1 of Seeking Salvation

Prologue

“Let me out.” Her palm slapped loudly against the wood as he cursed, moving closer to the door with the whimpering child held snugly against his chest.

“Allen, I swear to God if you hurt her, I’ll hunt you down.”

He listened as she screamed threats at him until her voice was hoarse, and the sound of baby Maggie crying caused his gut to twist with something that almost felt like regret.

Sliding the lock on the door, he pulled it open and saw his prisoner leaning heavily against the wall of the basement where he was holding her. Tears streaked her face but it was the fierce look of a mother getting ready to defend her child that made a flame of guilt flicker in his belly. How had his life become this? When did he become a man who kidnapped a woman and her child to achieve his own agenda?

He stifled a sigh and buried the feelings of doubt deep inside. He knew his height and build were intimidating but, more than that, it was the vibe he had cultivated, the cold leader of the Onyx Cobras. Linton Allen had perfected a persona that left every person he encountered with no doubt that he was exactly the monster they’d seen in their nightmares.

Yet something about this woman, willing to fight him against any odds of winning, carved at the scar inside him that was left by his brother’s death. Shaking off the feeling, he glanced at the child who was now leaning into his shoulder with such innocent trust he wondered how the human race could possibly survive. Her little mouth sucked on the dummy he’d given her when her crying had driven him crazy.

He stepped back as Autumn ran her gaze over her daughter, assessing her baby for any signs of injury or pain, her fists clenching with rage that filled him with a grudging respect. When she found nothing, he watched her blow out a tremulous breath.

“Stand up.” He raised his chin, his lip curling in a sneer as he stepped back to give her more room. With her hand pressed to the wall, she lifted from her knees and took a shaky step forward. He didn’t hold a gun on her as she stepped into the light, airy kitchen with cream cabinets and black marble work surfaces. He didn’t need to, not when he held her child in his arms.

Once again, he was reminded how vulnerable having a child made someone and reaffirmed his decision to never put himself in that position. Family was a weakness, and he’d never be weak again.

“Give me my baby.” Autumn bit her bottom lip at the way her voice broke, holding her empty arms out for her baby.

“Not yet. First, you need to do something for me.”

His features were strong, with high cheekbones, mesmerising brown eyes, and short-cropped hair. He would’ve had the world at his feet, as intelligent and handsome as he was, but he’d chosen the wrong path.

“What do you want from me?” Her arms fell to her front, the metal of the cuffs rubbing her skin raw. Allen leaned against the counter as Maggie drifted off to sleep in his arms, totally unaware of the danger she was surrounded by.

“The formula your husband was working on has a flaw. I need you to fix it.”

Autumn shook her head slightly. “I can’t just pick up a formula and fix it. That kind of thing takes months of work and I’d need all his research and data analysis.”

“You speak like you have a choice, Autumn.” The sneer in his voice was deliberately mocking and made her take a step forward. He raised an eyebrow in warning, making her stop short and his mouth quirked into a grin.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because it’s the only way to end this.” His voice shook with emotion he hated before he took a breath and shoved that shit down.

“End what?”

He could see her trying to work things out in her head and coming to the correct conclusion that she didn’t have all the facts. “First, you agree to help me, then I’ll tell you.”

“Give me Maggie.”

Autumn was in no position to be making demands, but he knew giving her some semblance of control would instil trust in him. Allen spun, grabbing a gun from the counter behind him and she froze, and he realised her sense of self-preservation was still alive after all, but then he threw her a key. “Uncuff yourself.”

Autumn did as he asked, her movements slow before dropping the metal shackles to the ground. Allen moved quickly, making her jump, as he handed her baby into her arms. He watched as she ran her hands over her child and held her close, burying her nose into the baby’s soft neck and breathing in her scent.

“She’s been fed and changed.”

Autumn looked at him with utter confusion. “I don’t understand.”

Allen hitched up onto the barstool at the breakfast bar. “I’m everything they say I am, Autumn. I’m a killer. I torture people and hurt them, but I didn’t kill your husband, and I’d never hurt a child. Not ever,” he enunciated with venom.

“I saw you kill Terrell.”

“No, you saw Anton kill Terrell, except he made it look like it was me.” He shook his head slowly. “Think about it, Autumn. Who was the first person to arrive at your house after Terrell was killed?”

He watched her relive that memory, her eyes widening as she realised that perhaps things weren’t quite as clear cut as she remembered.

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