Page 32 of Banner

“Hello?”a woman answers frantically.

“Uhm.I think I dialed the wrong number.”

“Wait!Don’t hang up.This isn’t my phone.It fell out of a man’s pocket when he was being loaded onto a stretcher.The ambulance took off before I could get it back to him.”

Stretcher.Ambulance.My ears start to ring.

“Was there a woman and a baby with him?”

“No—Yes!Sorry.I did see two women and one was holding a baby.But, they ran down into the subway after the giant hit the man in the head.”

“What subway tunnel?”My heart beats wildly in my chest.I listen carefully as she rattles off the location.I tell her to hold onto Hunter’s phone and answer if it rings again, then hang up.

I yank my cell out of my pocket and scroll to Dragon’s number.

“Need something, Boss?”

“Track Sophia’s phone!”Within seconds I hear his fingers flying across his keyboard.

“Uhh… It’s in the middle of the Hudson, Boss,” he says slowly.

“Fuck!”I roar, jumping to my feet.I’ve got to find her.

“Banner!Banner!Anyone; help me!”What the fuck?I end my call as my office door is thrown open.

Nova races inside with Payton tucked tightly against her chest and screaming bloody murder.My eyes fly behind her, waiting for my wife to appear, but she doesn’t.

“Where’s Sophia?”I demand.

Nova starts talking so fast I can barely understand her.“They took her!We were coming here, and they popped up out of nowhere.I told Sophia I thought it was a bad idea to be out, but by then it was too late, and Hunter got hurt.Sophia was going to let them take her.She was going to sacrifice herself, but I couldn’t let her do that.I knocked that big fucker down and we were almost home free, but the giant caught us in the subway before Sophia could jump over the turnstile.”She’s breathing heavily and her next words make me see red.“He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back.Then… then he hit her.”Nova dissolves into uncontrollable sobs making Payton cry even harder.

“Who took her?”I say through clenched teeth.

Nova lifts her tear-stained face and hisses, “Ivan!”

“Stay here with Payton until someone from the club comes for you.”

I stalk toward the exit and leap down the steps.I push my helmet onto my head as I climb onto my bike and crank the motor.Before I take off, I call Dragon back and hit the button on my helmet to connect to my Bluetooth.

“Ivan has Sophia!”I shout over the roar of my bike when he picks up.I hear the click-clack of keys as he pounds away on his keyboard.“He’s at his warehouse.”

“Get there,” I yell before ending the call.

I make the twenty-minute trek in ten, park my bike a block away under the bridge, and take off on foot.He has to know I’m coming for him.He’d be a fool not to, but even so, I’m not going to announce that I’m here.It’s too dangerous for Sophia and if anything happens to her...No.I refuse to go down that road of thinking.She’s going to be fine and once I get her out of here, we’re going to start our family.

I look up and down the road as I make my way closer to the fence line and do a double-take when I spot a hole in the fence up ahead.

Thank God.

I eat up the distance and duck behind the bushes once I’m close enough.Parting the weeded shrubs with my hands, I scan the area.There isn’t a soul in sight but I’m not letting down my guard.I can feel it; the fucking Russian is up to something.

I’m about to step through the gap in the fence when my phone vibrates in my pocket.

Dragon: They’ll be there in five.

How many?

Dragon: Everyone.

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