Page 166 of Safe and Sound

“He’ll kill you,” I replied, desperation choking off my voice.

“That’s a risk I have to take.”

“No fucking way. We’ll find a way to get Piper back. I’ll negotiate territory and money.”

She placed her hand on my cheek. “This is between me and my family.”

“I can’t let you go.”

“If you love me and you love your daughter, then you have to.”

As I stared at the determined look in her eyes, I threw back my head and screamed, my fingers tearing through the strands of my hair. No, I couldn’t let this happen. I couldn’t let the woman I loved go. I had to save her and my daughter.

Ava leaned up to bring her lips to mine. I tasted the salty tears of her sadness along with her steely strength. “I’ll come back to you,” she said.

“I’ll destroy the world to get you back.”

“Take care of our daughter.”

“You have my word.”

After one final kiss, she turned from me and ran to the helicopter. I held my breath, waiting for the man to double cross us by shooting Ava and still taking Piper. But to my surprise, he didn’t. He even gave Ava a moment to hug and kiss Piper before she started running across the clearing to me.

“DADDY!” she sobbed as she dove into my arms.

Her words brought me to my knees. To hear her call me that for the first time should’ve brought such joy, but it wounded me so deeply.

I had to get Ava back not just for me, but for Piper.

Chapter Forty-Four: Ava

At the slamming of the helicopter door, I jumped. I pressed my hands against the window, peering out at what was most likely the last time I would see Dare and Piper. Tears clouded my vision.

“That was an incredibly selfless thing you just did,” the man across from me said.

I didn’t reply. Instead, I kept staring at my world as they grew smaller and smaller as the helicopter’s altitude grew higher. As my fingernails scraped against the glass, I fought to breathe.

“My mother was a lot like you. She always put me and my sister first. Most mafia wives are socialites who flit from one party to another. But not my mother. She was utterly devoted.”

Tearing my gaze from the window, I took in the man. With blonde hair and blue eyes, he wasn’t conventionally handsome, but there was something very attractive about him. He appeared younger than me.

Swallowing down my panic, I questioned, “She was?”

“Was what?”

“You reference your mother in the past tense.”

He nodded. “She was murdered a year ago.” There was a flicker in his steely resolve. “She refused to press her family for money, so my father killed her.”

My eyes widened in horror. “That’s awful.”

“Yes, it was.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.” Tilting his head at me, he asked, “Do you know who I am?”

“One of my uncle’s men. Probably someone important if he sent you to kidnap me.”

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