Page 70 of Savage Obsession

“Inside,” the man towering over us instructs.

I shake my head as Lily clings to me. “No. We’re not going anywhere with you.”

The man steps back and gestures to his companions. Two of them grasp me by the arms, another two grab Lily. We’re both hauled to our feet and bundled into the back of the van. Two of the men leap in after us, and the door is slammed shut.

“You, don’t move,” one of them growls. He brandishes his rifle to emphasise his point.

“Mom, what’s happening? Who are they?” Lily whimpers.

“Silence,” our captor barks. “No talking.”

“Mom…?

He raises his rifle as though to club her with the butt.

“Hush.” I gather her to me, protect her with my body and hug her as hard as I can. “It’ll be all right.”

“I want my daddy,” she whimpers.

Me, too. Me, too…

CHAPTER 17

Baz

My phone rings on the desk. I check the caller ID, then, “Boss? Good afternoon.”

“No, it fucking isn’t,” Kris growls at me. “I just took a call from some joker who seems to think he has my wife and daughter, and he intends to kill them unless I agree to meet him.”

I’m momentarily stunned into silence. “Your… what?”

“I don’t have a wife, or a daughter. Yet. I told him this.”

“And?”

“And he sent me a picture. Forwarding it to you now.”

I gaze at the screen until a WhatsApp message pings in moments later. I open it and let out a moan as the bottom drops out of my world. The picture shows Julia and Lily, their hands and feet bound, seated on the floor of what looks to be the back of a van. A masked man holding an AK-12 assault rifle is standing over them.

“Well?” Kris demands.

“I thought they were here…” I manage, my head whirling. I stagger to my feet.

“Well, clearly they are not. This is fucking inconvenient, Baz. If they want a meet with me, on my own, no guards, no backup, it can only be for one purpose.”

“I know.” It’ll be an assassination, some enemy who’s spotted what they think is an opportunity to eliminate a rival. “Obviously, I’ll go instead of you.”

“They don’t want you,” he states. “They’d shoot you on sight, and then your family for good measure.”

“Fuck.” I rake my fingers through my hair. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“Agreed. We need a plan. Get your arse over to the warehouse. I’ll start calling in men.”

“I’m on my way.” I end the call and charge from the office, grabbing my jacket as I go. My first stop is the kitchen where Sophia is up to her elbows in soap suds. She whirls around when the door clatters open.

“Señor Bartosz! You startled me?—”

“When did you last see my wife?” I demand without preamble.

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