Page 56 of Into the Woods

My honeybee is fucking gone.

Glass crunches under my shoes as I tear through the rooms—bathroom, sitting room, even the goddamn closet is empty. I hit the switch and bathe my bedroom in the dim glow of lights intended to set a romantic mood or encourage calm. I feel anything but as I take in the rumpled bedding strewn across the floor, and streaks of blood leading out the French doors to the balcony.

She’s not just gone, she’s been taken.

Someone put their hands on her.

Someone touched her.

Saw her naked body.

And the blood.

Whoever fucking has my woman better be the one bleeding because if they deigned to spill a single drop of hers, the fear she’s surely feeling right now, will come back on them ten-fold.

I will burn the fucking world down for her.

“Teague!” My voice echoes down the stairwell all but rattling the windows and setting the light fixtures swinging.

I hit the entryway seconds before Teague enters, hand on his Glock, ready tension rolling off of him.Good. He’s going to need that.I scan the room for Roux and come up empty.

“Where’s the kid?”

“Boss?”

“Where’s the fucking kid, T?”

“I don’t know; he was right here. What’s going on?” He follows me into my office with a quick, fruitless glance into each room on the way.

“Winnie’s gone.”

“You think she might’ve tried to leave again? Decided she didn’t want this?” He waves his hand around and I briefly consider shooting the fucking thing off his wrist.

“She was taken,” I yell, anger fighting for space with the calm I need in order to plan our next move. “The window was smashed and there’s sign of struggle.” I shed the suit I just donned and grab black tactical gear suiting up as Teague finally follows my lead. “There’s a trail of blood.”

“Blood? You think the kid had something to do with it?” He pulls open the weapons panel and starts assembling a broad selection of gear and ammunition. “How many?” Teague asks as he pulls his phone from his pocket.

I pick up the lone, out of place paper sitting in the middle of my pristine desk. The message scrawled across it in sloppy, almost childlike writing makes my blood run cold.

I didn’t have a choice. They’re gonna kill my mom, man. But your girl is at the Parrain’s house. Your driver gave you up.

-R

“Call them all in. We need every single one of our men.”

Teague pauses. “All of them?”

“Every last one. Extraction protocol, tactical ready and give them Alain’s address. He has her.” I go through the motions of checking weapons and strapping up. “I don’t care what it takes, we’re getting her back. I just got her, finally got my fucking honeybee, I’m not letting go.”

“Jesus. And Alain? His men?” My best friend and closest confidant is in go-mode, striding out the door as he waits for final instructions.

“Take them out. Anyone who had a part in this shit gets a fucking bullet to the head. I want pictures, proof of death, whatever.” I stride toward the garage, ice in my veins, ready to find my woman and bring her back to me.

“You don’t want the honor?” Teague calls after me.

I don’t hesitate in my response. “He doesn’t deserve honor. Dead is dead and the sooner his black soul has left his body, the better for all of us.” Maybe I should feel something—some kind of regret, sadness—since he’s been my only family for the past several years, but I can’t. Not now when he has Winnie. He took her from me and for that he has to pay.

Teague’s gaze meets mine and holds for a beat before he gives me a tight nod. His voice echoes through the house as he moves toward the guest suites. “Garrick! Mounting up. You’re here—get shit ready to receive and triage.”

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