Page 36 of Escape From Me

I watched him and glanced at the screen of his phone.

“That your daughter?”

I could hear every nervous huff of air.

“I… Yeah.”

I pulled my phone up and sent a text.

“You do as you are told, keep your lips shut, and she’ll have a bright future.”

His hands shook.

“How… how will… I mean… but…”

He must have seen something in my face, but he shut up.

“I have someone looking into you right now. You will have a college trust fund or whatever you choose set up and waiting for your signature by the time you get home. She’ll live a better life because her daddy keeps his mouth shut. Agreed?”

The way his mouth opened and closed told me he wasn’t really sure what to think. He finally seemed to suck in a good long breath.

“Got it. Just get him in the car and then walk away.”

Something inside me stirred. I would either be able to grab her and take her or, well, I would be doing that all the same. I stepped back to my boys.

“He shouldn’t be a loose end. Regardless, if you can grab Daisy—Cas, X—he will need to be dealt with. Track my phone. Meet me in an hour.”

Nothing else was said. Nothing else needed to be said. A tracker had been put onto the private limo that was indeed owned by the pretentious senator. The other car would be another senator. One that had always seemed far too stupid to be in his position. Seeing him here? He appeared to be just another puppet who might be losing his puppet master soon enough.

“Add fresh meat to the grocery list as well.”

Xander was damn near jumping.

“Sparky, you ready to put your skills to good use?” X asked Cali. Something was fucking wrong with her, but the way she looked up at my brother? Just like Rylee watched Cas.

“Family dinner tonight. But set the table for six.”

I walked away from them, letting them do what they did. Fawn over their women or squeal or fuck. I had no idea.

I slid behind the wheel of the car, my hands white-knuckling the damn thing. I’d spied Daisy as I kept my presence quiet for the moments the funeral came to a conclusion.Goodbye pigwas all I could say in my mind, sending up a little prayer to whatever god had decided I was a good choice to gift to this world.

The last text. The one I hadn’t shared, played on repeat. Over and over.

“Just a pussy.”

He wasn’t going to touch her. I wouldn’t let him. Except right now, I didn’t have a lot of control over the way he was dragging her to the car, I could see everything through the sideview mirror. It was taking everything in me not to jump from the car and kill him right now. Instead, I had plans, she just needed to last a few minutes longer.

I clenched my teeth as I saw her shoe get stuck, and all he could do was pull her away as she fought him. Finally I noticed my new friend open the door.

“Good afternoon, sir. Madam,” the old driver said.

“Shut the fuck up and just get going.” My hands ached to squeeze his neck, but all I could do was grip this damn wheel.

I kept myself hidden behind the screen for the moment, keeping it cracked so that I could hear everything but no one could see me.

The door finally slammed shut, and all I could hear was my dove practically crying.

“Let me go. I won’t make a good wife.”

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